The Original Maxwell Street

INGREDIENTS
* 1 all-beef hot dog
* 1 poppyseed hot dog bun
* 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
* 1 tablespoon sweet green pickle relish
* 1 tablespoon chopped onion
* 4 tomato wedges
* 1 dill pickle spear
* 2 sport peppers
* 1 dash celery salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, place hot dog in water, and cook 5 minutes or until done. Remove hot dog and set aside. Carefully place a steamer basket into the pot and steam the hot dog bun 2 minutes or until warm.
2. 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!

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As far as food goes, Chicago is known for two things - deep dish pizza, and hot dogs piled high with unusual condiments. Good pizza is easy to get in any city, but no city in the world can match Chicago for it’s hot dog eateries, either in terms of sheer numbers (there are more independant hot dog joints in the city than McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger Kings combined) or in terms of quality. In Chicago, hot dogs, maligned elsewhere as the lowest rung of the fast food chain, can become a true gourmet experience - usually for under three dollars. All across the country, restaurants and food stands exist that purport to sell “Chicago-style” hot dogs, but most of these are far from authentic - most just assume that it becomes a Chicago style dog simply by piling a bunch of crap on top of any given hot dog. Unfortunately, this concept has even spread around Chicago itself. So, what makes a proper Chicago hot dog? First of all, the dog itself should be a bright red color, should snap when you bite into it, and should have a bit of spice to it - the kind of dogs that are sometimes called “red hots.” The dogs should, traditionally, be steamed, not boiled or grilled, and served on a doughy poppyseed bun, with the following condiments:
- mustard
- chopped onions
- tomato wedges
- “sport peppers” (to be either eaten or thrown at cars - your choice)
- bright green relish (the proper kind should look almost neon)
- a whole pickle spear
- celery salt
Some places add might add cucumber slices, green pepper or lettuce, but any place that adds ketchup when you ask for “everything” is not serving up a Chicago hot dog - period. The best places make you add ketchup to the dog yourself, and some of the truly hardcore places don’t have ketchup on the premises at all - and will laugh at those who request it.

LINK

The “Chicago Style” hot dog got its start from street cart hot dog vendors during the hard times of the Great Depression. Money was scarce, but business was booming for these entrepreneurs who offered a delicious hot meal on a bun for only a nickel. The famous Chicago Style Hot Dog was born! They’d start with a Vienna Beef hot dog, nestle it in a steamed poppyseed bun and cover it with a wonderful combination of toppings: yellow mustard, bright green relish, fresh chopped onions, juicy red tomato wedges, a kosher-style pickle spear, a couple of spicy sport peppers and finally, a dash of celery salt. This unique hot dog creation with a “salad on top” and its memorable interplay of hot and cold, crisp and soft, sharp and smooth, became America’s original fast food and a true Chicago institution.

Get Your Dog On
There’s no mistaking that famous “snap” when you bite into a Vienna® Beef frank. Always firm and juicy, the meat we use inside our hot dogs is 100% domestic beef and beef trimmings. We’ve got a frank for every taste, too, with a variety of widths, lengths and casings, from party-size Cocktail Franks to Footlong and Jumbo Franks. They’re all fully cooked; just steam, boil, grill, deep fry or microwave, then enjoy.

As far as food goes, Chicago is known for two things - deep dish pizza, and hot dogs piled high with unusual condiments. Good pizza is easy to get in any city, but no city in the world can match Chicago for it’s hot dog eateries, either in terms of sheer numbers (there are more independant hot dog joints in the city than McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger Kings combined) or in terms of quality. In Chicago, hot dogs, maligned elsewhere as the lowest rung of the fast food chain, can become a true gourmet experience - usually for under three dollars.

All across the country, restaurants and food stands exist that purport to sell “Chicago-style” hot dogs, but most of these are far from authentic - most just assume that it becomes a Chicago style dog simply by piling a bunch of crap on top of any given hot dog. Unfortunately, this concept has even spread around Chicago itself.

So, what makes a proper Chicago hot dog? First of all, the dog itself should be a bright red color, should snap when you bite into it, and should have a bit of spice to it - the kind of dogs that are sometimes called “red hots.” The dogs should, traditionally, be steamed, not boiled or grilled, and served on a doughy poppyseed bun, with the following condiments:

- mustard
- chopped onions
- tomato wedges
- “sport peppers” (to be either eaten or thrown at cars - your choice)
- bright green relish (the proper kind should look almost neon)
- a whole pickle spear
- celery salt

Some places add might add cucumber slices, green pepper or lettuce, but any place that adds ketchup when you ask for “everything” is not serving up a Chicago hot dog - period. The best places make you add ketchup to the dog yourself, and some of the truly hardcore places don’t have ketchup on the premises at all - and will laugh at those who request it.

