#VIENNA BEEF POLISH SAUSAGE HOW TO#

And Vienna franks are made of cuts that you actually recognize. All-beef hot dogs have a more robust flavor that serves as the foundation for the garnishes that are piled on. To achieve Hot Dog Nirvana, you must use Vienna Beef Franks: “Chicago’s Hot Dog.” A package of 8 will cost $5-$7, twice as much as Oscar Meyer or Ballpark. Vienna Beef Franks are the only way to go when you’re building an authentic Chicago Hot Dog. These are all fine products (Don’t even start with “Do you know what’s in a hot dog?” That’s not why we’re here today.) and each has its own time and place. Definitely set aside the giant beef hot dogs sold in 4-pound packages at Costco. Forget organic, grass-fed, natural casing hot dogs from Whole Foods.

Chicago Hot Dog: Rule #2 Vienna Beef Franksįorget hot dogs from Oscar Meyer. But under our system of government, it is their right to be barbarians.” Strong opinion, Mr. Sure, it would be disgusting and perverted, and they would be shaming themselves and their loved ones. In a blunt conversation with the Chicago PBS station, he was adamant about folks who decide to disregard the custom: “It is also their right to put mayo or chocolate syrup or toenail clippings or cat hair on a hot dog. Want to see a Chicagoan go berserk? Put ketchup on your hot dog…it’s like defacing a masterpiece! (Photo by Suzanne Ball at Max’s, which sadly succumbed to the pandemic.)īarack Obama thinks the no-ketchup age cutoff is 8 years old. Children (under age 17) get a break, but the day they turn 17, that’s it. Hot dog shops in Chicago actually post signs to warn tourists–and locals who should know better.

#VIENNA BEEF POLISH SAUSAGE HOW TO#

Before we get down to how to make your own at home, I must make this crystal clear: NO ketchup. (Don’t say you haven’t been warned.) Chicago Hot Dog: Rule #1 NO Ketchup!! I love Québec City, but their mayo and cabbage version, topped with soggy fries, was pretty awful.

I once wrote about the, um, “unusual” classic hot dog of Québec City, comparing it to the perfect Chicago Hot Dog.

Other cities may allow for dalliance, but not here. And the protocol around how to properly prepare and construct it is strict. Yes, the humble hot dog has celebrity status in the Windy City. Hot dogs are part of the Chicago Holy Trinity: Deep Dish Pizza, Italian Beef Sandwich, and now: The Hot Dog. But to get a REAL Chicago hot dog, you’ll have to go back inside. Hamburgers, brats, Italian sausage, Polish sausage…but what about hot dogs? Yes! Go ahead, if you like: plop them on grill, hold them on a stick over a campfire. It’s summer in Chicago–and that means plenty of outdoor cooking.

Vienna beef polish sausage