Even dedicated hot dog lovers need to freshen up their franks. Pick up the right ingredients for a Chicago-style hot dog head of your next grill out, including local options and organic essentials. Ready to win your next backyard get-together? Start with the heartbeat of baseball fans along the South Shore, the famous Chicago dog!
What Is a Chicago-style Hot Dog?
A Chicago hot dog is an all-beef frank on a poppy-seed bun. The original Chicago dog has seven specific ingredients:
- Yellow mustard
- Green sweet relish
- White onions
- Tomato wedges
- Dill pickle spear
- Pickled sport peppers
- Celery salt
Locals commonly refer to the Chicago dog as having been dragged through the garden, adding brilliant color and the sharp, satisfying crunch of fresh veggies. You’ll also notice one ingredient that is (glaringly) missing: ketchup. According to locals, Chicago-style hot dogs are never served with ketchup. Ever.
How to Make a Chicago Dog at Home
Make your own testament to the Windy City at home; here’s what you’ll need.
- 6 all-beef hot dogs
- 6 poppy-seed hot dog buns
- ½ cup sweet green relish
- ½ cup chopped white onions
- 3 tomatoes, sliced
- 6 dill pickle spears
- 12 sport peppers*
- 3 tablespoons celery salt
*We love a good sport pepper, but very few meet our ingredient requirements; many have food colorings to enhance their visual appeal. We typically substitute another pepper.
(Serves six, or two hungry adults)
Directions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook hot dogs until warmed through, usually 5-10 minutes.
- Place a steamer basket into the pot and steam poppy seed buns until warmed; roughly 2 minutes.
- Place hot dogs in buns and top in this order: mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickle, peppers. Finish with celery salt.
- Enjoy!
The Storied Chicago-style Hot Dog History
Hot dogs have been a part of American culture and cuisine for well over a century, but the humble frank has played a more significant role in Chicago’s identity than most communities.
The history of hot dogs, in various forms, dates back to ancient Greece. Homer mentions “long sausages” in The Odyssey, and there are repeated mentions in Europe until they jumped the pond to North America in the 19th century. The first dedicated hot dog stand opened on Coney Island in 1871, and became a fixture of summer cookouts, sporting events, and Americana generally by the early 20th century.
Read More: Mummy Hot Dogs
Hot Dogs Take Chicago
Hot dogs were a hit in Chicago from the start, largely sold by Jewish immigrants. Chicagoans also bought into the Jewish idea of high standards, which led to two Jewish merchants to develop Chicago’s favorite hot dog brand – the Vienna Beef.
The Chicago dog’s poppy-seed bun came only slightly later. Sam Rosen, a New York native, brought his bakery business to the Windy City to serve the sizable German and Polish communities there, and the poppy seed bun was one of the innovative offerings that turned into an iconic staple.
“Dragging the dog through the garden”
The Great Depression reshaped America in many ways, including its diet. The hot dog was a cheap, accessible option for impoverished families. With encouragement from city officials, vendors started piling on the veggies to make each dog a real meal. Hot dog vendors often purchased toppings from produce vendors nearby, often adding whatever was available at the cart or booth next to them on that day. Over time, however, the Chicago dog’s core ingredients took shape and remain unchanged to this day.
Bring a Summer Staple Home
Today, the Chicago dog is a staple of the city’s college and professional sports teams and the de facto at-home option for Chicago residents and ex-pats alike. With Traverse City’s strong historic and contemporary ties to the Windy City, it’s never a surprise to find poppy-seed buns, pickles, and other ingredients available at your neighbor’s cookout!
You can make your own Chicago-style hot dog more nutritious and sustainable by choosing organic products and locally sourced options. As an Oryana team member to help you find everything you need to offer guests the full Chicago dog experience!
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