Flat pickles on a Chicago Style Hot Dog? Hmmmm…..
Hi Steve…
I am a big fan of using Vlasik Stackers for hot dogs.
These are pickles that are sliced flat lengthwise and sit very nicely on most any sandwich.
My question is… if I try to use this type of pickle on a Chicago dog, rather than a spear, will I be violating the code for true Chicago Style Hot Dogs and be laughed out of town for it?
Dale
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Hi Dale,
Although a real true Chicago Style hot dog uses a crisp kosher pickle spear, you might be able to get away with a stacker slice in areas outside of Chicago.
However in Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, or Kendal Counties you will probably be reprimanded.
LOL.
Here is the real Chicago Style Hot Dog Recipe.
Place one steamed all beef hot dog in a steamed poppy seed bun. In the following order add: two tomato slices alongside the dog, neon green pickle relish, chopped onion, kosher dill pickle spear, two sport peppers, a squiggle of yellow mustard, and a dash of celery salt.
I really like the big solid bite of pickle that you get with a spear. I grew up on Chicago Style hot dogs and to me a big hunk of pickle is integral to the taste and texture.
The major no-no is ketchup. Putting ketchup on a Chicago Style hot dog will get you thrown out of town for sure!
-Steve
Damn that’s making me hungry!
LOL!
We serve the pickle spear on ours. I agree with Steve that there is something about the melody of hot, cold, crunch and heat that melds well together.
It is an explosion of tastes and textures, that is for sure!
The one I make is called a “Chicagoish” dog. I don’t use tomatoes or have Vienna beef dogs or poppy seed buns. I do have sport peppers, bright green relish, and celery salt. Instead of poppy seed buns I just shake some poppy seeds on the dog right before adding the toppings. Since I am in Reno NV I can get away with cheating a bit. It is a
“off” the menu item and only my Chicago customers want them.
Sounds good to me! You are correct, probably only Chicago natives and die hard hot dog fanatics will know the true recipe.
And that’s the key, only the true hot dog fanatic or someone from that region will know the difference, as long as you basically have the toppings and you top it in the right order you will not only be fine but you will become an instant hero! I’ve gotten to the point now that I don’t even use poppy seed buns and yet people will say that I have the best Chicago dogs around! Gotta love it when fellow Chicagoans think I have the best!
Go Hawks!
I have to admit, being native born-and-raised Californian, I’d never even HEARD of “Chicago Style” hot dogs before visiting this site. As part of a “menu formulation” experiment, I ordered the 10-dog Chicago Style kit from Vienna Beef and we gathered around to try it. We used 1/4 sliced pickles (pickles, onions, and tomatoes are not included in the kit) from some generic store brand.
They came out pretty good, but were strange to us West Coasters… too many veggies and odd things like poppy seed buns and celery salt. I’ll probably keep some green relish and sport peppers in my fridge so that like Lucky Dawg I can offer it “off-menu”. 🙂
It is a very different taste for those not accustomed. We call it “dragging it through the garden”.
Go with the pickle spears for the full and authentic experience. I was raised in Chicago and have brought , not only Chicago dogs to KY, but Italian beef sandwiches as well .
I LOVE Italian Beef. Dunked.
Really thout the tomato is SO important. You need to have it. Why not I say? I like the poppy seed shake thou. The buns with the seeds on are very expensive.
Is that a dance that you two do – “The Poppy Seed Shake”? 😉
Shake your poppy
I’ve thought of variations of the “Chicago Hot dog” and although I love it as is, If you make changes to it just call it something else. Like the Michigan Ave Dog, State St. Dog, ETC.
Marshall Fields Dog? Served with a Frango Mint.
Consider yourself lucky to be able to have a chicago dog! In any form, here in oklahoma no tomato’s no peppers allowed. But I agree a authentic Chicago do is the way to go they are so tasty, And the hot dog police will chase you out of town
Sam
Not everywhere. It all depends on your city/county and even your individual inspector. I’ve know folks in towns ten minutes apart who had radically different requirements.
The only reason I say this is that I don’t want folks to get discouraged and not try something fantastic just because they heard it wouldn’t fly. Always, always, always check with your own local inspector in person to find out what applies to you.
If you ever see the process that they use for making the Vienna Beef hot dogs you would be amazed at the quality of the hot dog Nothing but top of the line beef brisket, all mixed in a ufo type meshing machine Any new hot dog slingers, must buy Pbs video the hot dog story! It takes you coast to coast hot dog stories all along the way, and yes takes you inside where they make these Vienna beef hot dogs in Chicago This video is a must for new slingers, it is not boring! Gary the hot dog man!
VB is very good. When I had my permanent Chicago Style hot dog stand I was a VB restaurant exclusively. We bought their sport peppers and pickle spears in 5 gallon buckets.
Hey, I like to put cucumber instead of pickle.
I’ve had that and its good. There is a cucumber faction in the Chicago Dog world for sure.
Nice!
What exactly is a sport pepper? Is it like a bell pepper or more like a jalapeño?
It’s like neither one. It is a medium hot pepper that is pickled like a jalapeno but the flavor is quite different. There is no substitute.
Its a dog made to eat should be no jurisdiction to where it’s eaten at !
The Chicago pickle is what they call a “half-done” pickle. Its not completely pickled, and retains some of that cucumber taste. If you buy them and want them that way, refrigerate after opening the bucket, if you want a more pickled taste, leave them at room temp. Thats what I was told by the Vienna Beef people.
Interesting. I never knew that and I was a Vienna vendor for years!
I think I will try including a Chicago dog when the snowbirds come back. I agree that poppy seed buns are expensive and sometimes hard to find, at least here in Arizona. I’m also thinking the snowbirds might not want those little seeds sticking in their dentures. Hahaha. 😉
That’s funny! LOL
-Steve