Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Friday, March 29

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As a favor to a reader, here's a post all about Chicago's love affair with meat. Click more for all the meaty goodness.

According to Google, the number one site for Chicago meat is, of course, ChicagoMeat.com, home of local meat packer the Chicago Meat Authority. Go figure.

Chicago was once the meatpacking capital of America, with the industry centered on the Union Stockyards on the near South Side. The conditions in meat packing plants were dangerous and unsanitary, and the book The Jungle by Upton Sinclair finally brought the industry to bear, resulting in the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. The meat packing industry eventually unionized in 1936, and the stockyards eventually closed in 1971. You can still see the gate at Exchange Ave. and Peoria St.

Chicago is probably known best for two meat products: hot dogs and Italian beef. Vienna Beef makes the city's classic dog, while Best's Kosher makes our kosher style dogs. Metromix has a round-up of places to go for a wet one with sweet peppers (shockingly, it leaves out Al's #1 on Taylor Street -- at least Mr. Beef's in there).

 
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