In the pantheon of American barbecue cities like Memphis and Kansas City, Chicago rarely gets top billing. But the Windy City has a smoked meat tradition all its own, born from its industrial past and cultural melting pot. Though lesser known, Chicago-style barbecue is no less influential.

What is Chicago-style barbecue? The iconic dish is a plate of grilled rib tips served over a bed of French fries and doused with a sweet tomato sauce, with white bread served on the side. The story of how this became the defining dish of Chicago barbecue is a story of American history in the early 1900s.

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Specifically, historic events like the establishment of the city as a meat-packing hub; the Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the north in search of better social and economic opportunities; and the lingering effects of the........

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