Chicago comes east

I have a happy tale to share with all of you. While researching hot dog variants, I read up on the Chicago style dog. Most sites said that in order for it to be an authentic Chicago dog you need the Rosen poppy seed buns. Since the part of NJ where I live has some specialty shops, I emailed the company inquiring if anyone out here sells the buns. The reply asks me for my address information, and lo, a few days later I get 2 packages of buns for FREE from the bakery! So now I have 20 poppy seed buns and am about to head out for fitting natural casing dogs to put in them.

Sometimes, it really does pay to ask silly questions.

What,they didn't send any fluorescent green relish?

Buddy

No, nothing like that. The closest I can come to here is the B&G Emerald Relish. It's not fluorescent exactly, but it's a sweet, very green relish.

Now, correct me someone if I am wrong, but the picalilli I read some Chicago joints use is probably what I see labeled as "hot dog relish"

Anyway, I made some dogs today, dressed em up in the traditional Chicago fashion and put them on the Rosen buns. I have to say it was a great experience, and very filling. The buns are quite filling and almost the same texture as the inside of a hard poppy seed roll, more breadlike than a lot of buns.

In true geek fashion I took a pic or two of the decked out dogs, and when I get to loading the pictures I'll put one up. I figure I'll write the good folks at Rosen's to tell them of my experience and send the pictures, and beseech them to sell online or sell out here.

If I get a big shupment of rolls, I'll have to share them with the locals on the board!

I've attatched an image of the New-Jersey style Chicago dogs. I'd love some input from the Chicago folks on the board as to how athentic it appears:

In Chicago, we use a yellow mustard(French's or Plochman's). The pickles we use are kosher dills. Two other Chicago style condiments are sport peppers and celery salt. If you want to get fancy, grill the onions in a pan with some butter and add a little Coke Cola for sweetness.

CSD

Based on the pictures, I'd say you had all the essential ingredients. I'm not sure what my pal chicagostyledog is seeing, but it looks to me like you've got the celery salt sprinkled right on there.

As for the pickles and the peppers, well, yeah we do use a Kosher dill spear but it's apparent your heart is in the right place so, "A" for effort. The peppers are strictly optional as far as I'm concerned. If I get them at all, I pull them off the bun and eat them in very small bites along with each bite of the Dog. For me, a big bite of pepper will overpower all the others which I feel are more critical.

Finally, I've got to agree with CSD on the mustard issue. Granted, the brown mustard may have more depth, more character, but if you want authentic, it's gotta be plain old yellow salad mustard. Also, if we're gonna nit-pick (and it appears I am), it would never be squirted on top in such an artistic fashion. If you had a Hot Dog stand, the mustard would be in a trough in your condiment table, a stick resembling a paint stirrer (in fact, at most places, I think they do use a paint stirrer) would be dipped in and coated with mustard. The coated stick is then slashed through the bun with the Hot Dog already sitting in it, leaving behind a mustardy trail across both Dog and bun. All the other condiments are then piled on top of the Hot Dog/mustard base.

From what I see you got a pretty idea of what a Chicago Hot Dog is all about. I hope they tasted as good as they look!

Buddy

Buddy, I wasn't sure if that was celery salt in the picture. I'm a purist when it comes to eating hot dogs. Personally, I prefer a Polish. I grew up hating onions, so my only condiment was mustard. These days, mustard, onions, maybe relish if I'm in a sweet mood, and a pickle on the side. No tomato, sport pepper, or celery salt. I like my Polish char broiled with well done grilled onions with a thin line of yellow mustard.

Well, I DID sprinkle some celery salt on them (2 or 3 shakes), and the pickles ARE kosher dills. I just sliced a regular spear in hlaf lengthwise since the ones I have were a bit awkward to work with when eating.

The bright green relish is B&G Emerald Relish - it is sweet. I normally put Mt. Olive dill pickle relish on my dogs. It also works wonders in tuna salad.

The mustard is Stadium mustard from Cleveland...a friend of mine there mailed me a case of the stuff. I see a but of a schism here - in NJ and NYC, ketchup is tolerable as a topping, and I know that is heresy in Chicago. I've actually stopped putting ketchup on my hot dogs - the notion that it overpowers the hot dogs is actually true. But here, most people I know turn their nose at yellow mustard. I do have a container of some yellow mustard, so I'll have one with that.

As for the sport peppers, the closest thing I have are pickled jalapeno slices - I'm not certain that sport peppers per se are really sold widely here, at least not under that name. I am probably going to get some though via the Internet. If my wife can be addicted to clothes shopping, I can pick a more tasty habit.

Fdoosey, you did fine in my book. Probably better than some hot dog stands! I've tried Stadium and Bertman's and happen to like their creamier bite.

CSD

and that hot dog was eaten by....

who's friends with Ronnie Rice...



who loooks exactly like my younger brother.

CSD

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

and that hot dog was eaten by....

Don't know she is,but she's HOT!!!

Rice

Reitman

I don't get it

TJ, I've known Ronnie Rice for years. He was a singer in the New Colony Six back in the 60's. When the group disbanded, Ronnie set out on his own and continued performing 60's music throughout the Chicago area at various events. I've had the honor of singing with him a few times in the 70's. He's always been into hot dogs(Polish) and hot cars(supercharged Mustangs). You could always find him hanging around Hot Dog Island in Glenview and Skokie. He does look exactly like my younger brother.

CSD

OH

I took it that the reason he LOOKS like your little brother is that he IS your little brother

Ergo the confusion on the name difference

ok, all clear now :-)

quote:

Originally posted by fdoosey

...(T)he pickles ARE kosher dills. I just sliced a regular spear in hlaf lengthwise since the ones I have were a bit awkward to work with when eating.

The mustard is Stadium mustard from Cleveland...a friend of mine there mailed me a case of the stuff...But here, most people I know turn their nose at yellow mustard. I do have a container of some yellow mustard, so I'll have one with that.

As for the sport peppers, the closest thing I have are pickled jalapeno slices - I'm not certain that sport peppers per se are really sold widely here, at least not under that name. I am probably going to get some though via the Internet.

Don't get me wrong fdoosey, I'm not in any way knocking your Dogs there. Those are some tasty looking pups in the picture; you've got nothing to be embarrassed about my friend. However, you specifically asked about authenticity, and based on that, my answer stands.

The pickles you'd find at a typical Chicago Hot Dog stand would look more like the pickles you'd find in the refrigerated deli section of your local grocery store. They taste more like pickle and less like the brine they're pickled in. The ones in your picture look like they're the ones from the regular pickle section.

I'm quite familiar with Bertman's Cleveland Stadium Mustard. The Ohio distributor who handles my Barbecue Sauce also sells Bertman's. I pick up a case of it every year when we go into town to do demos. In fact, if I was making a Hot Dog for myself at home, I'd use the Bertman's too. If I'm not mistaken, Hot Doug's, an outstanding, relatively new addition to the Chicago Hot Dog scene, offers brown mustard as an option. The "authentic" version would feature the yellow stuff though.

Finally, I wouldn't sweat the peppers. Unless you're a heat freak, they are the least important piece of the Chicago Hot Dog puzzle.

Keep on chompin' those doggies doosey, they look mighty good!

Buddy

OK, so the dills you're referring to still actually LOOK like cucumbers and not green wedges...Gotcha. Well, I still have 6 rolls left, so now I have something else to go to the store for. I'll guess Vlasics will work, or worse comes to worse, the kosher Jewish pickles I can get wil work too. Admittedly, I knew not about this aspect, so thanks for that part. Before I finish off the Rosen buns I'll have one right.

I am a heat freak - so I will hunt down the sport peppers. :)

I did try one with the yellow mustard today. I did notice the nature of that particular mustard gets balanced nicely with the sweet green relish. I'm no fan of yellow mustard, but I can enjoy it like this.

Fdoosey, IMHO those 2 dogs pictured are better than most you will find outside of Chicago. Yes the pickle needs improvement, but you can't improve on Stadium mustard, only I like mine on the roll before the dog goes in. You did a great job. Enjoy the rest of those rolls.