Condiments and Additions to Hot Dogs - What's your story?

[noboundaries]

I just looked at chopsaw 's mouthwatering hot dog thread. Then on the TV, there's a TARGET ad with someone putting ketchup on a dog in a bun. Man, that's just wrong, but to each their own.

As a kid, and not knowing better, I put anything and everything on a hot dog, including ketchup. My folks were Italian sausage eaters with sauce and roasted peppers, so hot dogs were just for us kids. We received no hot dog construction advice at all. In fact, I can't remember eating a hot dog before the age of 9 when dad got his first backyard grill. Then it was pretty regular during the summers. Hot dogs were for all the kids; adults got the grilled sausages and added sauce and peppers.

I never really cared for hot dogs much as I grew through my teens and college because I just threw everything on them by habit. The flavors just clashed, and I rarely ate them. Then in my mid 20's I married a German. Man, did I get a hot dog education the first time she saw me dress a dog. Mustard only. Chopped onions and sweet pickle relish are fine, but ketchup? That's was a deal-breaker if I wanted to stay married. (Kidding...I think).

And she was so right. Once I tossed the red kiddie crack, the world of dogs opened up to me. Mustard, chopped onions, occasionally sweet relish, and every once in a while, some fantastic kraut or pickled red onions make for a perfect dog. Chili? It has its place, but it has to be cooked for so long the ground beef has lost all structure, and the red fat soaks deep into the bun. It needs to have a creamy texture that is sweet, salty, with a bit of a bite. Add chopped onions and shredded sharp cheddar to build a stairway to mouthwatering heaven. I've yet to find a place like that here out West.

So, I just had to rant after seeing Chop's delicious creation and that stupid TARGET commercial. If you are a ketchup/dog person, well, good for you.

Share your favorite toppings and additions for hot dogs. We might get some new ideas!

Enjoy your dogs,

Ray

 

[JLeonard]

I'm a heathen as far hot dogs go. Just really uncivilized. I can eat it plain, mustard, ketchup, fine toppings. My only requirement is that it be a good quality dog!
Jim

 

[yankee2bbq]

I’m a ketchup dog person, with mustard. Once side of the dog ketchup, one side mustard. However, I’m not picky. I like all dogs: chili dogs…mustard and pickle relish….mustard n sauerkraut….but if I had to pick my favorite….

I grew up in a suburb south of Chicago, so Chicago dogs are my favorite. (Authentic Chicago dogs.)

 

[yankee2bbq]

I'm a heathen as far hot dogs go. Just really uncivilized. I can eat it plain, mustard, ketchup, fine toppings. My only requirement is that it be a good quality dog!
Jim

I agree. A good all beef dog. We buy Nathan’s!

 

[PPG1]

Large Boars Head dogs. Mustard, Onions, Cole Slaw. Perfect dog

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

I don't always eat hot dogs.
But when I do, they're stuffed with kraut and drenched with a nice spicey stone ground brown.

Ketchup on a dog is sacrilege.
Just kidding. If ketchup is what some folks like then so be it.

BBQ sauce...

 

[chopsaw]

Man, that's just wrong, but to each their own.

I'm with ya . No way . Not for me . My German grandma had " wieners " at almost every meal . No matter what else was served . Natural cased in large sheep casings ( I didn't know that then of course ) MUSTARD only .
She would bring a pot of water to a boil , turn the heat off , dogs went in and the lid went on . Kraut and mustard on the table . I did not like them then , but what I wouldn't give to revisit it now . Always toasted the buns , and had potato pancakes . Made her own kraut too . Back then I wanted nothing to do with that .
Now , I used to take kraut in my lunch and just eat it with a fork out of the jar .
Sausage , plain , mustard or mustard and kraut . I do like coleslaw on them sometimes , but not on a good quality wiener .

 

[Kevin DeShazo]

I like ketchup on my dogs, along w mustard, chili and cheese. Pile all that on top of a stack of tater tots, good eats right there.

I also have hatch chile bacon ranch sauce that goes well on a dog

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Things that I like on my hot dog, but not necessarily all at once, are homemade slaw, mustard, kraut, homemade pimento cheese, relish, homemade chili, onions, Texas Pete. I grew up having to eat boiled hot dogs, NEVER AGAIN. Grill, griddle, or skillet seared hard to the crusty/crispy stage, but not boiled. Good buns are are just as important as a good quality dog. Don't give me a Nathan's on a Walmart bun.

 

[Central PA Cowboy]

Ketchup and chili. Real hot dog chili.

 

[chopsaw]

Never boil a hot dog . The way I described above is way different than boiling .

 

[thirdeye]

My favorite toppings in order would be mustard, but I prefer a spicy mustard. Next would be mustard and either grilled onions or fresh onions. Third would be mustard and kraut, but I really like kraut on brats. And forth would be mustard, chili, and raw onions (and maybe peppers) on top.

When Sunday pot lucks were still allowed I would sign up to bring what I called Chicago Dogs, but this really translated into beef Ballpark dogs, cooked in beer and smoked to make them red and snappy. We would bring 5 or 6 condiments and let people build their own. It was fun watching people build plain dogs or ones piled high.

 

[jcam222]

I grew up on dogs with either ketchup, mustard and sauerkraut or bbq sauce. I love them with chili, cheese , onion and mustard too.

 

[chopsaw]

Stadium mustard. I order it by the case .

 

[noboundaries]

Roller dogs, soft steamed buns, yellow mustard, and pungent chopped onions fermenting on the bar all afternoon were both a delicacy and essential sustenance at bars on Naval Air Station Cubi Point, P.I. 25 cents a piece. If you mentioned Cubi Dogs to any WestPac Navy pilot, their mouth would water.

 

[jcam222]

Stadium mustard. I order it by the case .

A++++ best hands down. It’s a staple at all Cleveland sporting events.

 

[chopsaw]

The guy that helped me run the bigger jobs used to go to different stadiums to watch a Cards game . He came back from a Reds and Cards game with some of it . We have ordered it ever since . What's the other one Berks ? Or Bertmans ?

 

[jcam222]

The guy that helped me run the bigger jobs used to go to different stadiums to watch a Cards game . He came back from a Reds and Cards game with some of it . We have ordered it ever since . What's the other one Berks ? Or Bertmans ?

Bertmans is what we use , it’s at all the Cleveland venues. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ea...6148/cleveland-brown-mustard-stadium-ballpark

 

[Fueling Around]

Currywurst ?

A fast food dish of German origin consisting of steamed, and fried pork sausage (Bratwurst?) typically cut into bite-sized chunks and seasoned with curry ketchup

 

[motocrash]

For the record, I was a mustard only guy. I was at a cookout and the Black Pepper Parmesan was on the table, I squeezed some on my finger to taste and wow, squeezed it on a dog and WOW! I have since tried the Cheesy Bacon with the same wow factor. Modern living through science and chemicals