If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! – Mike H. Patty and I were both born and raised in the Chicago area, and Chicago is well-known for its selection of beef sandwiches. If you’re from Chicago or anywhere near there, you can’t order a beef sandwich without giardiniera. It’s a “must try”, the perfect condiment for roast beef or any type of sandwich. You can get mild giardiniera or hot giardiniera, and I always go for the “hot”. I personally love it piled onto a hot dog or over a crispy toasted sub sandwich, and enjoy it on my pizza. We had several beef joints to choose from, and giardiniera was always on the menu. It’s a must have for me, so I make homemade giardiniera all the time. Let’s talk about how to make giardiniera, Chicago style, shall we? Hot giardiniera for me! Drain and rinse away the brine. Set aside. Add to your vegetable mixture. Add in the chopped olives and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 days before using, to allow flavors to mingle with the pickled vegetables. A week is better! It is normal for some types of oil to congeal in the cold. Simply bring the jar to room temperature and it will thin out again. I make homemade giardiniera frequently, though you typically need to make a larger batch, so plan accordingly. I call for jalapeno peppers in this recipe, as well as serrano peppers. And if you REALLY want to kick this up a notch, go for the habanero pepper, or be like Mike and add in some superhots. Yeah, baby. Bring on the heat! I know you want to, you crazy chilihead, you. I love hot giardiniera. This is certainly Chicago at its finest, though, and won’t blow your taste buds with heat. You’ll get a nice kick and plenty of flavor. Enjoy! I also love it mixed in with lots of olives to make this amazing muffaletta sandwich. So good! It is best served at room temperature, as the oils can congeal from refrigeration as you store it. NOTE: This recipe was updated on 6/14/24 to include new information, photos and video. It was originally published on 5/3/15.
