Hot Dog
Ingredients
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- 1/2 cups white onion – finely chopped (~0.5 medium white onions)
- 8 cups water
- 8 each hot dog sausages
- 8 each hot dog buns
- yellow mustard – for serving
- sweet pickle relish – for serving
Instructions
1. Finely chop the onion and set aside.
2. Add the water to a medium pot and bring to a bare simmer over medium heat (180–190°F). Do not let it boil.
3. Slip in the hot dog sausages and cook at a gentle simmer until heated through and plump, 5–7 minutes; adjust heat to keep the water just below a boil.
4. Warm the hot dog buns by holding them over the steaming pot in a steamer basket or colander until soft, 30–60 seconds.
5. Place each hot dog sausage into a warmed bun. Add yellow mustard, spoon on sweet pickle relish, and sprinkle with the chopped onion to taste. Serve immediately.
A hot dog is a simple, satisfying sandwich built around a seasoned frankfurter nestled in a soft bun. The appeal is in the snap of the casing, the warmth of the sausage, and the contrast of tangy mustard, sweet relish, and fresh onion. It’s quick to make, easy to eat one-handed, and endlessly associated with ballparks, backyard gatherings, and street carts.
While the frankfurter has German and Austrian roots, the hot dog as a bun-held, condiment-topped staple is distinctly American. It rose to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with vendors on Coney Island and at baseball games. Over time, regional styles emerged—from New York’s kraut-topped dogs to Chicago’s garden-loaded version—yet the mustard-onion-relish trio remains a widely recognized baseline.