Catsup on a Hot Dog? Yes, If You Are Under Six Years Old!
By DeGrey
I fell in love with the Chicago-style hot dog the moment I moved to the city. Well, technically it was the very first weekend when I made the trek out to Portillo’s. It was clear from those first messy bites that Chicago cared about its hot dogs more than any other place I'd ever been.
The definition of a Chicago-style is far more confusing than you'd think it'd be, but I'll start with the one we are all most familiar with: the classic Chicago-style hot dog is an all-beef hot dog on a poppyseed bun topped with mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato slices, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt.
Regardless of the toppings, the one trait all of my favorites have in common is a great hot dog. Most of the time that means an all-beef hot dog with a crisp natural casing from Vienna Beef (skinless dogs lack any snap and also tend to get lost when fully dressed). But even a natural casing isn't a complete guarantee of success. The hot dog stands need a diligent owner to maintain high standards, so that each dog is juicy and not overcooked.
Freshness is also paramount for the toppings, especially if going with the fully loaded style. The onions, sport peppers, and the pickle spear should be crisp and crunchy, while the tomato slices should be red and juicy. Even layers of mustard and relish ensure a uniform bite. A final dusting of celery salt lends an unmistakable final touch, but too much mucks up the whole thing.
A Chicago Style Hot Dog is more than just a Hot Dog; it’s a taste sensation with the perfect blend of toppings. So what exactly is a Chicago Dog? A Chicago Style Hot Dog is a steamed (I prefer char-grilled dogs with a crispy skin) all beef Hot Dog topped with … IN THIS ORDER ... yellow mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomato wedges, pickle spear, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt served in the all-important steamed poppy seed bun. So… put the “ketchup” on the Kid’s table or on your French fries … but keep it away from my Chicago Style Dogs.