6 Traditional American Hot Dogs

The sun is shining, the grill is smoking – and a real American hot dog is a must! For over a hundred years, these sausages in buns have been part of the soul of the USA: whether at a street stand in Manhattan, on the baseball field in Chicago, or at a family barbecue in Texas. Each region has developed its own unique variation, perfected over decades – and it is precisely these traditional originals that I am presenting to you today.

Here you’ll find the real classics, served just as they have been for generations: the purist New York style with a steamed bun, mustard, sauerkraut, and onion sauce; the legendary Chicago Dog, which never sees ketchup, but shines with bright green relish, sport peppers, and celery salt; the hearty Coney Island Dog from Michigan with homemade chili sauce; the Sonoran Dog from Tucson, wrapped in bacon and topped with pinto beans and jalapeños – and many more regional originals.

Bring a taste of authentic America to your plate with these traditional recipes – it’s easy to do at home! Save this article and let me know: Which original hot dog will you make first? Write it in the comments!

Traditional Coney Island hot dog from Detroit

The Detroit Coney Island Hot Dog is the undisputed champion among American hot dogs: a steamed bun, crispy natural casing beef sausage, bean-free original chili sauce made from lean beef, cumin, paprika, garlic, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce – just like it has been since 1917 at the rival Keros brothers’ American and Lafayette Coney Island. Top it off with raw onion cubes and a thick strip of mustard – no ketchup allowed!

Classic North Carolina hot dog

The classic North Carolina hot dog, also known as the Carolina Slaw Dog, is the undisputed soul food king of the southern states: a steamed bun, grilled all-beef red sausage (Jesse Jones or Bright Leaf), mild tomato-based chili sauce without beans, raw onion cubes, spicy yellow mustard, and – the absolute trademark – a thick helping of homemade vinegar-based coleslaw made from fine cabbage, apple cider vinegar, sugar, mayo, and celery seeds; ketchup is strictly forbidden!

American Chicago hot dog

The classic Chicago hot dog is the outrageous pop art star among American hot dogs – a “dragged through the garden” masterpiece that has been satisfying and delighting Depression-era workers since the 1920s: steam-cooked poppy seed bun (preferably from Rosen’s or S. Rosen’s), pure all-beef sausage with natural casing (Vienna Beef only!), which is NEVER grilled, but only boiled in hot water – topped with an explosive garden of bright green sweet relish, fresh tomato slices, crisp dill pickle spears, fiery sport peppers, raw onion cubes, a generous stripe of yellow mustard, and a dash of celery salt; ketchup is absolutely taboo!

Traditional Texas Tommy Hot Dog

The traditional Texas Tommy hot dog is the fat, cheesy rebel among American hot dogs – born in the 1950s in Philly and South Jersey, where workers needed something hearty that would keep them full longer than a normal dog: A deep-cut hot dog roll is wrapped around a generous slice of thick, smoked bacon, then a crispy all-beef sausage (usually from Dietz & Watson or Sabrett) is added, the whole thing is fried or grilled until the bacon is crispy, and finally melted Cheez Whiz (yes, the classic neon orange kind!) poured thickly over the top – a few dashes of hot mustard or relish are optional, but ketchup? That would be as out of place as a cowboy hat in Manhattan!

Authentic American hot dog

The authentic American hot dog with mustard and ketchup is the uncomplicated all-American classic that every kid knows from Little League, drive-in movies, and Fourth of July picnics – the pure “ballpark style” that has been conquering stadiums and backyards since the 1940s: A soft, steam-cooked bun (preferably from Wonder or Ball Park), a juicy all-beef sausage with a natural casing (Hebrew National or Nathan’s), lightly grilled, then simply topped with a generous dollop of yellow mustard and an equal amount of sweet tomato ketchup – that’s all it takes to conjure up the taste of summer, baseball, and freedom on your tongue!

Classic New York hot dog

The classic New York hot dog is the indestructible street king of the Big Apple – invented in the 1870s by German immigrants such as Charles Feltman on Coney Island and made a global star by Nathan’s Famous in 1916: A simple, steam-cooked bun encloses a pure all-beef sausage with a natural casing (Sabrett or Nathan’s only!), which is only boiled in hot water and never grilled – topped with a choice of spicy brown mustard sauce, tender onions in tomato sauce (“onions in sauce”), crisp sauerkraut, or neon-red sweet relish. Ketchup is only for tourists; real New Yorkers order “one with everything” and eat it out of their hands as they rush through Manhattan!