The Chicago Style Hot Dog

What is a Chicago Style Hot Dog?

"A Chicago-style hot dog is a steamed Red Hot Chicago, Vienna Beef or David Berg hot dog topped with sliced / diced / wedged tomatoes, cucumbers, both a dill pickle spear and sweet pickle relish (a particularly bright green style of relish, referred to as "nuclear green" relish), yellow mustard directly on the sausage, pickled sport peppers, and is finished with celery salt, and served on a steamed poppy seed bun."

"Chicago-style never includes ketchup, though some vendors offer small packets of the condiment for those wanting to add it. Although outside Chicago this style of hot dog is universally associated with the city, equally popular within Chicago is a "Maxwell Street Polish" sausage, usually served on a plain bun with fried or grilled onions and mustard. Both variations are becoming readily available through the nationwide expansions of such Chicago area fast food eateries as Portillo's."

Dragged through the garden:

The complete assembly is sometimes called "dragged through the garden" because of the unique combination of vegetable based condiments. Ketchup is not used on a Chicago-style hot dog.

A typical Chicago-style hot dog includes:

A Chicago-style hot dog is a steamed or boiled, never broiled all-beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun, which originated in 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.

• 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
  

When is National Hot Dog Month? 

Always  July!  (festival dates vary)

"Industry groups, such as National Hot Dog & Sausage Council in the USA, designates July as National Hot Dog Month and July 23 as National Hot Dog Day, are known to encourage, sponsor, and support hot dog events."

My Closing Thoughts ~

I have more hot dog posts planned for you guys. Keep an eye out if your a hot dog lover. "Live everyday like a Holiday" Pam