# Bears Fans.. What goes on an AUTHENTIC Chicago Dog?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 25, 2000, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464 "2000-09-25T15:10:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2000, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/1 "2000-09-25T15:10:51Z")
Alright Bears Fans….As I extend the hand of mediocrity I ask for some help.
First off I am a Packer Fan Tried and True. That may eliminate some help I realize but I figured I would be honest with you. I admit that I have a healthy dislike for the Bears. However, the hatred isn’t what it once was on this side of the border…(We gotta kill the Queens). On that note, the Dallas/San Francisco game looked like a good ol’ Bears/Packers game. Owens had that shot coming. I would expect a Packer to do the same in our house! Or in a Bear/Packer game Ken Stills to do it for no reason at all.
What I am asking for is a list of the **proper** fixings for a **Chicago Style Hotdog**.
I realize All-Beef and Poppy seed rolls are a must but are there specifics to the ingredients such as relish, the pickle, the peppers, etc…???
Anyone suggesting Ketchup will be used for bait in the Chicago Carp Tourney this coming weekend along with the people who suggested using Steak-ums for Philly Cheese Steaks.
Whatever happened to Ditka and Forrest Gregg….Even if we sucked it was still fun!!!
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### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2000, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/2 "2000-09-25T15:19:23Z")
Don’t feel bad about disliking the Bears. They suck. I freely admit this. I dislike them too.
Here’s what I found for Chicago Style Hot Dogs.
Mustard
Relish
tomatoes
cucumbers
lettuce
onions
celery salt
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2000, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/3 "2000-09-25T15:52:22Z")
You’re right on but using ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago. I was at a hot dog place in Chitown and the guy next to me asked for ketchup on his hotdog. I am 100% serious when I say I thought the proprietor would kick him out. The owner just stared (glared might be more appropriate) at the guy for a good 5 seconds and then dropped a ketchup bottle in front of the customer telling him if he wanted ketchup on his dog he’d have to do it himself.
Some might say the customer was paying for it and can have it anyway he likes it. I say come to Chicago and see how far that attitude gets you in some establishments.
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### Author:  [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/4 "2000-09-25T16:20:32Z")
From Gazoo via email.
[http://www.viennabeef.com/recipe1.htm](http://www.viennabeef.com/recipe1.htm)
My 2 questions.
I have never seen SPORT peppers. What are they?
Is there a specific type of Bright Green Relish that should be used?
Bright Green relish is so vague a statement that it is scary.
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### Author:  [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/5 "2000-09-25T16:26:33Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Missy2U \*
> \*\*Here’s what I found for Chicago Style Hot Dogs.
>
> Mustard
> Relish
> tomatoes
> cucumbers
> lettuce
> onions
> celery salt
> \*\*
_ **Lettuce???** _ (Otherwise, you got it right, except for the optional sport peppers. You can also substitute a cold-cured dill pickle for the cuke.
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### Author:  [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2000, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/6 "2000-09-25T22:03:10Z")
I am honestly surprised that nobody as of yet has referred to the Master’s [explication](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_095.html) of what makes a truly great all-dressed.
Enjoy. 😃
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### Author:  [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/7 "2000-09-26T17:30:57Z")
OK…
I found Marconi’s sport peppers at the store and I am ordering the buns with poppy seeds.
What kind of BRIGHT GREEN RELISH is used?
I saw a lot of green relish none of which I would call bright green.
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/8 "2000-09-26T18:48:47Z")
All 500 of my Chicago relations think I’m a freak but I really just like my Vienna dogs with that liquidy cheese stuff on them. That makes it for me.
Maybe that’s why they’re happy I moved to Virginia.
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### Author:  [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/9 "2000-09-26T18:58:18Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \*
> \*\*All 500 of my Chicago relations think I’m a freak but I really just like my Vienna dogs with that liquidy cheese stuff on them. That makes it for me.
>
> \*\*
As a Wisconsinite it’s tough to argue with cheese on anything but that just ain’t right…
More acceptable than ketchup but it still ain’t right!
This is run by the [b}Chicago\*\* Reader right?
