Chicago-style hot dog
Encyclopedia
A Chicago-style hot dog, or Chicago Dog, is a steamed or water-simmered all-beef
frankfurter
on a poppy seed
bun, originating from the city of Chicago, Illinois. The hot dog is topped with yellow mustard
, chopped white onion
s, sweet pickle relish
(often a dyed neon-green variety, sometimes called piccalilli
), a dill pickle spear, tomato
slices or wedges, pickled sport pepper
s, and a dash of celery salt
. The complete assembly of a Chicago hot dog is said to be "dragged through the garden" due to the many toppings.
Some variants exist, adding ingredients such as cucumber
slices, but the canonical recipe does not include ketchup
, and there is a widely-shared, strong opinion among many Chicagoans and aficionados that ketchup is unacceptable. A number of Chicago hot dog vendors do not even offer ketchup as a condiment while ones that do often use it as a litmus test
.
and the "Depression
Sandwich" reportedly originated by 'Fluky's
' in 1929. Vienna Beef
frankfurters, the most common brand served today, were first sold at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
in Chicago. Both the founders of Vienna Beef and the proprietors of Fluky's were Jewish
, which accounts for the wieners' pork
-free, kosher-style character.
The Chicago area boasts more hot dog restaurants than McDonald's
, Wendy's
, and Burger King
restaurants combined. A "hot dog stand" in Chicago may serve many other items, including the Maxwell Street Polish
, gyros, Italian beef
and pork chop
sandwiches. The restaurants often have unique names, such as 'Mustard's Last Stand' in Evanston
, or 'Chubby Wieners' in Chicago
; or architectural features, like 'Superdawg
's' two giant rooftop hot dogs (Maurie and Flaurie, named for the husband-and-wife team that owns the drive-in
).
The typical hot dog weighs 1/8 of a pound or 2 ounces (56.7 g) and the most traditional type features a natural casing, providing a distinctive "snap" when bitten.
The buns are a high-gluten
variety made to hold up to steam warming, typically the S. Rosen's Mary Ann brand from Alpha Baking Company.
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
frankfurter
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
on a poppy seed
Poppy seed
Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the opium poppy . The tiny kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years...
bun, originating from the city of Chicago, Illinois. The hot dog is topped with yellow mustard
Mustard (condiment)
Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
, chopped white onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s, sweet pickle relish
Relish
A relish is a cooked, pickled, or chopped vegetable or fruit food item which is typically used as a condiment.In North America, relish commonly alludes to sweet pickle relish-like sauce that often condiments hot dogs, hamburgers and other types of fast food.-Description and ingredients:The item...
(often a dyed neon-green variety, sometimes called piccalilli
Piccalilli
Piccalilli is a British relish of chopped pickled vegetables and spices; regional recipes vary considerably. A more finely chopped variety "sandwich piccalilli" is also available from major British supermarkets.-Etymology:...
), a dill pickle spear, tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
slices or wedges, pickled sport pepper
Serrano pepper
The serrano pepper is a type of chili pepper that originated in the mountainous regions of the Mexican states of Puebla and Hidalgo. The name of the pepper is a reference to the mountains of these regions....
s, and a dash of celery salt
Celery salt
Celery salt is a flavored salt used as a food seasoning, made from ground seeds, which may come from celery or its relative lovage. These ground seeds are mixed with salt, either table salt or sea salt....
. The complete assembly of a Chicago hot dog is said to be "dragged through the garden" due to the many toppings.
Some variants exist, adding ingredients such as cucumber
Cucumber
The cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. The plant is a creeping vine which bears cylindrical edible fruit when ripe. There are three main varieties of cucumber: "slicing", "pickling", and...
slices, but the canonical recipe does not include ketchup
Ketchup
Ketchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...
, and there is a widely-shared, strong opinion among many Chicagoans and aficionados that ketchup is unacceptable. A number of Chicago hot dog vendors do not even offer ketchup as a condiment while ones that do often use it as a litmus test
Litmus test (politics)
A litmus test is a question asked of a potential candidate for high office, the answer to which would determine whether the nominating official would proceed with the appointment or nomination...
.
History
Many sources attribute the distinctive collection of toppings on a Chicago-style wiener to historic Maxwell StreetMaxwell Street
Maxwell Street is an east-west street in Chicago, Illinois that intersects with Halsted Street just south of Roosevelt Road. It runs at 1330 South in the numbering system running from 500 West to 1126 West. The Maxwell Street neighborhood is considered part of the Near West Side and is one of the...
and the "Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
Sandwich" reportedly originated by 'Fluky's
Fluky's
Fluky's is a Chicago-area fast food restaurant known for hot dogs.- History :Fluky's began in Chicago in 1929 on Maxwell and Halsted Streets. Founded by Abe Drexler, this stand is self acknowledged as the originator of the Chicago-style hot dog. Still owned by the Drexler family, Fluky's maintains...
