Why can't you put ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago?

All that aside, there's really no definitive or historical reason Chicagoans eschew ketchup, though there are a lot of theories. Many people will tell you it's because the sweetness in ketchup smothers the flavor of a good hot dog, but that would be true whether you were in Chicago or not.

Why is ketchup not allowed on hot dogs?

Ketchup smothers the flavor of the hot dog because ketchup makers add sugar to their products. That takes the edge off the highly acidic tomatoes, but it takes the edge off everything else too.

Is there ketchup on a Chicago hot dog?

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 offer ketchup as a condiment.

What are the rules for Chicago hot dogs?

The bun is steamed, never toasted, and must come bedecked with poppy seeds. The sausage is boiled or steamed, not grilled, and all-beef, never a blend. Color is key: the mustard should be crayon yellow; the sweet-pickle relish a shocking, supernatural neon green; the minced onions, snow white.

What happens if you ask for ketchup in Chicago?

Chicago hot dogs adhere to a strict no-ketchup policy. Heinz rebranded its classic tomato ketchup as “Chicago Dog Sauce” in an attempt to show people the red sauce might not ruin their hot dogs the way they think it would.

Why You Don't Put Ketchup On A Chicago Style Hot Dog!

What is a NYC hot dog?

All-beef hot dogs are topped with a homemade onion relish, sauerkraut, and brown mustard, then nestled into a soft hot dog bun. The hot dogs are boiled just like they are on the street cart, but you can also grill them or cook them on a skillet.

What are the 7 toppings on a Chicago hot dog?

The hot dog is topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers 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.

What is on an original Chicago hot dog?

A true Chicago Dog has seven specific ingredients: chopped white onion, neon green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, a tomato slice (or wedge), pickled sport peppers, and celery salt, all sitting atop an all-beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun.

What condiment is never used in a Chicago style hot dog?

The ketchup prohibition is often used as a kind of test of your Chicagoan-ness – you're not really a Chicagoan if you put ketchup on your hot dog. Former President Barack Obama has said that once you're past eight years old, ketchup does not belong on a hot dog.

What makes a Chicago hot dog different?

So, just what is on a Chicago style dog? Well, it starts with a steamed poppy seed bun and an all-beef frankfurter. Then it's topped with yellow mustard, bright green relish, fresh chopped onions, juicy red tomato wedges, a kosher-style pickle spear, a couple of spicy sport peppers and finally, a dash of celery salt.

Who puts mayo on a hot dog?

Hot dogs wrapped in or topped with bacon are popular throughout the western United States, but in the San Francisco area, it's common to find creamy mayo and other cooling toppings in addition to the smoky bacon.

Are hot dogs the most choked on food?

Research, they say, shows that hot dogs are the top cause of food-related choking in children under the age of 3, with 17 percent of cases caused by hot dog inhalation, followed by hard candy (10 percent), grapes (9 percent) and nuts (8 percent).

Are Chicago hot dogs boiled or grilled?

Traditionally, Chicago-style dogs are boiled, not grilled.

(That would be a char dog.)

Why is Chicago hot dog relish so green?

Chicago-style relish is a type of sweet pickle relish typically used on Chicago-style hot dogs. The unique color of the relish, often referred to as "neon green", is created by adding blue dye to regular pickle relish.

Do cucumbers go on a Chicago style hot dog?

Add these must-have condiments to create Chicago style:

chopped onion. cucumber slices. pickle. relish (yes, you can have cucumbers, pickles and relish together!

What is a Chicago-style hot dog called?

The now-defunct Fluky's, started in 1929, claimed to have invented the original Chicago-style dog, then called a “Depression Sandwich.” That recipe varied slightly from the current standard: The original had a frankfurter topped with mustard, pickle relish, onions, a dill pickle, hot peppers, lettuce and tomatoes for 5 ...

What's on a Detroit hot dog?

Its construction is simple: A beef hot dog is plopped on a steamed bun and topped with chili sauce, chopped raw onion, and a squiggle of yellow mustard.

What is a Tennessee hot dog?

The regional "dog" for East Tennessee, North Carolina, and a lot of the South is an "all the way dog" with slaw, chili, diced white onion, and yellow mustard. To play along with the Smoky theme, I decided to do a grilled coleslaw and caramelize the onions on the grill. Messy but delicious! And look... SMOKY.

What is a West Virginia style hot dog?

The West Virginia hot dog comes with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. Do you call it “chili” or “sauce?” While they refer to the same ingredient, some areas of the state prefer one term over the other.

What is on a North Carolina hot dog?

Carolina style refers to an established set of condiments for hot dogs and hamburgers, originating in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions of North Carolina and South Carolina. The classic combination is chili, slaw and onions; locally, mustard sometimes replaces slaw, or is added as a fourth item.

What is a Georgia hot hot dog?

Georgia. In Columbus, Georgia, a local favorite is the "scrambled dog," the exemplar of which was first served at the Dinglewood Pharmacy by "The Lieutenant" Charles Stevens over 50 years ago. The scrambled dog is a chopped hot dog covered by chili, onions and pickles with an accompanying portion of oyster crackers.

What is a Texas hot dog?

In its simple, classic form, the Hot Texas Wiener is an all-beef hot dog "blanched" or par-cooked in 350-degree vegetable oil in a fry basket for a few minutes, cooked by another hot vegetable-oil bath in a tilted steel pan until done, and then placed in a bun, topped (in strict order) with a spicy, ballpark-style ...

What is an Atlanta hot dog?

Four ingredients and 15 minutes give you these grilled beef hot dogs spread with chili and topped with coleslaw - a spicy dinner.

What is a Los Angeles hot dog?

With our LA Street Dog Recipe, you can make the incredible bacon wrapped hot dogs cooked up by street vendors in Los Angeles and are sooo amazingly delicious piled high with caramelized onions, peppers then topped off with ketchup, mustard and mayo.