ketchup on hot dogs

[cocodrilo]

The two lines I remember from Dirty Harry movies are "Go ahead, make my day" (of course) and "Nobody, I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog."

The hot dog line stuck with me because Harry was so steamed about it and I didn't know why. Recently I decided to try ketchup on a hot dog along with my customary mustard and onions. I really liked it, I thought it made it much tastier.

A web search has revealed that there is indeed a culinary rule against ketchup on hot dogs. Just asking for it can make you enemies fast in a hot dog establishment.

I plan to have hot dogs with ketchup this evening while I await the Super Bowl kickoff. Anyone care to join me vicariously?

[MeyerIsBack]

The two lines I remember from Dirty Harry movies are "Go ahead, make my day" (of course) and "Nobody, I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog."

The hot dog line stuck with me because Harry was so steamed about it and I didn't know why. Recently I decided to try ketchup on a hot dog along with my customary mustard and onions. I really liked it, I thought it made it much tastier.

A web search has revealed that there is indeed a culinary rule against ketchup on hot dogs. Just asking for it can make you enemies fast in a hot dog establishment.

I plan to have hot dogs with ketchup this evening while I await the Super Bowl kickoff. Anyone care to join me vicariously?

Ketchup on hotdogs is awesome. I don't care what anyone says.

Even better is sauteing onions and then adding ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, a little water, and seasonings and cooking it down for 15 minutes.

Something like this: http://www.food.com/recipe/hot-dog-onion-sauce-95017

[irish2u2]

No. Ketchup on hot dogs proves you are indeed the devil. :devil::devil::devil: I don't hang with the devil though 30 years ago I gave him a run for his money. :joecool:

But I never put ketchup on a hot dog. I never got quite that low though I came close....:joecool:

[MichiGator2002]

I never heard that before. Seems completely bizarre. It isn't like putting a bunch of condiments on a fine steak... it's a hot dog. Now, I too just prefer mustard or mustard and onion, but to me a "fully loaded" hot dog will have mustard, onion, relish, and ketchup -- chili optional.

[jsc28]

I think it's a Chicago dog thing. You'll never see one listed with ketchup.

[amangator08]

I've always considered ketchup the biggest necessity on a hot dog. Wouldn't eat one for years if ketchup wasn't available.

[LeafUF]

I think it's a Chicago dog thing. You'll never see one listed with ketchup.

This. I never heard the ketchup thing until I had a hot dog at Wrigley. They definitely do not think ketchup belongs on the bun in Chicago.

[nastyreptile]

Very insightful thread.

Some like hot dogs with ketchup and some don't, now I can sleep tonight....

[gatordee]

Always have and always will have catsup on my dogs. More so than mustard. Just like the corn dog.

[cocodrilo]

I would never tell Clint Eastwood to his face that I put ketchup on hot dogs.

Well, maybe I would now, since he's so old.

[ufbeta]

I've always considered ketchup the biggest necessity on a hot dog. Wouldn't eat one for years if ketchup wasn't available.

This

[Fla3xk]

I don't eat hotdogs often, but when I do I use ketchup.. Stay hungry my friends.

[gator7_5]

Ketchup on a dog is straight up russian. Mustard onions and if you feel the need to mask the flavor, relish. Ketchup is for fries!

[irish2u2]

I am surrounded by heathens!!:joecool:

[scrappygator]

Straight to hotdog hell if you put ketchup on a hotdog. And, I love mayo more than some of my family, but NEVER on s hot dog. Mustard and onions mostly and sometimes relish.

[toon66]

I would never tell Clint Eastwood to his face that I put ketchup on hot dogs.

Well, maybe I would now, since he's so old.

Not even now.

When I was a kid I used to put ketchup on my hotdogs and then I saw Dirty Harry. Never since

[vertigo0923]

i guess i'm the devil, (please allow me to introduce myself....) because that's the only way i will eat a hot dog: ketchup only. of course, that hot dog has to be grilled to char, before i put that ketchup on it, but, after that, it's food fit for a god, or devil.

:devil:

[VAg8r1]

Ketchup is for burgers and fries, and maybe onion rings. I prefer my hot dogs grilled with mustard, onions, relish, sauerkraut and occasionally chili, never with ketchup.

