Dog days of Summer

Remember, July is National Hot Dog Month! Support your local hot dog vendor...

Here's a press release from Vienna Beef:

The (Hot) Dog Days of Summer Are Here

From Bacon to Butter -- Survey Uncovers America's Favorite Hot Dog Toppers -- and Those They'd Most Like to Share A Hot Dog With

CHICAGO, June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Butter, bacon, mayonnaise, horseradish ... you name it, Americans like it on their hot dogs. As the country begins to celebrate National Hot Dog month this July, results from a recent national survey reveal some juicy, fragrant and diverse hot dog habits.

It took the CSI-Chicago-Style Hot Dog Edition -- Condiment Survey Investigation -- that is -- to survey Americans and uncover what they most like on their hot dog. Results showed men most prefer onions on their hot dogs and women aren't afraid to "wear" yellow in July and said their favorite topping is yellow mustard. It wasn't a surprise kids liked pantry-staple ketchup on their famed franks. This fact doesn't sit well with 113 year-old Chicago hot dog icon, Vienna Beef.

"If I had my way, we would all top our hot dogs Chicago-style, with the ingredients Americans most prefer. A true Chicago-style hot dog always begins with an all-beef Vienna Beef hot dog, water-cooked, on a steamed poppy seed bun, and is then dragged through the garden by being topped with yellow mustard, fresh chopped onion, bright green relish, two tomato wedges, two sport peppers, a kosher pickle spear and a dash of celery salt," says Vienna Beef president Howard Eirinberg. "Unless you're under 17, ketchup isn't part of the equation," continues Eirinberg.

Despite the fact that the Chicago-style hot dog's ketchup-free, more than half (55 percent) of American's eat their hot dogs with ketchup.

"People should be able to savor the flavor of their hot dogs, ketchup is overpowering and doesn't let the palette appreciate its delectable nuances," Eirinberg waxes.

Speaking of nuances and personal preferences, more hot dog habits reveled in the survey follow:

-- Percent of respondents reporting that they eat hot dogs: 81%

-- Percent that have eaten a Chicago-style hot dog: 21%

-- American's favorite hot dog toppings are:
Yellow Mustard * 55.4%
Ketchup 55%
Onions * 52.6%
Chili 40.8%
Bright Green Relish * 40.7%
Spicy Deli Mustard 32.1%
Sauerkraut 26.8%
Dill Relish 12.7%
Tomatoes * 7.2%
Pickle Wedge * 7.8%
Celery Salt * 3.6%
Sport Peppers * 3.0%
Giardiniera 1.0%

* denotes the seven actual ingredients included on a Chicago-style
hot dog

-- Other items named as favorite hot dog toppings:

barbecue sauce, cheese, cole slaw, mayonnaise, baked beans, bacon,
salsa, horseradish, chili, seasoning salt, cucumbers, Coney sauce,
tomato-based sauteed onions, Tabasco Chipotle Sauce, potato chips,
butter

-- Men's favorite hot dog topping: onions

-- Women's favorite hot dog topping: yellow mustard

-- Favorite hot dog topping in households
with children under 18: ketchup

-- What do these people have in common?

Reba McEntire, Mike Ditka, Dick Cheney, Eva Longoria

All were write-in answers to the question: Who would you most like to
share a Chicago-style hot dog with?


Now in its 113th year, Vienna Beef offers premium branded deli items in both the retail and foodservice channels, including hot dogs, Polish sausage, corned beef, Italian beef, pastrami, soups, and pickles. Now available online at viennabeef.com, Vienna Beef products are also sold throughout the nation at retailers including Jewel, Dominick's, Costco, Target, Sam's Club, Cub Foods, Treasure Island and others. For more information visit, http://www.viennabeef.com .

I'm EXTREMELY fortunate to be able to get a genuine Chicago-style dog here in Round Rock: http://www.luckyschicagostylegrill.com/

The dog is just about as good as anything I've had in Chicago, with the exception of Wiener's Circle.

Their Italian Beef is not that good, but I go there often for the dogs.

I wish I could get as exicited about a hot dog as some of you guys. Even as a kid I could take them or leave them. Well in any event, enjoy your month. Chow Jim

That poll must have been taken in Chicago. If it had been taken in Holden Beach, NC the result would have been that most "Americans" prefer a foot long dog with chili, mustard, onions and slaw.

The press release is from Vienna Beef (Chicago)no doubt the results are skewed toward their market. Wherever and however you ask questions in a survey will effect the outcome. But the message we can all take away is KEEP the GRILL FIRED UP! One thing every American agrees on, hotdogs are as American as apple pie. Celebrate the fourth with a few dogs.

I'll have to agree the poll must have been taken in the Chicago area... I never use 'Pickle Wedges', but instead chopped or sliced pickles. As BigDog said, market (region) will make all the difference. Around here you dont see slaw or onion sauce, so if a survey was held around here, those items wouldn't even be on the list... But crushed potato chips might make the list..

Interesting that the poll says only 21% have tried a Chicago Style Dog but 40.7% have used the bright green relish. Is that common elsewhere?

quote:

Originally posted by Jimeats

I wish I could get as exicited about a hot dog as some of you guys. Even as a kid I could take them or leave them. Well in any event, enjoy your month. Chow Jim

I think I'm with you. A chili cheese coney with mustard and onions at James Coney Island is comfort food to me and I'll have one several times a year (along with a chili pie). And a NY style dog with mustard and kraut every now and then will do it for me too, but I've never developed a taste for the Chicago style dog.

I'll plan on making it over to JC's Chicago Style Dogs in La Porte, TX, this month to show my support, tho I'll be ordering the Italian Beef rather than a dog.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimeats

I wish I could get as exicited about a hot dog as some of you guys.... ... I could take them or leave them. Well in any event, enjoy your month.

I feel the same way here in CT. There are a plentiful amount of these stands everywhere and the Roadfood guide lists over 30 places to go to. They seem so basic that I cannot understand why they thrive when in California, you would be hard pressed to find one anywhere. Hamburgers are another story. If a person has a tubesteak on the grill, it is usually a gourmet sausage.
Maybe what is important is the toppings that are available at these stands, but even there most of these can be purchased at the store.

I do have a good Ballpark brand package on hand in the fridge and grill them on my cast iron grill,(another topic elsewhere) making them in the same manner that I would on a BBQ.
Two things. I know that some may find this heresy, but I am not adverse to the microwave quick cook method.
Anyone have a good Hot Link that they like and would recommend? Some seem too mushy, or too artificially colored. I think that there is a regional difference in what a good hot link is...

mark

I live in CT and "bright green relish", unless I'm mistaken, has been around here forever...it's just called "relish" in these parts. Does "bright green" refer to a different kind/color of relish? I've had Chicago dogs in Chicago, noted the relish, but didn't find anything unique about it. Perhaps my partial color-blindness is hindering my perception.

Re Hot Links, the best I've ever tasted were in TX but, sorry, I don't know the brand. They were at a BBQ place in Austin.

Cioman, from what I've observed, regular relish is just green whereas the special relish is a kind of "not found in nature" neon green...

Thanks, Jennifer. Ah, food coloring!