Classic Chicago Hot Dog

Classic Chicago hot dog

I must admit that it has been about 10 years since I’ve had a classic Chicago hot dog, although as a life-long Chicagoan, I’ve definitely had my share, and enjoyed them all immensely. But, like many people, I avoid hot dogs because I’m not really sure what’s in them. And preparing a hot dog? I almost don’t consider that cooking; all you do is heat it up, either by grilling, boiling or micro-waving.

My perspective has changed quite a bit recently as I’ve been reading Street Food Chicago by Mike Baruch,  a great book with amazing recipes for virtually all Chicago classic foods. The Chicago hot dog is certainly a classic Chicago food experience, and reading about it, I found myself remembering how delicious a classic Chicago hot dog is, and how its preparation is actually more complex than simply boiling a hot dog. In fact, you should never boil a hot dog, although that subtlety is still lost on me — they taste the same either way.

And it’s a textural experience as well as taste; there are no forks or knives involved. You hold the warm steamed bun with both hands, and smoosh it slightly so all of the ingredients — the steamed poppy seed bun surrounding the pure beef hot dog, mustard, onions, tomatoes, relish, pickle and sport peppers sprinkled with celery salt — fit into your mouth all at once. The combination of the bread, meat and toppings is delectable.

Last week I was in downtown Chicago, between appointments, and hungry, and my thoughts turned to, what else, the classic Chicago hot dog. I just had to have one, but I asked myself, Really, do  you want a hot dog? You know what they’re made of, right? There’s a Chipotle right here… Nope, I wanted a hot dog. And I was downtown, in the middle of the Loop, at State and Madison, how difficult could that be? Walking around I was quickly rewarded with the familiar orange/red neon “Hot Dogs” sign and I followed it to  small food court on Wabash near Madison, with my guilt trailing quietly behind me, knowing it was a losing battle.

I must say that it’s comforting to know that while the world changes, countries dissolve and form, world leaders come and go, children grow up, wars ravage on, planets careen off course, but the  Chicago hot dog marches on faithfully, in its consistent delicious way, made by nameless but faithful cooks all over the city, day in and day out, in the same consistent way, asking “Whaddyawanonit?” over and over in various foreign accents from countries all over the world, and I always respond, “Everything but no peppers”.

Ironic response, given how difficult it was, once I decided to recreate this experience at home to share with the world, to find sport peppers, an essential element of the classic Chicago hot dog. I found everything else easily  — dogs, poppy seed buns, celery salt — but I was stymied by the sport peppers; I couldn’t find them in 4 grocery stores! And this is Chicago, I asked myself? I was in a Tony’s Finer Foods, where I can find cow’s feet, lemon grass and cactus all within a hundred feet of each other, but no sport peppers.

I continued my search and I finally found them at one of the larger Jewel’s (River Forest, IL). I’ve heard Whole Foods carries them, and you can also order them online from the Vienna Beef Company.

Classic Chicago Hot Dog Ingredients for 1 hot dog:

• Hot Dog - 1, all beef, with casing
• Bun - 1, poppyseed
• Yellow Mustard - 1/4 tsp.
• Onions - 1-2 Tblsp., chopped
• Sweet Pickle Relish - 1 -2 Tblsp.
• Tomatoes - 2 half slices (in semi-circle shape)
• Dill pickle - 1/4 spear
• Sport Peppers - 2
• Celery Salt - a few dashes

1. Simmer the hot dogs in near-boiling water under medium heat for 20 minutes (you can keep them warm almost indefinitely under lower heat).
2. To steam the bun, I place a steamer pan on top of the pan that the hot dogs are boiling in, and place the buns in that for a few minutes. You can also just hold the bun with tongs over the steam for a few minutes, but that takes awhile.
3. Place the hot dog in the steamed bun (dress the dog, not the bun) and then add toppings in this order: mustard, relish, onions, pickle spear, tomatoes and sport peppers. Sprinkle a few dashes of celery salt on top.

Adding toppings is called “walking the dog through the garden” in Chicago-ese. You can adjust toppings based on your individual preferences, although I have never understood how anyone can eat a hot dog plain. But, take note that sport peppers are often very hot. Also be aware that catsup on a Chicago hot dog is considered a sacrilege and should be avoided at at all costs by adults over the age of 18.

More information on Chicago Hot Dogs:

• Hot Dog Chicago Style
• History and Legends of the Hot Dog
• Amazing Ribs Chicago Hot Dog info and t-shirts
• Vienna Beef Hot Dogs - order online sport peppers, hot dogs and more

Tags: Chicago, Summer