You mean to tell me that the teeming millions don’t know what kind of relish is used?
Cecil???
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### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/10 "2000-09-26T19:09:27Z")
Sledman - sorry - I’m working on looking for the name for you.
I got the list, including lettuce, from doing a search on Chicago Style Hot Dogs.
Give me a few minutes, dear, and I’ll see what I find.
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### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/11 "2000-09-26T19:25:33Z")
Here you go.
[https://thebestofchicago.com/flukys/default.htm](https://thebestofchicago.com/flukys/default.htm)
Now, this site says Tomatoes go on Chicago Style Hot Dogs, but I don’t agree with that.
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### Author:  [@JosephFinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JosephFinn)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/12 "2000-09-26T20:15:11Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Missy2U \*
> \*\*Here you go.
>
> [https://thebestofchicago.com/flukys/default.htm](https://thebestofchicago.com/flukys/default.htm)
>
> Now, this site says Tomatoes go on Chicago Style Hot Dogs, but I don’t agree with that. \*\*
Respectfully, you don’t need to agree. Chopped tomatoes go on anyway. 🙂
Anyway, here’s an essay by Roger Ebert that ties into the question, albeit in a tangential way:
[http://www.suntimes.com/output/eb-feature/ebert2.htm](http://www.suntimes.com/output/eb-feature/ebert2.htm)
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### Author:  [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/13 "2000-09-26T20:34:20Z")
So is it just that it’s _sweet_ relish then? That shouldn’t be a problem, **Sledman**.
In any case, I’ll bring the ketchup…and now that **Jonathon Chance** brought it up, maybe I’ll try some of the cheese whiz (left over from Philly Steak week) on them.
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### Author:  [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/14 "2000-09-26T21:17:30Z")
Missy
First off thank you for the research.
Tomato on the dog is a must. Just in whole form the way God intended.
Their relish is certainly bright green but the day I pay someone 19.95 for 3 8 oz jars of plain yellow mustard, relish and peppers is the day you should shoot me.
There has to be a specific store bought relish. Kind of like Frank’s Red Hot being a must for true Buffalo Wings.
Gazoo…
If you weren’t such a good friend and damn good fantasy football commish I’d think you were the AntiChrist.
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### Author:  [@tomas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomas)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2000, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/15 "2000-09-26T22:20:29Z")
Sledman-
I’ll be at the game Sunday, I hope Farve’s performance last sunday wore him out. Look for me in the end zone stands with a bag over my head!(I’m a Bear’s fan)😃
Have you tried Tony Packo’s relish? It is not quite the Chicago style , but it won’t set you back 20 bucks.
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### Author:  [@BrothaTJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrothaTJ)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2000, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/16 "2000-09-27T05:11:28Z")
I used to work at Portillo’s Hot Dogs which was rated as the #1 hot dog in the Chicago area for several years. Our Chicago hot dogs had the following:
Mustard
Relish
Onions
Tomatoes
Celery Salt
Cucumber
Pickle
Sport Peppers
Now the cucumber isn’t done everywhere, but the other 7 ingredients I’d say are a must for a chicago dog. Peppers are usually optional as Random said. Portillo’s just includes them unless asked not to.
I’ve seen this bright green relish, it freaks me out. Looks radioactive. We used the regular dark green stuff, sweet relish I assume.
Hey Jonathan, you’d be surprised how many people came in and requested a dog with only the liquid cheese sauce on it. Usually it was kids who requested this but to each his own…
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2000, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/17 "2000-09-27T08:21:45Z")
Here in L.A., we enjoy ‘Flooky’s’, a chain that claims to serve authentic Chicago-style hot dogs. These things got everything but the kitchen sink on 'em. (I’m told it was started by a former partner in the ‘Fluky’ chain)
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2000, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bears-fans-what-goes-on-an-authentic-chicago-dog/34464/18 "2000-09-27T12:45:31Z")
I’d just like to thank everyone for not being too judgemental about the cheese thing. I know it makes me a mutant (hey, I was born on the North side) but it’s there anyway.