[Gator515151]

Since I do not like mustard or onions I find Ketchup a necessity to mask the flavor of a really bad hot dog. A good hot dog requires nothing, as a matter of fact it is a crime to put anything on a good hotdog.

[vertigo0923]

*also, it needs to be an all beef hot dog, but that's a given, isn't it?

[vertigo0923]

its a crime to put anything on a good steak.

[LeafUF]

its a crime to put anything on a good steak.

I once threatened to kick my sister out of the house if she ate a steak with Ranch dressing. Thankfully, her go to move was not needed as my steaks are always awesome.

[LeafUF]

Since I do not like mustard or onions I find Ketchup a necessity to mask the flavor of a really bad hot dog. A good hot dog requires nothing, as a matter of fact it is a crime to put anything on a good hotdog.

I have had a lot of good hot dogs and find it a shame that when most people think of a hot dog can only produce images of the cheap barely edible things that you get at ballgames.

[cocodrilo]

I remember my brother had a dog who would swallow weenies whole. He didn't care if they had ketchup on them or not.

[ValdostaGatorFan]

I love me a good Carolina dog

[KendrellJones]

I once watched a story on the Food Channel of how hot dogs are made.

That was some 15 years ago...will never eat another!

[Dreamliner]

I'd put ketchup on a hot dog just to infuriate the purists. But ordinarily I'm a mustard/relish/onions guy.

[MichiGator2002]

I would never tell Clint Eastwood to his face that I put ketchup on hot dogs.

Well, maybe I would now, since he's so old.

He would have to let you go.

[Tebowism0823]

I've always used ketchup on hotdogs.

[Tebowism0823]

Ketchup on a dog is straight up russian. Mustard onions and if you feel the need to mask the flavor, relish. Ketchup is for fries!

Hotdogs without ketchup is for the French!!

[wygator]

its a crime to put anything on a good steak.

Agreed...except more salt and pepper!

My two favorite hot dogs:

1) mayonnaise, mustard, CATSUP, onions and relish. I put mayo on (almost) everything.

2) chili, cheese and onions

[johnl]

I love ruining a great steak with A1.

[Dreamliner]

I love ruining a great steak with A1.

Amen! or 57.

I also put ketchup on my grits when I was little.

[Tebowism0823]

Amen! or 57.

I also put ketchup on my grits when I was little.

Ketchup on eggs is where it's at :)

[Tebowism0823]

I love ruining a great steak with A1.

I ruin mine with a lot of different things. Ranch dressing mainly.

[bakaduin]

A hot dog is so generic!

Chicago dog? Wouldn't ever put ketchup on one.

New York Street dog? Give me some ketchup.

Texas Weiner? Give me some chili, mustard, and onions.

Then you've got the sonorans, coneys, slaw dogs. The list goes on!

[FrankGator627]

Best hot dog I've had is the "Dam" dog at Hoover Dam. Simply amazing.

[northgagator]

I think it's a Chicago dog thing. You'll never see one listed with ketchup.

If you ever had one (without ketchup) you will find out that you don't need it. Ketchup just doesn't go well with the toppings.

[northgagator]

Amen! or 57.

I also put ketchup on my grits when I was little.

I like grits with a pair of sunny side up eggs on top and two big fat links of spicy sausage on the side. Give the eggs a good dusting of black pepper.
Now for the good part. I cut up that sausage into bite size pieces, chop up the eggs and grits, and top off everything with...ketchup. This arrangement really grosses out my wife. I only do it when I am not happy with get.

[Tebowism0823]

A hot dog is so generic!

Chicago dog? Wouldn't ever put ketchup on one.

New York Street dog? Give me some ketchup.

Texas Weiner? Give me some chili, mustard, and onions.

Then you've got the sonorans, coneys, slaw dogs. The list goes on!

This makes sense.

[northgagator]

We like to buy the big Nathan's or the Hebrew Nationals. The only way to properly cook them is on a grill. For the kids I cook them until they are done. For my wife and I I kick up the flames a little to make them bluster. Also I keep them on a little longer to char about 20% of the skin.

We steam up the buns, throw in the dog, and top off with some spicy mustard and hot dog relish. For sides we do some cole slaw, fries, and baked beans.

[citygator]

I feel there is some disinformation going on.
1. You can put ketchup on your dog if you are under 10
2. Chicago dogs don't have ketchup.

