Sausage Trio at Publican Quality Meats

To be honest, I usually just get a sandwich at Publican Quality Meats, the butcher/sandwich shop/deli across the street from The Publican in Fulton Market. I know they care deeply about their pork products – yesterday during lunch alfresco, I saw them unload at least four whole pigs from Slagel Farms, and a quick scan of the front two deli cases reveals a passion for anything porcine. So when I ordered my Persian salad (black chickpeas, hummus, radicchio and some of the most lovingly roasted onions) I was feeling like a total wuss. “What’s on the hot charcuterie plate?” I asked. Thinking it would be some sort of heated-up salumi sampler, I was pleasantly surprised to see a thick boudin blanc the texture of a Wisconsin brat, and one of the best Cajun sausages ever to grace a plate in Chicago (Analogue kitchen, heads-up). Resting over a bed of earthy baked beans, there are a few scattered shards of über crispy chicharron (pork skin) and on the edge of the oval plate, a wild tangle of tongue-spiking pickled cabbage –  kimchi by way of Paul Bunyon, minus the chilies. I could only eat half, since I had a date to go check out the shoyu ramen around the corner at Takeya. But I’ll be back. I most certainly will be back.

Publican Quality Meats

825 W. Fulton Market

312-445-8977