EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Served dipped Chicago style or dry, with giordinnaire or sweet peppers, covered with mozzarella, or wrapped around an Italian sausage, an Illinois State representative wants to make Italian beef the official state sandwich of Illinois.

Rick Ryan (36th District) has introduced a resolution, HR 4669, that has passed committee. Ryan expects the resolution to go to the floor for a vote in the coming weeks.

The Evergreen Park democrat plans to hold a press conference starting at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at Pop’s Italian Beef, 10337 S, Kedzie Ave., Chicago.

“Pop’s is the place I’ve been going to for a beef sandwish since I was a little boy,” said Ryan, who grew up in Oak Lawn’s St. Germaine Parish and graduated from Brother Rice. “That’s my hometown beef stand and still is to this day.”

The idea to declare a new official sandwich of Illinois was informally kicked around by state representatives’ staffers during a holiday party.

“It’s a tradition for general staffers in Springfield to spitball lighthearted reslutions that could be passed,” Ryan said. “They called me and asked if would .sponsor it. I thought it was a cool idea.”

According to Chicago culinary lore, the beefy sammie as we know it today originated in Chicago’s Little italy neighborhood at the end of World War I. A Chicago street peddler named Anthony Ferreri got the idea attending an Italian American wedding. The family was cutting off thick slices of roast beef and making sandwiches out of it. Ferreri, the forebearer of the founders of Al’s #1 Italian Beef, figured if he could slice that beef roast thinner on his deli slicer and slow cook it in its juices, add in some secret spices you could feed twice as many people, according to Al’s company bio.

The Italian beef sandwich started showing up on restaurant menus during the 1930s, and while many shops claim to be the original, most agree that that Al’s #1 Italian Beef on Taylor Street officially wears that crown.

Before Italian beef can become the Illinois state sandwich it must first topple the current state sandwich – the “Horseshoe” – that originated in Springfield. The central Illinois delicacy is made by placing two pieces of toast on a pre-heated platter, laying breaded meat on the toast, and then covering the entire sandwich with cheese sauce, and circling the platter with french fries.

The original horseshoe sandwich recipe called for a breaded piece of ham, but some places use burger, chicken or pork for the meat.

“It’s not really a sandwich,” Ryan protested. “It’s open faced.”

The Italian beef sandwich was relatively unknown outside Chicago, although reportedly touted in the 1980s by such celebrities as Neil Diamond and Jay Leno, until the release of “The Bear,” in 2022. Restaurants across the country reported a surge in demand following the premiere of the series, as opposed to the horseshoe, which is unknown outside of the Springfield area, Ryan said.

Although colleague Illinois House Republican Michael Coffey, Jr. (95th District). who family owns Springfield’s popular Saputo’s Italian Restaunt, jested he was upset to see the Italian beef sandwich crusade led by an Irishman, Ryan said many of his colleagues of Italian descent have signed on as co-sponsors.

Ryan said the resolution has garnered a lot of support. He’s confident that the Italian beef will overturn the horseshoe and become the new state sandwich

“So many people have texted me their favorite Italian beef place,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ryan is trying to figure out how to get a food truck down to Springfield for the celebration.