Chicago dog recipe: Place hot dog in the steamed bun. Pile on the toppings in this order: yellow mustard, sweet green pickle relish, onion, tomato wedges, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt. The tomatoes should be nestled between the hot dog and the top of the bun. Place the pickle between the hot dog and the bottom of the bun. Don't even think about ketchup!

[gatormoe1]

Three ways to eat a hot dog (for me):
1. Ketchup and mustard only
2. Ketchup, mustard and relish or sauerkraut
3. Chili and mustard

[Tebowism0823]

Gotta have Ketchup....

[bakaduin]

As an aside, for the game I got some nice natural casing hot dogs and put them in a deep fryer until the casings ripped open. Takes me back to a little place in the hot dog capital of the U.S. New Jersey (Rutt's Hut).

Great dog!

[cstgator]

Backpacked around South America a few years back and I must say that the Colombians have the best hotdogs I've ever had. I've had Chicago dogs in Chicago, and I've had NY dogs in NYC, and I've had Coneys in Coney Island, as well as chili dogs at various "famous" hot dog stands in different parts of the country. And Colombian hot dogs are just so much better. The fried potato strings/chips along with the "pink sauce" is just such an amazing combination of taste, texture, and visual satisfaction. Plus, they have the best buns (take that as you wish, lol).

And yeah, thought it was a bit odd that a poster in this thread got ketchup on a Chicago dog, because it is almost considered to be a criminal act to do such a thing. At least it was when I was there.

[gatormoe1]

As an aside, for the game I got some nice natural casing hot dogs and put them in a deep fryer until the casings ripped open. Takes me back to a little place in the hot dog capital of the U.S. New Jersey (Rutt's Hut).

Great dog!

I love fried dogs. Almost as good as grilled. Also, broiled is pretty good too.

[Go2gtr]

How about mayo?

[Gator515151]

I like me a good corn dog and love the smell of LSU fans.

[northgagator]

How about mayo?

The closest that I get to mayo on a dog is when I am having a slaw dog.

Sometimes I love a slaw dog with relish and mustard.

[ufrulz2]

Ketchup on a hot dog is wrong on so many levels.

[myamiG8R]

its a crime to put anything on a good steak.

other than kosher salt (immediately before cooking) and pepper (during the cooking process)...

[tegator80]

I wasn't going to post here but I couldn't take it anymore. Ketchup is a sweet condiment and appeals to young tastes. You have to remember that they don't know any better (parenting instincts have to kick in). Otherwise you would have to shoot them to cull the herd. Ketchup is used to make some types of BBQ sauce and horseradish sauce and that is about it. It's just my opinion, but I am RIGHT!:angry:

Every time I see a pile of great looking fries covered with sauce it makes me want to add to their mess.:sick:

[AzCatFan]

General hot dog must have ketchup, mustard, and onions. Specialty dogs are a different breed, and putting ketchup on say a Sonoran Dog is a crime. And if you ever find yourself in Tucson, have to stop by Pat's Hot Dogs, though I wouldn't recommend spending any time in the neighborhood. One, it's not the best, and two, after a Pat dog or two, clean restroom facilities become very important...

[toon66]

General hot dog must have ketchup, mustard, and onions. Specialty dogs are a different breed, and putting ketchup on say a Sonoran Dog is a crime. And if you ever find yourself in Tucson, have to stop by Pat's Hot Dogs, though I wouldn't recommend spending any time in the neighborhood. One, it's not the best, and two, after a Pat dog or two, clean restroom facilities become very important...

Never had a Sonoran Dog but always wondered what it was. Don't remember those as a kid. Is Pat's in the same part of town as St Mary's?

[Dreamliner]

I also chill red wine.

Sue me.

[OaktownGator]

I also chill red wine.

Sue me.
Barbarian.

[StrangeGator]

I think it's a Chicago dog thing. You'll never see one listed with ketchup.

Not just Chicago. My wife is from New York and she thinks ketchup on hotdogs is blasphemous. The hotdog thing in New York isn't quite as cultish in Chicago. It's more of a Jewish thing. Ketchup on a good kosher dog isn't as blasphemous as mayo (which would render it inedible according to Leviticus), it's just tacky.

I grew up eating hotdogs with ketchup. I think it's a southern thing. In the south, hot dogs are not held regarded with the same reverence as they are in Chicago and New York. Southerners put ketchup on hotdogs because they're usually eating crappy hotdogs. When I come home to visit family, I don't eat hotdogs at all. There's nothing you can put on those nasty things that will make them edible. You can find good hotdog brands at grocery stores down there, but no one in my extended family has a clue or the inclination to pay a premium price for a package of all beef hotdogs, especially kosher dogs.

The first time I had a hotdog in Chicago, I didn't put anything on it and it was great. Then I went with pickle relish, diced onion and mustard. That was even better. Started adding tomatoes and peppers and it was awesome. Now I do something different every time. One of my favorites is just mustard and sauerkraut. When I have the time to mess with it, I make my own relish by dicing kosher pickles, white onions, jalapeño peppers and Roma tomatoes. I usually add brown mustard, but if all the other ingredients are good, yellow mustard is fine.

IMHO, ketchup isn't blasphemous. It just doesn't fit. It's too sweet and doesn't blend well with the meat. It's like putting ketchup on steak. If you like ketchup, save them for your fries or go to a burger place and put it on your burger. Even most super gourmet burgers are good with Ketchup.

[cocodrilo]

I've never heard of tomatoes on hot dogs. But then sometimes I don't even bother with buns. I just roll it up in a piece of white bread. With mustard, onions, and plenty of ketchup. I hope I'm not making anyone sick.

I'd like to see a new Dirty Harry movie (with an Eastwood replacement, of course) about the hunt for a terrorist who runs through Chicago hot dog joints squeezing ketchup on everyone's hot dogs. Lots of chilling scenes of red ketchup everywhere, and Harry madder than you have ever seen him.

[AzCatFan]

Never had a Sonoran Dog but always wondered what it was. Don't remember those as a kid. Is Pat's in the same part of town as St Mary's?

Pats is on Grande Ave between Speedway and St. Marys. Been there forever, and certainly looks the part. Run down, bad neighborhood, cash only, and part of local Tucson culture.

[GboroGator]

Never had a Sonoran Dog but always wondered what it was. Don't remember those as a kid. Is Pat's in the same part of town as St Mary's?

Sonoran Dog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXaXy4aeJt4

[oldgator]

a lot in this thread will think I'm evil--- I sometimes put ketchup on hotdogs.

even more evilly---I have a maker of hotdogs making custom hotdogs for me.
The modification I've made is as follows---
--if you cut any regular hot dog in half, the cross cut is circular in shape. Aesthetically pleasing, etc. But very inefficient when putting toppings on a hot dog.
--The hotdogs that are custom made for me are such that if you cut them in half, the cross section isn't circular in shape......
--instead it is shaped like a 'U'
--the hotdog itself looks a bit like a canoe. It is still easy to cook. With the 'U' dog on a hotdog bun with hollow part facing up you can really fill these dogs with toppings
----chili dogs, cheese dogs, onions, etc, etc
----in addition when grilling them--cook hollow side first on the grill then turn the dog so hollow is facing upward....at that point you can fill the dog with cheese, finely diced seasoned steak, etc(picture a hotdog filled with cheese and steak)

these dogs cook faster. And a 1/4 pound 'U' dog looks a lot bigger than a 1/4 pound regular hot dog, due to the hollowed out space.

you haven't enjoyed a hot dog until you've had a canoe shaped hotdog that is filled with finely diced grilled steak, onions, and provolone. With the cheese melted while canoe shaped dog is hollow side up on the grill

[gatorz]

Kethcup is the ONLY thing I put on a hotdog. Wouldn't eat one any other way.

[rounds]

The South puts ketchup on hotdogs. All that matters

[OaktownGator]

I've never heard of tomatoes on hot dogs. But then sometimes I don't even bother with buns. I just roll it up in a piece of white bread. With mustard, onions, and plenty of ketchup. I hope I'm not making anyone sick.

I'd like to see a new Dirty Harry movie (with an Eastwood replacement, of course) about the hunt for a terrorist who runs through Chicago hot dog joints squeezing ketchup on everyone's hot dogs. Lots of chilling scenes of red ketchup everywhere, and Harry madder than you have ever seen him.

Rise of the Killer Tomatoes - the Ketchup Kronicles!
http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.5008645691082395&pid=15.1 http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4909045396801001&pid=15.1

[ufrulz2]

Not just Chicago. My wife is from New York and she thinks ketchup on hotdogs is blasphemous. The hotdog thing in New York isn't quite as cultish in Chicago. It's more of a Jewish thing. Ketchup on a good kosher dog isn't as blasphemous as mayo (which would render it inedible according to Leviticus), it's just tacky.

I grew up eating hotdogs with ketchup. I think it's a southern thing. In the south, hot dogs are not held regarded with the same reverence as they are in Chicago and New York. Southerners put ketchup on hotdogs because they're usually eating crappy hotdogs. When I come home to visit family, I don't eat hotdogs at all. There's nothing you can put on those nasty things that will make them edible. You can find good hotdog brands at grocery stores down there, but no one in my extended family has a clue or the inclination to pay a premium price for a package of all beef hotdogs, especially kosher dogs.


Now see, that's funny, because my Long Island raised, Jewish wife puts ketchup on her hot dogs, while this Florida raised man thinks it's total blasphemy.

[vertigo0923]

we buy good hot dogs. never buy gross hot dogs, or those 'pink' things. ew. no telling what those are....
always all beef. i like nathan's, and i like oscar meyers. and i like 'em grilled/charred....grill the bun a little, then ketchup. sorry, but that's the way to go. YUM.

(am i making anyone sick? lol) ;)

[myamiG8R]

i am a little surprised that in this entire thread there is not single reference to an empty chair...

[deathroll]

Just glancing at the thread title makes me wince. Please no. Mods need to get involved here.

[gtr2x]

It's a friggin hot dog. It needs all the help it can get....ketchup, mustard, onions, relish, etc, etc. and wash down with at least one cold beer.

[cocodrilo]

It's a friggin hot dog. It needs all the help it can get.

Sounds like steak tartare. For any who don't know, that's raw beef, served with onions, ground pepper, etc.

I've eaten it (or tried to) once in my life, because a friend tricked me into ordering it in a restaurant. To this day I don't get the point of eating raw meat, served with something to kill the taste of it.

[OaktownGator]

Sounds like steak tartare. For any who don't know, that's raw beef, served with onions, ground pepper, etc.

I've eaten it (or tried to) once in my life, because a friend tricked me into ordering it in a restaurant. To this day I don't get the point of eating raw meat, served with something to kill the taste of it.

Compliment the taste... not kill it. :joecool:

[cocodrilo]

Compliment the taste... not kill it. :joecool:

Oh yes, I remember how good it tasted, while my friend sat there and laughed.

[StrangeGator]

It's a friggin hot dog. It needs all the help it can get....ketchup, mustard, onions, relish, etc, etc. and wash down with at least one cold beer.

You must have never had a great hotdog, Vienna Beef, Best's Kosher, Hebrew National or Nathans. They don't need help, but they deserve respect. Ketchup is too damned sweet for a good hotdog. Ketchup? Why not honey or maple syrup?

FWIW, Chicago invented the hotdog. We've had 120 years to perfect it. You have the right to eat it any way you want. We reserve the right to ridicule you. We've got a pretty good culinary rep up here. Put whatever you want on it, but at least once in your life, try a real quality all-beef dog done up the way we do it up here, without ketchup. Nothing better to eat while you watch your baseball team lose another heartbreaker.

[cstgator]

All this talk about "premium" hot dogs is freaking silly, in my opinion. It's a hot dog for god's sake. It's like buying Boar's Head American cheese, sure it's better than Borden or Kraft Singles but it's still crappy American. And yeah, like I stated above, I enjoy a good hot dog from time to time (i.e. streetfood vendors) but man there's so many other better foods out there to eat. I guess I just never bought into the hot dog craze. They're just not that good...much rather grill some bratwurst or other higher end sausage. Hot dogs? Meh...

[bakaduin]

All this talk about "premium" hot dogs is freaking silly, in my opinion. It's a hot dog for god's sake. It's like buying Boar's Head American cheese, sure it's better than Borden or Kraft Singles but it's still crappy American. And yeah, like I stated above, I enjoy a good hot dog from time to time (i.e. streetfood vendors) but man there's so many other better foods out there to eat. I guess I just never bought into the hot dog craze. They're just not that good...much rather grill some bratwurst or other higher end sausage. Hot dogs? Meh...

I have to disagree with you entirely. There is a huge different in eating a ball park frank vs a natural casing hot dog like a Boar's Head. I mean honestly it isn't even close. A hot is a sausage and there are certainly different quality ones like there are different quality brats or different quality kielbasa.

