The Iconic Chicago-Style Hot Dog: A Delicious Reminder of Home for Chattanoogan Caitlin Warrick

Chicago-Style Hot Dog: leave off the ketchup and its abundance of veggies

Chicago-Style Hot Dog

Chicago is a city that is renowned for its food, including its signature hot dog. For Chattanoogan Caitlin Warrick, this iconic hot dog holds a special place in her heart and has inspired her to get a tattoo that pays tribute to the city’s culinary culture. Her tattoo is a perfect representation of a Chicago-style hot dog, from the poppyseed bun to the sport peppers. The poppyseed stars on the bun even represent the Chicago flag, making the tattoo an ideal symbol of the city.

“I went to college in Tennessee in ’08,” Warrick said. “I’ve been down here ever since, but I always missed the food. Especially the hot dog. Now I have a delicious reminder of home. It’s the best! And I have folks in town point to my arm and go, ‘Chicago!’”

The best part: The poppyseeds are in the shape of the Chicago flag’s stars. “I know the difference of folks going, ‘Hot dog!’ vs ‘Chicago! Poppyseed stars!’ when they see my tattoo down here in Chattanooga,” she said. “And honestly? I now have strangers’ numbers to text when there’s a Bears or Cubs game on. It’s pretty cool. Sweet home … .”

One of the most important rules of making a proper Chicago-style hot dog is to leave off the ketchup. Chicagoans take their hot dogs seriously, and adding ketchup is considered a faux pas that can earn you some serious side-eye from locals. In 2017, Heinz attempted to rebrand its ketchup as “Chicago dog sauce” to avoid the intense hatred for ketchup in the city. However, an authentic Chicago-style hot dog typically includes a beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, topped with yellow mustard, chopped onions, neon green relish, tomato wedges, a pickle spear, and a sprinkle of celery salt. Combining these toppings creates a delicious balance of flavors with just the right amount of tanginess, saltiness, and crunch.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Chicago-style hot dog is its abundance of veggies. While some of the included toppings are common, like mustard, some are far more exciting, like the neon green relish and sport peppers. These additions give the Chicago-style hot dog its distinctive flavor and texture, but they also make it a bit of a challenge to eat. With so many toppings piled high on a poppy seed bun, it can be a messy and unwieldy experience, but that’s part of the charm of the Chicago-style hot dog.

In 1893, the Vienna Beef hot dog made its debut at the Chicago World’s Fair. Emil Reichel and Samuel Ladany served the sausages topped with mustard and onions, which would become the precursor to the classic Chicago dog. The Chicago-style hot dog has since become a cultural icon of the city, with 90% of stands around Chicago selling the dogs. At Wrigley Field, hot dog sales reach 17,000 at every game. Even during the Great Depression, hot dogs were an affordable way to enjoy a meal, with a nickel buying nearly a full meal with a sausage for protein, and plenty of toppings such as veggies, and carbohydrates in the bun.

The Best Chicago-Style Hot Dog In Chicago | Best In Town

The legacy of the Chicago-style hot dog has made it a beloved food around the country, with Portillo’s spreading the good word outside of the Midwest. While the toppings of the Chicago-style hot dog may create a messy and unwieldy meal, its delicious combination of toppings and legacy during the Great Depression reflects the resilience and creativity of the city. The hot dog is less than 100 years old, but its legacy will undoubtedly endure. Even today, people on the move in Chicago can find this meal on a bun throughout the city from delicious hot dog carts.

Though the hot dog is less than 100 years old, its legacy will undoubtedly endure. Even if you live far from Chicago, you can still enjoy Portillo’s Chicago-style hot dog. Portillo’s has locations outside of the Midwest and even offers hot dogs for delivery in packs of 10 or 50. And if you’re ordering for delivery, don’t forget the chocolate cake; it’s the stuff of dreams.

Sources: