Best Places to Buy Corned Beef In and Around Chicago
St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner and we all know what that means whether you're Irish or not. Corned beef! If you're looking to be adventurous in your kitchen this year, you can cook your own corned beef relatively easy by simmering it for at least three hours. To find a good corned beef, a beef brisket that has been salt-cured, there are a few places to buy one in and around the city.
Winston's Sausage
For a true Southside Chicago Irish tradition, visit Winston's Sausage Market. Michael Winston, Sr., a meat cutter in the stockyards, opened his shop in 1967 to serve the Irish and American communities. They make their own Irish sausage, corned beef and puddings. They also make Irish soda bread that you will sorely miss out on if you don't take a loaf home to complement the corned beef. Winston's has now opened locations in Tinley Park and the north side of Chicago.
4701 W. 63rd St. (right by Midway Airport)
Chicago, IL 60629
Phone: 773-767-4353
Website: winstonsmarket.net
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Winston's Everyday Market
3440 N. Southport
Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: 773-327-6400
Casey's Market
If you live in the western suburbs or don't mind taking the BNSF train out of Union Station to Western Springs, you can visit Casey's. Casey's is a family-owned business located right on the tracks in the heart of Western Springs and a neighborhood favorite. They sell corned beef along with many other kinds of meat and deli specialties. You can also do a little bit of grocery shopping in their store.
915 Burlington Ave.
Western Springs, IL 60558
Phone: 708-246-0380
Website: www.caseysmarketonline.com
Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Sunday: Closed
Whittingham Meats
Venture to the south suburb of Alsip to discover Whittinghams, another family-run business since 1947. They supply many of their meats to dining establishments but you can also order online and have it shipped. Or if you rather, you can visit them and see their full-size meat market. They sell corned beef brisket, corned beef rounds and corned beef flats.
4134 W. 127th St.
Alsip, IL 60803
Phone: 708-371-1650
Website: www.rwhittinghammeats.com
Hours: Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Paulina Market
If you happen to be on the north side near the old Germantown on Lincoln Ave. visit the Paulina Market. The family started making sausage and smoking meats in 1949. In 1984, they moved to their current location. They have four smoke houses, a sausage kitchen and lots of retail space for you to shop their deli, produce, cheeses and breads. Don't get too distracted by the sausages that you forget to take home your corned beef.
3501 N. Lincoln Ave. (corner of Lincoln and Cornelia)
Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: 773-248-6272
Website: www.paulinameatmarket.com
Hours: Monday – Wednesday and Friday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The Spice House
If you'd like to start from scratch by buying a beef brisket whether from one of the above places or the grocery store, you'll need to stop at The Spice House to find the right spices to brine your beef brisket in to create the corned beef. They have listings of recipes on their website and all the spices to make them. For their recipe in brining corned beef, they even have their own special corned beef spice made up of 12 different ingredients.
1512 N. Wells St.
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: 312-274-0378
Website: www.thespicehouse.com
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
North Shore
1941 Central St.
Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: 847-328-3711
Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Rachel Azark is a writer and lives on Chicago's northwest side. Read more of her work on her blog parksandpancakes.com.
