Hot Dogs - An Uneventful Tale

Relax into the surprisingly uneventful tale of hot dogs, from old-world sausages to ballpark staples. A sleep-friendly stroll through culinary trivia is perfect for bedtime stories, relaxation, and mild curiosity before dozing off.

Transcript

Welcome to the I Can't Sleep podcast,

Where I bore you to sleep with my soothing voice,

One fact at a time.

I'm your host,

Benjamin Boster.

Thanks for joining me tonight.

I hope you're tucked in,

Cozy,

And ready to drift off.

Tonight's episode is a fun one.

We're diving into the surprisingly long and winding history of hot dogs.

This episode was generously sponsored by Marla Malaspina.

Thank you,

Marla,

Again for supporting the podcast.

A hot dog is a dish consisting of a grilled,

Steamed,

Or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun.

The term hot dog can refer to the sausage itself.

The sausage used is a Wiener,

From Vienna,

Like a Vienna sausage,

Or a Frankfurter,

Like Frankfurter Würsten,

Also just called Frank.

The names of these sausages commonly refer to their assembled dish.

Hot dog preparation and condiments vary worldwide.

Common condiments include mustard,

Ketchup,

Relish,

Onions in tomato sauce,

And cheese sauce.

Other toppings include sauerkraut,

Diced onions,

Jalapenos,

Chili,

Grated cheese,

Coleslaw,

Bacon,

And olives.

Hot dog variants include the corn dog,

And pigs in a blanket.

These types of sausages were culturally imported from Germany,

And became popular in the United States.

It became a working class street food in the U.

S.

,

Sold at stands and carts.

The hot dog has become closely associated with baseball and American culture.

Although particularly connected with New York City and its cuisine,

The hot dog eventually became ubiquitous throughout the U.

S.

During the 20th century.

Its preparation varies regionally in the country,

Emerging as an important part of other regional cuisines,

Including Chicago street cuisine.

The word Frankfurter comes from Frankfurt,

Germany,

Where pork sausages similar to hot dogs originated.

These sausages,

Frankfurter Würsten,

Were known since the 13th century,

And given to the people on the event of imperial coronations,

Starting with the coronation of Maximilian II,

Holy Roman Emperor,

As king.

Johann Georg Lahner,

An 18th to 19th century butcher from the Franconian city of Coburg,

Is said to have brought the Frankfurter Würsten to Vienna,

Where he added beef to the mixture,

And simply called it Frankfurter.

Nowadays,

In German-speaking countries except Austria,

Hot dog sausages are called Wiener Würsten.

Würsten means little sausage,

To differentiate them from the original pork-only mixture from Frankfurt.

In Swiss German,

It is called Wienerle,

While in Austria the terms Frankfurter or Frankfurter Würstel are used.

It is not definitively known who started the practice of serving the sausage in the bun.

One of the strongest claims comes from Harry M.

Stevens,

Who was a food concessionaire.

The claim is that,

While working at the New York polo grounds in 1901,

He came upon the idea of using small French rolls to hold the sausages when the waxed paper they were using ran out.

A German immigrant named Feuchtwanger from Frankfurt in Hesse allegedly pioneered the practice in the American Midwest.

There are several versions of this story with varying details.

According to one account,

Feuchtwanger's wife proposed the use of a bun in 1880.

Feuchtwanger sold hot dogs in the streets of St.

Louis,

Missouri,

And provided gloves to his customers so that they could handle the sausages without burning their hands.

Losing money when customers did not return the gloves,

Feuchtwanger's wife suggested serving the sausages in a roll instead.

In another version,

Antoine Feuchtwanger,

Or Anton Ludwig Feuchtwanger,

Served sausages in rolls at the World's Fair,

Either at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St.

Louis,

Or earlier at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago,

Again allegedly because the white gloves provided to customers to protect their hands were being kept as souvenirs.

Another possible origin for serving the sausages in rolls is the pieman Charles Feltman at Coney Island in New York City.

In 1867,

He had a cart made with a stove on which to boil sausages,

And a compartment to keep buns in which they were served fresh.