Furthermore, american cheese certainly has its place in the culinary world. It has superior meltability to just about every other cheese and that makes it ideal for many things like grilled cheese and burgers.

To me the opinion, "there's so many other better foods out there to eat" is one of silliness. Well duh.....you could eat lobster and U.S. Prime steak every night but sometimes you just want a good hot dog and other times you want a plate of cheese fries or something else.

[red4512]

A lot of GREAT quotes from Dirty Harry:

1. When a naked man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher's knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn't out collecting for the Red Cross!


2. I know what your thinking. In all this excitment I forgot if I fired 5 or 6 shots?.....

[gator7_5]

a lot in this thread will think I'm evil--- I sometimes put ketchup on hotdogs.

even more evilly---I have a maker of hotdogs making custom hotdogs for me.
The modification I've made is as follows---
--if you cut any regular hot dog in half, the cross cut is circular in shape. Aesthetically pleasing, etc. But very inefficient when putting toppings on a hot dog.
--The hotdogs that are custom made for me are such that if you cut them in half, the cross section isn't circular in shape......
--instead it is shaped like a 'U'
--the hotdog itself looks a bit like a canoe. It is still easy to cook. With the 'U' dog on a hotdog bun with hollow part facing up you can really fill these dogs with toppings
----chili dogs, cheese dogs, onions, etc, etc
----in addition when grilling them--cook hollow side first on the grill then turn the dog so hollow is facing upward....at that point you can fill the dog with cheese, finely diced seasoned steak, etc(picture a hotdog filled with cheese and steak)

these dogs cook faster. And a 1/4 pound 'U' dog looks a lot bigger than a 1/4 pound regular hot dog, due to the hollowed out space.

you haven't enjoyed a hot dog until you've had a canoe shaped hotdog that is filled with finely diced grilled steak, onions, and provolone. With the cheese melted while canoe shaped dog is hollow side up on the grill

Like beer? I'll send you some for a few packs of those! Lol! Venison chili dogs are a staple at my house, but the chili always falls out!

[gtr2x]

You must have never had a great hotdog, Vienna Beef, Best's Kosher, Hebrew National or Nathans. They don't need help, but they deserve respect. Ketchup is too damned sweet for a good hotdog. Ketchup? Why not honey or maple syrup?

FWIW, Chicago invented the hotdog. We've had 120 years to perfect it. You have the right to eat it any way you want. We reserve the right to ridicule you. We've got a pretty good culinary rep up here. Put whatever you want on it, but at least once in your life, try a real quality all-beef dog done up the way we do it up here, without ketchup. Nothing better to eat while you watch your baseball team lose another heartbreaker.

Had em all, even with sauerkraut, I stand by my original comments. Don't care who invented it and I squirt ketchup at your "culinary rep". I will give you that a baseball game and hot dogs are a match tho.

[cstgator]

I have to disagree with you entirely. There is a huge different in eating a ball park frank vs a natural casing hot dog like a Boar's Head. I mean honestly it isn't even close. A hot is a sausage and there are certainly different quality ones like there are different quality brats or different quality kielbasa.

Furthermore, american cheese certainly has its place in the culinary world. It has superior meltability to just about every other cheese and that makes it ideal for many things like grilled cheese and burgers.

To me the opinion, "there's so many other better foods out there to eat" is one of silliness. Well duh.....you could eat lobster and U.S. Prime steak every night but sometimes you just want a good hot dog and other times you want a plate of cheese fries or something else.

I get what you're saying but I don't agree. Sorry. American cheese is crap to me -- there are other great melting cheeses you can use for those applications. Put American cheese on a burger? I mean, you can do it, but why would you want to do it? I don't mind it when I'm at 5 Guys or something like that, but at home, no way.

To me, a great hot dog is more about the accompaniments more than it is about the dog itself. Look at Chicago, case in point. A proper Chicago dog has so many condiments on it that you can barely see the link. Ask yourself...why? Because the hot dog itself is a crap food and you have to dress it up for it to be good. I just think that a lot of these classic American staples and streetfoods are antiquated and obsolete.

And then you have to account for the fact that they contain nitrogen-based compounds and have a ton of saturated fat -- why eat it? These food-based cultural reasons account for a lot of the health problems in the states -- people love eating this kind of crap here. I won't lie, I eat my share of fatty foods but a hot dog is so damn bad for the human body that it's hard for me to justify being a food source to be eaten on a regular basis.

