The origin of the modern hot dog is a matter of considerable debate. The earliest known reference to the hot dog was in 1867 when it was described as “a sausage-like concoction” that had been served at a baseball game. However, the first documented recipe for a hot dog appeared in print in 1896, and the first patent for a hot dog casing was granted in 1902.
In 1904, Charles Feldman opened his restaurant, Coney Island, serving what he called “Feldman’s Sausages.” He sold them on a bun, and they were popular among sports fans attending baseball games. The first commercially produced hot dog was in the year 1907.
In 1908, he created a new hot dog style, wrapped in a natural casing instead of a synthetic one, and served it on a poppy seed roll. This became known as the “New York Style.”
In 1920, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) passed regulations requiring all meat products to be labeled according to their country of origin. These rules included labeling hot dogs as American or foreign. Since the “New York Style” was considered foreign, it could not be labeled as such. So, the name “American Style” was adopted.
Why Do They Call It a Hot Dog?
The term “hot dog” dates back to the 1800s when German immigrants brought dachshund dogs and sausages to the United States. The name seems to be an inspiration from Germans’ small, thin, and long dogs.
What Is a Hot Dog?
A hot dog is a sausage, usually made from pork and beef. It’s served on a bun with mustard and ketchup (or other condiments) and is often eaten at sporting events or festivals. Hot dogs are available in many different varieties, including:
- Beef
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Veggie
- Italian
- Polish
- Chili
Hot Dog vs. Wiener
The term “wiener” refers to a specific kind of hot dog. The word comes from Vienna, Austria, where the first hot dog was invented. Wiener is also the name of the city’s famous street vendor who sells them.
The term “hot dog” is used for sausages cooked before serving and come in all shapes and sizes. They are sold at stands across the United States.
Hot Dog Dinners
A hot dog dinner is a great way to feed the whole family cost-effectively. You can make it more nutritious by adding veggies, and you don’t have to worry about cooking anything else because it is quite filling. Here are some ideas:
Hot Dogs With Sauerkraut, Mustard, and Pickle
This quick and simple dinner recipe requires around eight sausages, eight hot dog rolls, four dill pickles, 1 1/3 cup of sauerkraut, ¼ cup of chives, 1 tablespoon of hot mustard, and a cup of tomato sauce.
Toss the hot dogs in your grilling pan for 6 to 8 minutes or until they’re fully cooked. In a mixing bowl, combine the pickles, chives, and sauerkraut. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Slit the hot dog rolls open and put tomato sauce on each side. Then place a hot dog in each roll, and top with the sauerkraut mixture. Now drizzle loads of mustard and add more chives to finish off.
Hot Dogs Stuffed With Cheese and Spicy Onions
This is an exciting one. You’ll need 4 hotdogs, 2 tablespoons of seasoning (McCormick grill), 2 onions sliced, 2 tablespoons of sugar (brown sugar preferred), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 slices of cheddar cheese, and salt to taste. First, chop some chipotles and combine them with a teaspoon of adobo sauce in a mixing bowl. Now melt around 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside.
Preheat your broiler to begin the process. Cut slits in each hot dog and put them in a plastic bag along with the seasoning. Shake well until all the hot dogs coat up thoroughly. Arrange all the coated hot dogs in your baking tray and insert cheese strips into the slits.
Drizzle some olive oil into a pan and keep it on low to medium heat when you’re done. Sauté the sliced onions until they turn golden brown. Toss in the chipotle, salt, adobo sauce, and sugar now. Allow the sugar to dissolve before proceeding further.
Meanwhile, butter the hot dog buns from the inside and place them in the baking tray along with the hot dogs. Now you’ve got to broil for just 3-5 minutes for the cheese to melt and to get the ns toasted. That’s it! Pull out the tray and assemble the hot dogs in each toasted bun. Top it up with the caramelized onion dressing.
Hot Dogs With German Potato Salad and Bacon
For this recipe, you will need five cooked, sliced hot dogs, ¼ cup of chopped onions, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, four bacon cut into strips, 1 tbsp of sugar, ½ cup water, and a tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Add ½ a teaspoon of celery seeds and 2 medium potatoes boiled, peeled, and sliced. For seasoning, you can use a dash of pepper and salt.
Cook the bacon until crispy in a cooking pot over medium heat. Remove the bacon from the pot and absorb the excess oil with kitchen towels. In the same pot, sauté the onions and add the flour, constantly stirring until thoroughly combined. After that, add the vinegar, water, celery seeds, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Boil the ingredients together until thickened.
Toss in the crispy bacon, hot dogs, and potatoes and stir. Now dish out the mixture on a greased baking tray. Bake for 20–25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pull out the tray and dig into the creamy potato salad with bacon and hot dogs.
Hot dogs go well with everything including grilled vegetables, French fries, smoked coleslaw, or pasta. The list is unending.
Host a Hot Dog Night
Are you ready for a mid-week get-together?
Get all your loved ones together for dinner and let them create their versions of hot dogs. All you have to do is set the table with hot dogs and buns. Then, deck it up like a bar with various toppings such as jalapenos, olives, pickles, grated cheese, ketchup, mustard sauce, sautéed onions, and relish.
It’s so much fun watching everyone bite into their favorite hot dog dinner.