Video: Alton Brown Crowns Chicago's Best Beef After Blind Taste Test

By Mae Rice in Food on May 11, 2016 2:39PM

Chef, Food Network host and self-described "Thyme Lord" Alton Brown drops by Chicago in the clip above to blind taste test our two best Italian beefs and decide, once and for all, which one's the best. Or at least which one's his favorite. He keeps reminding viewers he's "not pretending to be an expert," and seems to fear retaliation from an Italian beef cabal of some kind.

In this five-minute clip, posted Tuesday, Brown tries the two Italian beefs that got the most votes from his followers on social media. One sandwich is from Al's Beef, the other from Johnnie's Beef. Chicago loves its generically-named sandwich men!

Here are some things Brown says about Al's:

* "Good weight"
* "Well-seasoned"
* "Something vinegary there" (alas, viewers never find out what)
* "The heat is very well-balanced."

Here are some things Brown says about Johnnie's:

* "Definitely a harder roll"
* "Chili-like heat. I'm feeling it around my lips."
* "Not obnoxiously hot"
* "The plant-matter is... cut more finely here."

It's worth watching the clip just for his grave, vaguely scholarly commentary, and for the gentle suspense of watching a person eat large sandwiches blindfolded. (Will meat fall on him??) At the end, he declares a winner—though you'll have to watch the clip to find out his pick.

[h/t Reddit]