Chicago Hot Dog Recipe
Steaming the buns instead of toasting them keeps them soft enough to fold around the towering pile of toppings without tearing, and building the toppings in the traditional order (mustard first, ketchup never) means every bite gets a balance of tangy, sweet, salty, and spicy instead of one flavor drowning out the rest.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 hot dogs all-beef hot dogs (natural casing, Vienna Beef style)
- 4 buns poppy seed hot dog buns, steamed
- 4 tsp yellow mustard
- 4 tbsp sweet neon green relish
- 1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
- 4 spears dill pickle spears
- 8 peppers sport peppers (pickled)
- 1 tsp celery salt
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 366
- Protein
- 11g
- Carbs
- 38g
- Fat
- 18g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Bring a large pot of water to a bare simmer, not a rolling boil, and add the hot dogs. Cook for 4-5 minutes, just until heated through and plump.
- 2While the hot dogs cook, set up a steamer basket or a colander over a small pot of simmering water. Steam the buns, opening them along the top slit, for about 60-90 seconds, until soft and warm all the way through.
- 3Drain the hot dogs and tuck one into each steamed bun.
- 4Squeeze a line of yellow mustard directly onto each hot dog, running the length of the frank.
- 5Spoon the neon green relish over the mustard, then scatter the chopped onion over the relish.
- 6Tuck two tomato wedges into the top of the bun on one side and wedge a dill pickle spear into the other side.
- 7Add two sport peppers to each hot dog, then finish with a light dusting of celery salt across the top.
- 8Serve immediately, no ketchup, and no squeezing the toppings down flat, the hot dog should look like a garden growing out of the bun.
Tips & variations
- Real Chicago hot dogs never get ketchup, most Chicago hot dog stands won't even have a bottle behind the counter.
- Look for Vienna Beef franks specifically if a grocery store carries them; they're the standard the Chicago-style topping combination was built around.
- No steamer basket on hand? Wrap the buns in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds instead.
- Sport peppers are the small, spicy pickled peppers specific to this style; pepperoncini are a milder but reasonable substitute if sport peppers aren't available.
Storage & reheating
Assembled hot dogs don't hold up well and are best eaten right away. If prepping ahead, keep the hot dogs, steamed buns, and chopped toppings separate; reheat the dogs in simmering water for 2-3 minutes and steam the buns fresh just before assembling.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Chopping the onion very fine, almost minced, keeps it from sliding off the bun with the first bite.
- A poppy seed bun specifically (not a plain hot dog bun) is part of what makes this a Chicago dog rather than a generic loaded hot dog.
FAQ
Why is ketchup not allowed on a Chicago hot dog?
It's a long-standing local convention rather than a food safety issue: the relish, mustard, and onion already provide sweetness and tang, and ketchup is considered to mute the natural beef flavor of the frank.
What are sport peppers?
They're small, spicy pickled peppers, similar in size to a pepperoncini but hotter, packed in vinegar brine and sold specifically for Chicago-style hot dogs.
Can I grill the hot dogs instead of boiling them?
Yes, grilling over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, gives a charred exterior that many people prefer, though steaming or simmering is closer to how they're prepared at Chicago hot dog stands.
What's the neon green relish made from?
It's a sweet pickle relish dyed bright green, originally to distinguish it from ketchup-colored relishes; plain sweet relish works as a substitute if the dyed version isn't available.