From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maurie and Flaurie atop
Superdawg in Chicago, Illinois.
A Chicago-style hot dog is a steamed, boiled or
grilled – but never broiled – all-beef hot
dog on a poppy
seed bun, originating from the city of Chicago, Illinois. The hot dog is topped
with mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish (usually a dyed neon green variety called
"Nuclear Relish"), a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt; sometimes,
but not always, cucumber
slices.[1][2][3][4
] The complete assembly of a Chicago hotdog is
said to be "dragged through the garden" because of the unique
combination of condiments[5]. Ketchup is never used on a
Chicago-style hot dog.[6]
History and
details
Many sources attribute the distinctive collection of toppings on
a Chicago-style weinner to the "Depression Sandwich" allegedly
originated by Fluky's on
historic Maxwell
Street in 1929.[7] Vienna Beef
frankfurters, the most common brand served today, were first sold
at the 1893 World's Columbian
Exposition in Chicago.[8]
In 1980, the Chicago Tribune food writer Margaret
Sheridan inventoried the standard Chicago dog[9]:
The finest red hot, according to Chicago's weiner cognoscenti,
is nestled in a poppyseed roll and covered with layers of
condiments. ... Ask for a dog 'with everything' and one can expect
condiments like mustard, chopped onions, sweet relish, a dill
pickle spear, sport peppers ..., and sliced tomatoes. Celery salt,
sauerkraut, and catsup are optional.
As noted above, modern Chicago "cognoscenti" dispute Ms.
Sheridan's assertion that "catsup" is "optional."
Chicago-style hot dogs are cooked in hot water (not broiled) or
steamed before adding the toppings.[3]
Less commonly, they're grilled and referred to as "chardogs." The
typical dog weighs 1/8 pound and the most traditional type features
a natural casing, providing a distinctive "snap" when bitten.[2]
The Chicago metropolitan area
boasts more hot dog restaurants than McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger Kings combined.[8]
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 Hot Doug's, The Sausage
Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium 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).
Henry
Davis
Henry Davis (1904-1974), a one time VP of sales, was
instrumental in making Vienna Beef the Chicago Hot Dog.
Henry was honored by Vienna Beef, the City of Chicago and the State
of Illinois for his contributions in helping create Chicago's
independent Hot Dog stands. At the Chicago Historical Society
archives there is a permanent collection of documents, photos and
memorabilia detailing Vienna Beef's and Henry's importance to
growing the independent hot dog restaurants as referred to above.
The collection was added in 1989, 15 years after his death.
Ingredients
A typical Chicago-style hot dog includes:
- Steamed poppy seed hot dog bun
- All beef hot dog (steamed) (preferably Vienna Beef)
- Yellow mustard
- Chopped white onion (raw)
- Neon green relish
- Sport peppers
- Tomato wedges
- Crisp kosher dill pickle spear
- Dash of celery salt[10]
Popular
vendors
See also
Notes
- ^
Leroux, Charles (2005-08-30). "Chicago hot dogs".
Chicago Tribune (Tribune Co). http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-wonders-hotdogs,0,3842862.story. Retrieved
2007-04-28.
- ^ a
b
Smith, Kathie (2007-05-01). "Chicago's food history".
Toledo Blade (Block Communications). http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070501/ART06/70501015/-1/ART. Retrieved
2007-05-01.
- ^ a
b
Fluky's. "HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN "CHICAGO STYLE HOT
DOGS"". http://www.flukys.com/html/recipe.html. Retrieved April 28
2007.
-
^
"Recipe Detail: Chicago Style
Hot Dog". http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?erube_fh=wttw&wttw.submit.CPRecipieDetail=1&wttw.RecipieID=26.
- ^
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/us-hot-dogs-00000000015816/page3.html
- ^
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Chicago-Hot-Dog
- ^
Zeldes, Leah A (2002-09-30). "How to Eat Like a
Chicagoan". Chicago's Restaurant Guide (Chicago's
Restaurant Guide). http://web.archive.org/web/20021001023605/www.chicagorestaurant.com/show_article.php?aID=13. Retrieved
2002-09-30.
- ^ a
b
Weller, Sam (August 2002) [2000].
"Secret Hot Dogs". Secret Chicago. Photographs by Linda
Rutenberg (2nd editition ed.). Toronto: ECW Press.
pp. 113–116. ISBN 155022493X.
"two young immigrants from Austria-Hungary toted their secret
frankfurter recipe to World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Today, the Vienna all-beef hot dog recipe is served up by 2,000
vendors across the city. In fact, there are more Vienna Beef
weinner vendors in the city than there are Burger King, Wendy's,
and McDonald's outlets combined."
- ^
Sheridan, Margaret (May 15, 1980).
"What it takes to make a hot dog divine: Frank answers from
Chicago's cognoscenti". Chicago Tribune:
pp. B1-2.
- ^
Vienna Beef hot dogs, The Periodic Table of
Vienna: Chicago Style Hot Dog Condiments, http://www.viennabeef.com/culture/chicagostyle.asp, retrieved
2009-03-25
Additional
reading
- Bowen, Rich; Fay, Dick (1983).
Hot dog Chicago: A native's dining guide. Chicago: Chicago
Review Press. ISBN
0914091271.
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