In 1871,

He leased land to build a permanent restaurant.

And the business grew,

Selling far more than just the Coney Island Red Hots,

As they were known.

Common hot dog sausage ingredients include meat trimmings and fat,

Flavorings such as salt,

Garlic,

And paprika,

Preservatives,

Cure,

Typically sodium merithorbate,

And sodium nitride.

Pork and beef are the traditional meats used in hot dogs.

Less expensive hot dogs are often made from chicken or turkey,

Using low-cost,

Mechanically separated poultry.

Changes in meat technology and dietary preferences have led manufacturers to lower the salt content and use turkey,

Chicken,

And vegetarian meat substitutes.

Hot dogs are prepared commercially by mixing the ingredients,

Meats,

Spices,

Binders,

And fillers in vats where rapidly moving blades grind and mix the ingredients in the same operation.

A hot dog may be prepared and served in various ways.

Typically,

It is served in a hot dog bun with various condiments and toppings.

The sausage itself may be sliced and added without bread to other dishes.

There is an ongoing debate about whether a hot dog fully assembled in its bun with condiments fits the description of a sandwich.

Merriam-Webster has stated that a hot dog is indeed a sandwich.

In 2015,

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council,

N.

H.

D.

S.

C.

,

On the other hand,

Declared that a hot dog is not a sandwich.

Hot dog eating champions Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi agree with the N.

H.

D.

S.

C.

,

As does Nathan's Famous,

The host of a significant hot dog eating contest.

United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also weighed in on the matter,

Stating that a hot dog might be categorized as a sandwich,

But ultimately it comes down to the definition of a sandwich.

She went on to acknowledge that a hot dog bun is a single roll that is not sliced all the way through and,

In that way,

Is similar to a submarine sandwich.

In June 2022,

John Batiste stated that hot dogs were his favorite kind of sandwiches when he was given the Colbert questionnaire by Stephen Colbert.

Although hot dogs are cooked during manufacture,

It is still recommended that packaged hot dogs are heated to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit prior to consumption.

Most hot dogs are high in fat and salt and have preservatives sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate,

Which are contributors to nitrate-containing chemicals classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization,

Although this has been disputed.

These health concerns have resulted in manufacturers offering alternative product lines made from turkey and chicken and uncured low-sodium and all-natural franks.

Hot dogs are a traditional element of American food culture,

Having obtained significant cultural and patriotic status from their association with public events and sports.

Since the 1920s.

In the U.

S.

,

The term hot dog refers to both the sausage by itself and the combination of sausage and bun.

Annually,

Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs.

Stands and trucks sell boiled hot dogs at street and highway locations.

Wandering hot dog vendors sell their product in baseball parks.

At convenience stores,

Hot dogs are kept heated on rotating grills.

They are also common on restaurants' children's menus.

Fast-food restaurant chains typically do not carry hot dogs because of its shorter shelf life,

More complex toppings and cooking,

And mismatched consumer expectations.

There are also restaurants where hot dogs are a specialty.

Hot dogs are commonly served with one or more sauces.

In 2005,

The U.

S.

-based National Hot Dog and Sausage Council,

Part of the American Meat Institute,

Found mustard to be the most popular,

Preferred by 32% of respondents.

23% favored ketchup,

17% chili,

9% pickle relish,

And 7% onions.

Other toppings include sauerkraut,

Mayonnaise,

Lettuce,

Tomato,

Cheese,

And chili peppers.

Condiment preferences vary across the U.

S.

Southerners showed the strongest preference for chili,

While Midwesterners showed the greatest affinity for ketchup.

American hot dog variations often have misleading names.

They are commonly named for the geographical regions that allegedly inspired them,

Instead of the regions in which they are most popular.

For example,

Michigan hot dogs and White Hots are popular in upstate New York,

Whereas Coney Island hot dogs are popular in Michigan.

Sauteed bell peppers,

Onions,

And potatoes find their way into New Jersey's deep-fried Italian hot dog.

