# The Great Hot Dog Debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331 "2008-07-04T23:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/81 "2008-07-05T21:34:41Z")
[QUOTE=vison] And, it is true that ketchup on a hot dog is an **abomination**. It’s in the scriptures. [/QUOTE] Yet another reason I’m an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/82 "2008-07-05T21:37:32Z")
And now that I’ve contributed the West Virginia Dog to the rest of the world, I will tell you all the secret to a perfect hot dog. Smoke. Instead of grilling your hot dog, try smoking it. This is especially good with natural casing dogs–they get ridiculously plump, and take on a great smoky flavor. Perfect with Gulden’s Spicy Brown (or Stadium Mustard, if you can find it) and onions, either diced fresh or grilled. Seriously, smoke your hot dogs and you will never want to go back. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/83 "2008-07-05T22:22:22Z")
[QUOTE=longhair75] I can’t believe we got to 78 posts without: > [@](#): > > originally posted by Dirty Harry: God this stuff isn’t getting to me - the shootings, the knifings, the beatings. Old ladies being bashed in the head for their social security checks. Nah that doesn’t bother me. But you know what does bother me? You know what makes me really sick to my stomach? It’s watching you stuff your face with those hotdogs! Nobody - I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog!" [/QUOTE] No we didn’t. It only took [29 posts.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9970799&postcount=29) [QUOTE=Malienation] \ Ketchup on a dog? :eek: In the movie, “Dirty Harry”, Clint Eastwood is horrified when his partner eats a hot dog with ketchup on it. Listen to Clint! Run for your life, **LilGypsyGirl!** \ [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![This\_ll\_Do](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/this_ll_do/32/3023_2.png) [@This\_ll\_Do](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_ll_Do)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/84 "2008-07-05T23:13:28Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] Oh, grasshopper, you have much to learn of the ways of hot dog condiments. Order a fully dressed dog in Chicago and you get [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chicago_hot_dog.jpg). Note the complete lack of ketchup. [/QUOTE] Why is the weinie all split open? I’ve never seen that before. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/85 "2008-07-05T23:23:52Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] No we didn’t. It only took [29 posts.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9970799&postcount=29) [/QUOTE] [21, actually–check the linky! 😉](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9970722&postcount=21) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/86 "2008-07-06T01:35:12Z")
Quoth **Hillarity N. Suze** : > [@](#): > > When I make myself a hot dog I put on mustard and pickle relish, if I have it, and tomato relish, my grandma’s recipe, if I happen to have made some the autumn before. Or I might put chili on if I have some left over, or some of my bourbon barbecue sauce. So I’m not the only one whose family has a recipe for tomato relish? Good stuff, that. It’s also the secret ingredient in my sloppy joes. Personally, I’m a “little of everything” kind of guy for my preferred toppings, and that usually includes a small amount of ketchup. I’d never heard of cole slaw on a hot dog before, but now that I have, it sounds like a pretty good idea. But if I’m going to have one and only one thing on a dog, it’s mustard. Spicy brown is superior in every way to plain yellow, and the greatest of all spicy brown mustard is Bertman’s ballpark mustard, which so far as I know, is only found in the Cleveland area. That stuff is God’s gift to sausage. Hot dogs, Polish dogs, brats, whatever, just become heavenly with a generous topping of that stuff. If you’re going to combine it with other condiments, it goes best with the vinegar-based ones like kraut and relish (here, I’d skip the ketchup, chili, and cheese). ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/87 "2008-07-06T01:36:14Z")
Ketchup belongs on hamburgers and hotdogs to represent the blood spilled by meat packers. Not making it available cheapens the entire labor movement. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/88 "2008-07-06T01:42:16Z")
[QUOTE=want2know] [21, actually–check the linky! 😉](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9970722&postcount=21) [/QUOTE] :smack: I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/89 "2008-07-06T01:46:49Z")
[QUOTE=This’ll Do] Why is the weinie all split open? I’ve never seen that before. [/QUOTE] You must be able to spell “wienie”, or you’re not allowed to eat one, much less discuss them. The word “wiener” means “of Wien”, Wien being how the Austrians spell Vienna. Hence, Wienerschnitzel is schnitzel Vienna style. “Weinie” would be pronounced “wy-nee”. No-no, don’t thank me. ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/90 "2008-07-06T02:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=This’ll Do] Why is the weinie all split open? I’ve never seen that before. [/QUOTE] That’s called a ripper. The hot dogs are deep-fried; the longer they’re in the hot oil, the more split up and gnarly-looking they get. ---