And I still do stand by what I said about Colombian dogs -- they are damn good (because of the condiments). But I don't think I'd want to eat more than 3 a year.

[nastyreptile]

I remember my brother had a dog who would swallow weenies whole. He didn't care if they had ketchup on them or not.


I'm a little older so I was wondering just what your brother put on his weenie to accomplish this feat...dog or no dog, she can't be that ugly.....:huh:

[cstgator]

Had em all, even with sauerkraut, I stand by my original comments. Don't care who invented it and I squirt ketchup at your "culinary rep". I will give you that a baseball game and hot dogs are a match tho.

Right there with you! Don't see how anyone likes these damn things so much. What the hell is so great about it?

[bakaduin]

I get what you're saying but I don't agree. Sorry. American cheese is crap to me -- there are other great melting cheeses you can use for those applications. Put American cheese on a burger? I mean, you can do it, but why would you want to do it? I don't mind it when I'm at 5 Guys or something like that, but at home, no way.

To me, a great hot dog is more about the accompaniments more than it is about the dog itself. Look at Chicago, case in point. A proper Chicago dog has so many condiments on it that you can barely see the link. Ask yourself...why? Because the hot dog itself is a crap food and you have to dress it up for it to be good. I just think that a lot of these classic American staples and streetfoods are antiquated and obsolete.

And then you have to account for the fact that they contain nitrogen-based compounds and have a ton of saturated fat -- why eat it? These food-based cultural reasons account for a lot of the health problems in the states -- people love eating this kind of crap here. I won't lie, I eat my share of fatty foods but a hot dog is so damn bad for the human body that it's hard for me to justify being a food source to be eaten on a regular basis.

And I still do stand by what I said about Colombian dogs -- they are damn good (because of the condiments). But I don't think I'd want to eat more than 3 a year.

You made my point for me. A Five Guys burger is just about one of the best burgers you can eat. Perfect amount of tasty and greasy. It wouldn't be near the same burger with say cheddar. American cheese melts the perfect way for their burger. It clearly has a place in the culinary world.

I LOLed at your talk about how bad hot dogs are for the human body. Pink salt is used in a ton of curing processes and is perfectly safe. Nitrites are perfectly safe in the amounts we eat and are found naturally in plenty of vegetables. Hyperbole much? Nobody is saying to make a diet of pure hot dogs is a good idea but eating hot dogs on a semi-regular basis (a few a month which is what I imagine a normal person would consume) is not going to cause any adverse health effects much less kill you.

You don't like hot dogs and there is nothing wrong with that but I disagree that there isn't a difference in quality between a ball park mixed meat hot dog and a natural casing all beef hot dog.

[cstgator]

A 5 Guys burger with those trademark ultra thin fast food style patties has nothing on a homemade burger or a burger from Graffiti Junktion or a REAL hamburger joint. 5 Guys is fast food fare. They taste good but it's not in the same ballpark as something like this...
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCbN0EVbGzM/Twa6Ni7QZpI/AAAAAAAABOc/v9-BdhxWc_U/s1600/IMG_2045.JPG

Just not even close. I guess we just see food differently...

[bakaduin]

A 5 Guys burger with those trademark ultra thin fast food style patties has nothing on a homemade burger or a burger from Graffiti Junktion or a REAL hamburger joint. 5 Guys is fast food fare. They taste good but it's not in the same ballpark as something like this...
Just not even close. I guess we just see food differently...



I agree that we see food differently 100%. One day I can be in the mood for a gourmet burger from say Flip's Burger Boutique and on another day nothing but a grease bomb from Five Guys or In and Out will suffice. To me it is comparing apples and oranges and both have their place. A fast food burger is not a gourmet burger and neither is "better" they are just different.

[cstgator]

Hot dogs still suck.

:laugh::nervous smile:

Just kidding man, it's all good.

[citygator]

I definitely agree with the notion American cheese is junk and burgers are always improved by shifting to a different cheese. Of course American cheese alone cannot ruin a good burger... Five Guys is a fine fast food burger even with Am cheese.

Still doesn't change the fact that at our local hot dog place there are seven "gourmet hot dogs" and not one of them has ketchup or catsup.