Texas hot dogs are spicy variants found in upstate New York and Pennsylvania,

And as all-the-way dogs in New Jersey,

But not Texas.

In the Philadelphia metro area,

Texas Tommy refers to a hot dog variant in which the frank is topped with melted cheese,

Often cheddar,

And wrapped in bacon.

In the Midwest,

The Chicago-style hot dog is served on a poppy seed bun,

And topped with mustard,

Fresh tomatoes,

Onions,

Port peppers,

Bright green relish,

Dill pickles,

And celery salt.

The New York dog,

Or New York-style hot dog,

Is a natural casein all-beef frank,

Topped with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard,

Onions optional.

Invented and popularized in New York City.

Some baseball parks have signature hot dogs,

Such as Dodger Dogs at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles,

And Fenway Franks at Fenway Park in Boston.

Washington,

D.

C.

Is home to the half-smoke,

A half-beef,

Half-pork sausage that is both grilled and smoked.

A half-smoke is often placed into a hot dog-style bun,

And topped with chili,

Cheese,

Onions,

And mustard,

Similar to a chili dog.

Among the famous half-smoke restaurants in the Washington area include Ben's Chili Bowl,

Which is a cultural landmark.

Skinner's Restaurant in Lockport,

Manitoba,

Is reputed to be Canada's oldest hot dog outlet in continuous operation.

Founded in 1929 by Jim Skinner Sr.

Hot dogs served at Skinner's are European-style foot-long hot dogs with natural casings,

Manufactured by Winnipeg Old Country Sausage in Winnipeg,

Manitoba.

In most of the world,

A hot dog is recognized as a sausage in a bun,

But the type varies considerably.

The name is often applied to something that would not be described as a hot dog in North America.

For example,

In New Zealand,

A hot dog is a battered sausage,

Often on a stick,

Which is known as a corn dog in North America.

An American hot dog is the version in a bun.

The world's longest hot dog had been 60 meters,

About 197 feet long,

And rested within a 60.

3 meter or 198 foot bun.

The hot dog was prepared by Shizuoka Meat Producers for the All Japan Bread Association,

Which baked the bun and coordinated the event,

Including official measurement for the world record.

The hot dog and bun were the center of a media event in celebration of the association's 50th anniversary on August 4,

2006,

At the Akasaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo.

On May 31,

2012,

Guinness World Records certified the world record for the most expensive hot dog at $145.

49.

The California Capital City Dog,

Served at Capital Dog in Sacramento,

California,

Features a grilled,

18-inch,

All-beef,

Natural-casing frank from Chicago,

Served on a fresh-baked herb and oil focaccia roll,

Spread with white truffle butter,

Then grilled.

It is topped with whole-grain mustard from France,

Garlic and herb mayonnaise,

Sautéed chopped shallots,

Organic mixed baby greens,

Maple syrup-marinated and fruitwood-smoked uncured bacon from New Hampshire,

Chopped tomato,

Mousse cheese from Sweden,

Sweden-dried cranberries,

Basil olive oil,

And pear cranberry coconut balsamic vinaigrette,

And ground peppercorn.

Proceeds from the sale of each 3-pound super dog were donated to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children.

Hot dogs are a popular food for eating competitions.

The record for hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes is 83 by Joey Chestnut at the Chestnut vs.

Kobayashi Unfinished Beef event on September 2,

2024.

The last person to hold the record before Chestnut was Takeru Kobayashi.

Competitive eater Miki Sudo holds the record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes by a female at 48.

5 hot dogs,

Also setting this record on July 4,

2020.

The last person to hold the record before Sudo was Sonia Thomas.

Now if you're craving a good hot dog,

This is a list of notable hot dog restaurants in different areas.

Art's Famous Chili Dog Stand,

Hot Dog Stand in Los Angeles,

California.

Byron's Bestoo Pilser,

Hot Dog Stand chain in Reykjavik,

Iceland.

LaBelle Province,

Fast Food restaurant chain in Quebec,

Canada.

Big Daddy's Restaurants,

U.