' in 1929. Vienna Beef
Vienna Beef
Vienna Beef is a manufacturer of hot dog used in the classic Chicago style hot dog, as well as Polish sausage and Italian beef, delicacies of independent Chicago-style hot dog and beef stands...
frankfurters, the most common brand served today, were first sold at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago. Both the founders of Vienna Beef and the proprietors of Fluky's were Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, which accounts for the wieners' pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
-free, kosher-style character.
The Chicago area boasts more hot dog restaurants than McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Wendy's
Wendy's
Wendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
, and Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
restaurants combined. A "hot dog stand" in Chicago may serve many other items, including the Maxwell Street Polish
Maxwell Street Polish
A Maxwell Street Polish consists of a grilled or fried length of Polish sausage topped with grilled onions and yellow mustard and optional sport peppers, served on a bun...
, gyros, Italian beef
Italian beef
An Italian beef is a sandwich of thin slices of seasoned roast beef, dripping with meat juices, on a dense, long Italian-style roll, believed to have originated in Chicago, where its history dates back at least to the 1930s...
and pork chop
Pork chop
A pork chop is a cut of pork cut perpendicularly to the spine of the pig and usually containing a rib or part of a vertebra, served as an individual portion.-Variations:...
sandwiches. The restaurants often have unique names, such as 'Mustard's Last Stand' in Evanston
Evanston
Evanston may refer to locations:in Australia:* Evanston, South Australiain Canada:* Evanston, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta* Evanston, Nova Scotiain the United States:...
, or 'Chubby Wieners' in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
; or architectural features, like 'Superdawg
Superdawg
Superdawg is a drive-in hot dog stand with carhop service located at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue, Devon Avenue, and Nagle Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Superdawg has the distinction of being one of the few original drive-in restaurants left in the United...
's' two giant rooftop hot dogs (Maurie and Flaurie, named for the husband-and-wife team that owns the drive-in
Drive-in
A drive-in is a facility such as a bank, restaurant, or movie theater where one can literally drive in with an automobile for service. It is usually distinguished from a drive-through. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by staff who walk out...
).
Preparation
Chicago-style hot dogs are cooked in hot water or steamed before adding the toppings. A much less common Chicago style is grilled and referred to as a "chardog."The typical hot dog weighs 1/8 of a pound or 2 ounces (56.7 g) and the most traditional type features a natural casing, providing a distinctive "snap" when bitten.
The buns are a high-gluten
Gluten
Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye...
variety made to hold up to steam warming, typically the S. Rosen's Mary Ann brand from Alpha Baking Company.
Popular vendors
- Fluky'sFluky'sFluky's is a Chicago-area fast food restaurant known for hot dogs.- History :Fluky's began in Chicago in 1929 on Maxwell and Halsted Streets. Founded by Abe Drexler, this stand is self acknowledged as the originator of the Chicago-style hot dog. Still owned by the Drexler family, Fluky's maintains...
- Gene & Jude's*citation needed
- Portillo's
- SuperdawgSuperdawgSuperdawg is a drive-in hot dog stand with carhop service located at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue, Devon Avenue, and Nagle Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Superdawg has the distinction of being one of the few original drive-in restaurants left in the United...
- The Wieners CircleThe Wieners CircleThe Wieners Circle is a hot dog stand in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is famous for four things: its signature Chicago-style hot dogs, hamburgers and cheese fries, and the mutual verbal abuse between the employees and the customers during the late-weekend hours...
- Hot Doug'sHot Doug'sHot Doug's is a Chicago, Illinois-based restaurant specializing in a variety of hot dogs and sausages. The self-proclaimed "Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium" is in its second location at 3324 North California Avenue in the city's Avondale neighborhood. Its first location, on Roscoe...
- Chubby Wieners
See also
- Italian BeefItalian beefAn Italian beef is a sandwich of thin slices of seasoned roast beef, dripping with meat juices, on a dense, long Italian-style roll, believed to have originated in Chicago, where its history dates back at least to the 1930s...
- Culture of ChicagoCulture of ChicagoThe culture of Chicago, Illinois, is particularly known for various forms of performing arts, such as improvisational comedy, and music, such as Chicago blues and soul...
- Maxwell Street PolishMaxwell Street PolishA Maxwell Street Polish consists of a grilled or fried length of Polish sausage topped with grilled onions and yellow mustard and optional sport peppers, served on a bun...
(Polish sausage) - Chicago-style pizzaChicago-style pizzaChicago-style pizza is a deep-dish pizza style developed in Chicago. Chicago-style pizza has a buttery crust up to three inches tall at the edge, slightly higher than the large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce, acting as a large bowl. The term also refers to "stuffed" pizza, another...
- Hot dog variationsHot dog variationsThis is a listing of regional variations on the hot dog. Different areas of the world have local variations on the type of meat used, condiments and means of preparation, which are enumerated below.-Alabama:...
External links
- Chicago columnist Mike RoykoMike RoykoMichael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
's listing of what does, and does not, belong on a Chicago-style hot dog - Dining Chicago: Everything you always wanted to know about the Chicago hot dog
- Hot Dog Chicago Style
- The Straight Dope: Why is there no ketchup on a properly made hot dog?
- Chicago-Style Hot Dog Step by step guide on how to make a Chicago-Style Hot Dog