Make Your Own Chicago Style Hot Dog
It’s easy and fun to make your own Chicago Dog. Our guide will tell you everything you need to know to create the perfect Chicago Dog in the privacy of your own home. We will tell you where to shop, what to buy and how to properly assemble your Dog in true Chicago style. You can even print a shopping list and a step-by-step guide to adding toppings. Let’s get started.
Shopping for Ingredients
In order to create your “masterpiece”, it is important to start with the proper ingredients. Although you can substitute any of the ingredients mentioned here, we suggest that for your first attempt, you try the ingredients we recommend. We have carefully selected each topping to work harmoniously together to create Hot Dog Synergy. Do you remember learning about synergy in grade school? If you can’t remember, synergy is two or more entities working together to produce an effect that is greater than the sum of the parts.
The Hot Dog
A Chicago Style Hot Dog is a traditionally all beef and contains no fillers. Don’t even think of using a Hot Dog made from turkey, chicken or pork. Some all beef Hot Dogs are “Kosher“. If you prefer a Kosher Dog, look for the Kosher symbol (K) or (U) on the packaging. When buying your Hot Dogs, stay away from the 97% fat free choices as they are more difficult to cook and lack flavor. We recommend either “Best’s Kosher” or “Vienna Beef“. Both of these brands are excellent and are available at most grocery stores. For a real treat, try the “jumbo” sized Dogs.
Relish
Classic Chicago Dogs are famous for their sweet bright green relish. Finding the perfect relish has been a struggle, but luckily we found Rolf’s “Deli Style” Sweet Pickle Relish and Sweet Super Green Pickle Relish from the Puckered Pickle Company. Rolf’s is available at Jewel stores in the Chicago area and at Woodman’s in Madison. Any sweet relish will work well on your Chicago Dog, but Rolf’s and the Puckered Pickle Company’s relish are a treat and worth every cent.
Mustard
Another classic topping of a Chicago Dog is yellow mustard. When we think of Hot Dogs, we instantly picture yellow Mustard slathered on the Dog.  According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Mustard is the Hot Dog condiment of choice. Any classic yellow Mustard is acceptable. Do not use Dijon Mustard on your Chicago Dogs! We recommend either Plochman’s or French’s.
The Pickle
There is nothing like the perfect pickle to compliment your Dog. As far as we are concerned, the pickle you place on your Hot Dog can make or break the experience. A classic Chicago Dog will either have a pickle slice or spear. The pickle you choose should compliment, but not overpower any of the other toppings. A common mistake is to place a sour and/or spicy pickle on your Hot Dog. The pickle should have a nice crunch and the seasoning should be mild. Sometimes cucumber slices are substituted for the pickle.  We highly recommend Crunchy Deli Pickle Spears from the Puckered Pickle Co. These great tasting crunchy pickles are perfect for your Chicago Dog! Click Here to check availability in your area. Another good choice is the Claussen Kosher Dill. These pickles are available in both slices and halves. If you buy the halves, make a spear by slicing down the middle of the pickle (or slice into thirds). Claussen pickles are located in the refrigerated deli meat section of any grocery store.
Onion
Nothing special here. Purchase your standard white onion and chop it. If you don’t like the bite of your typical onion, try a vidalia. Vidalia onions have a smooth sweet flavor.
Tomato
For true authenticity, buy a red ripe tomato and cut it into wedges. We prefer a nice quality Beefsteak tomato. Do not chop your tomato or even think about cutting your tomato into slices!
Sport Peppers
An essential topping for any Chicago Dog is the Sport pepper. These peppers are green, about 1-1/2 inches long and usually have a medium-hot taste. When Sport peppers adorn your Dog, they should be whole and never sliced. Don’t make the mistake of using peppers that are too hot. Remember, a Chicago Dog is blending of all the toppings. No single ingredient should overpower the others. Our search for Sport peppers has been a little frustrating, but we found them (in Madison) in the ethnic food section at the Copp’s on Junction Rd, at Woodman’s and Gino’s Italian Deli.
Celery Salt
This blend of ground celery seed and fine-grained salt is often described as the defining ingredient of a Chicago Dog. Celery salt is usually available at any grocery store.
Poppyseed Bun
Genuine Chicago Style Hot Dogs are traditionally served on a steamed poppyseed bun. Unfortunately, we have been unable to find a good source for pre-packaged poppyseed buns in Madison. However, you can usually special order poppyseed Hot Dog buns at grocery stores that have their own bakery. Your local Pick’n Save is one example. We are still searching for packaged buns and will let you know when we find them. In the Chicago area, poppyseed buns are available at most grocery stores including Jewel. If you can find “Mary Ann” buns, you are in for a real treat. Turano Bakery also has great buns

Best Chicago Hot Dog: Making a Chicago Hot Dog