S.

Restaurant chain.

Carney's,

Restaurant in Los Angeles,

California.

Casper's,

Hot Dog restaurant chain based in the East Bay,

California.

Coney Islander,

Restaurant chain based in Tulsa,

Oklahoma.

Coney Island,

Type of American restaurant.

Coney Island Hot Dog Stand,

Hot Dog restaurant in Bailey,

Colorado.

Cozy Dog Drive-In,

Restaurant in Springfield,

Illinois.

Dickari Hot Dog,

Hot Dog restaurant in Montreal,

Quebec,

Canada.

Dixie Chili & Deli,

Restaurant chain in the U.

S.

State of Kentucky.

Dog & Suds,

American drive-in eatery chain.

Donny Vegas,

Restaurant in Portland,

Oregon.

Hesse's Original Hot Dog Shop,

Restaurant in Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania.

Fluke's,

Fast Food restaurant in Chicago region of Illinois.

Frank Salat,

Hot Dog restaurant in Portland,

Oregon.

Gene & Jude's,

Hot Dog Stand in River Grove,

Illinois.

Grey's Papaya,

Hot Dog restaurant chain in New York City.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs,

Restaurant in West Virginia.

Hot Dog on a Stick,

Fast Food franchise.

Hot Dugs,

Restaurant in Illinois.

James Coney Island,

American restaurant chain.

Jampa Dog,

Restaurant chain in British Columbia,

Canada.

Kat's Delicatessen,

Restaurant in Manhattan,

New York.

Le Fleur Restaurants,

Canadian chain of fast food restaurants.

Marathon Enterprises,

Inc.

Max's Bar & Grill,

Restaurant in Long Branch,

New Jersey.

Mel's Drive-In,

American restaurant chain.

Montreal Poolroom,

Restaurant in Montreal,

Quebec,

Canada.

Nathan's Famous,

Fast Food restaurant chain.

National Coney Island.

Needick's,

American chain of fast food restaurants.

New York Fries,

Canadian fast food restaurant chain.

Nick's Famous Coney Island,

Portland,

Oregon.

Olneyville,

New York System,

Restaurant in Providence,

Rhode Island.

Papaya King,

Restaurant in New York City.

Pink's Hot Dogs,

Hot Dog restaurant in Los Angeles.

Pulsavon,

Danish hot dog stands.

Portillo's Restaurants,

Chicago-based fast casual restaurant chain.

Rutt's Hut,

Restaurant in Clifton,

New Jersey.

Shopsies,

Jewish delicatessen restaurant chain in Canada.

Shorty's Lunch,

Restaurant in Washington,

Pennsylvania.

Skyline Chili,

Restaurant chain specializing in Cincinnati chili.

Sneaky Pete's,

Fast food chain.

Sonic Drive-In,

American fast food chain.

Stewart's Restaurants,

Fast food restaurants.

Super Dog,

Drive-In hot dog stand in Chicago.

Taylo the Pup,

Hot dog stand in Los Angeles,

California.

Ted's Hot Dogs,

American fast food chain.

Tony Paco's Cafe,

Hungarian hot dogs,

Toledo,

Ohio.

Valentine,

Canadian restaurant franchise chain.

Vienna Beef,

Hot dog brand.

Walkin' Dog,

Restaurant in Minneapolis.

Walter's Hot Dog Stand,

Historic commercial building in New York.

The Windmill,

Restaurant in New Jersey.

Yesterdog,

Grand Rapids hot dog restaurant.

Yoko's Hot Dogs,

Restaurant in Pennsylvania.

Zach's Shack,

Bar and Restaurant in Portland.

Zach's Hot Dogs,

Restaurant in Burlington,

North Carolina.

Let's learn a little bit about ketchup.

Ketchup,

Or catsup,

Is a table condiment with a sweet and sour flavor.

Ketchup now typically refers to tomato ketchup,

Although early recipes for different varieties contained mushrooms,

Oysters,

Mussels,

Egg whites,

Grapes,

Or walnuts,

Among other ingredients.