**Author:** ![This\_ll\_Do](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/this_ll_do/32/3023_2.png) [@This\_ll\_Do](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_ll_Do)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/91 "2008-07-06T15:19:22Z")
[QUOTE=3acresandatruck] That’s called a ripper. The hot dogs are deep-fried; the longer they’re in the hot oil, the more split up and gnarly-looking they get. [/QUOTE] Thank you. Ignorance fought: I didn’t know hot dogs were prepared by frying in oil. I’ve only ever seen them grilled, boiled or broiled. [QUOTE=Chefguy] You must be able to spell “wienie”, or you’re not allowed to eat one, much less discuss them. The word “wiener” means “of Wien”, Wien being how the Austrians spell Vienna. Hence, Wienerschnitzel is schnitzel Vienna style. “Weinie” would be pronounced “wy-nee”. No-no, don’t thank me. [/QUOTE] That was a typo. Around here it’s pronounced “wee-nee.” My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/92 "2008-07-06T15:27:58Z")
I consider myself somewhat of a Hot Dog snob. After all, I’ve experienced the best dogs on Earth, from the late great “O” in Pittsburgh, where I used to hang out for hours and play pinball and eat dogs. So, how do I like 'em? - with **everything**. Cheese, ketchup, spicy mustard, relish, kraut. Yumm… Oh, and Chicago dogs suck. Sorry, but it’s the truth. What’s with the fluorescent green relish? ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/93 "2008-07-06T15:41:49Z")
No mention yet of Nathan’s hot dogs? Kobayashi and Joey can’t be wrong, you know. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/94 "2008-07-06T16:24:52Z")
[QUOTE=This’ll Do] That was a typo. Around here it’s pronounced “wee-nee.” My apologies. [/QUOTE] It’s pronounced “wee-nee” around here as well, but it’s spelled either “wienie” or “weenie.” **Chefguy** was just saying that if it were spelled “weinie,” the pronunciation would be “winey” or, actualy, “viney” if you’re going with the German pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/95 "2008-07-06T17:50:51Z")
[QUOTE=This’ll Do] Thank you. Ignorance fought: I didn’t know hot dogs were prepared by frying in oil. I’ve only ever seen them grilled, boiled or broiled. [/QUOTE] That is not a Ripper! [This](http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=1362) is a Ripper. Served by Rutt’s Hut in Clifton, New Jersey, and served with a signature relish, not all that crap in the picture cited. That dog was split, not ripped. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/96 "2008-07-06T18:05:20Z")
[QUOTE=This’ll Do] Thank you. Ignorance fought: I didn’t know hot dogs were prepared by frying in oil. I’ve only ever seen them grilled, boiled or broiled. That was a typo. Around here it’s pronounced “wee-nee.” My apologies. [/QUOTE] Just a joke, my friend, in the spirit of SDMB nitpickiness. I’ve seen commercial dogs packaged under both spellings. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/97 "2008-07-06T18:51:48Z")
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane] It’s the equivalent of drinking an alcoholic beverage with a marachino cherry in it. [/QUOTE] This must be addressed first: The Maraschino cherry is the traditional garnish of the one true cocktail, the Manhattan. Whiskey, vermouth, a dash of bitters, and the aforementioned cherry, this is not your kid sister’s drink. On to the meat of the thread, I’m apparently a hot dog slut. All of the preparations listed so far sound quite tasty to me. Particularly that cole slaw thing – I am definitely going to try that the next time I make slaw. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/98 "2008-07-06T20:00:07Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] An appropriately made hot dog is one that has whatever YOU personally want on it. Anyone who says otherwise needs to get a grip. It’s just a hot dog, for Christ’s sake. [/QUOTE] Uh huh. I draw the “stupid hippie” line someplace before “why can’t we all love each other?” comes up in a hot dog debate. Good lord, everybody is proud of there own regionalisms, let em have some fun. We don’t really want to send ketchup users to the gas chambers. We just want them to be painfully humiliated for their obviously childish and immature tastes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lavender\_Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b782af/32.png) [@Lavender\_Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lavender_Falcon)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/99 "2008-07-06T20:23:58Z")
Until this thread, I had no concept there were people who thought ketchup on a hotdog was only for kids. I’ve always eaten them that way, although at some point in adulthood, I started putting mayo on in addition to the ketchup. So I guess that means I can horrify some of you on two fronts. 🆒 I don’t eat a lot of hotdogs. The thought of what’s in them keeps me away most of the time. Every couple of years, though, I’ll suddenly crave them and buy a package or two. I usually eat bratwurst when I grill out–which I just finished doing. Yup, ketchup and mayo on the brat as well. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331/100 "2008-07-06T22:16:37Z")
Mustard, chili, slaw, and onions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-hot-dog-debate/455331.md?page=6)