Tomato ketchup is made from tomatoes,

Sugar,

And vinegar,

With seasonings and spices.

The spices and flavors vary,

But commonly include onions,

Allspice,

Coriander,

Cloves,

Cumin,

Garlic,

Mustard,

And sometimes include celery,

Cinnamon,

Or ginger.

The market leader in the United States,

Which has 60% market share,

And the United Kingdom,

82%,

Is Heinz tomato ketchup.

Tomato ketchup is often used as a condiment for dishes that are usually served hot,

And are fried or greasy,

Like french fries and other potato dishes,

Hamburgers,

Hot dogs,

Chicken tenders,

Hot sandwiches,

Meat pies,

Cooked eggs,

And grilled or fried meat.

Ketchup is sometimes used as the basis for or as one ingredient in other sauces and dressings,

And the flavor may be replicated as an additive flavoring for snacks,

Such as potato chips.

Can you guess which year the term ketchup first appeared?

1682.

Recipes for many types of ketchup began to appear in British and then American cookbooks in the 18th century.

In the United Kingdom,

Ketchup was historically prepared with mushrooms as a primary ingredient,

Rather than tomatoes.

In the United States,

Mushroom ketchup dates back to at least 1770,

And was prepared by British colonists in the Thirteen Colonies.

James Meese published the first known tomato ketchup recipe in 1812.

An early recipe for tomato ketchup from 1817 includes anchovies.

1.

Gather a gallon of fine,

Red,

And full-ripe tomatoes.

Mash them with one pound of salt.

2.

Let them rest for three days.

Press off the juice,

And to each quart add a quarter of a pound of anchovies,

Two ounces of shallots,

And an ounce of ground black pepper.

3.

Boil up together for half an hour,

Strain through a sieve,

And put to it the following spices.

A quarter of an ounce of mace,

The same of allspice and ginger,

Half an ounce of nutmeg,

A dram of coriander seed,

And half a dram of cochineal.

4.

Pound all together.

Let them simmer gently for twenty minutes,

And strain through a bag.

When cold,

Bottle it,

Adding to each bottle a wine glass of brandy.

It will keep for seven years.

In 1824,

A ketchup recipe using tomatoes appeared in The Virginia Housewife,

An influential 19th century cookbook written by Mary Randolph,

Thomas Jefferson's cousin.

Tomato ketchup was sold locally by farmers.

Jonas Yerkes is credited as the first American to sell it in a bottle.

By 1837,

He had produced and distributed the condiment nationally.

By the mid-1850s,

Anchovies no longer featured as an ingredient.

Shortly thereafter,

Other companies followed suit.

F and J Heinz launched their tomato ketchup in 1876.

American cooks also began to sweeten ketchup in the 19th century.

The Webster's Dictionary of 1913 defined ketchup as table sauce made from mushrooms,

Tomatoes,

Walnuts,

Etc.

Also written as ketchup.

As the century progressed,

Tomato ketchup began its ascent in popularity in the United States.

Tomato ketchup was popular long before fresh tomatoes were.

People were less hesitant to eat tomatoes as part of a highly processed product that had been cooked and infused with vinegar and spices.

Heinz tomato ketchup was advertised blessed relief for mother and the other women in the household.

A slogan which alluded to the lengthy process required to produce tomato ketchup in the home.

With industrial ketchup production and a need for better preservation,

There was a great increase of sugar in ketchup leading to the typically sweet and sour formula of today.

In Australia,

It was not until the late 19th century that sugar was added to tomato sauce,

Initially in small quantities.

But today,

It contains just as much as American ketchup and only differed in the proportions of tomatoes,

Salt,

And vinegar in early recipes.

While ketchup and tomato sauce are both sold in Australia,

American ketchup is sweeter and thicker whereas Australian tomato sauce is more sour and runny.

Modern ketchup emerged in the early years of the 20th century out of a debate over the use of sodium benzoate as a preservative in condiments.

Harvey W.

Wiley,

The father of the U.

S.

Food,

And drug administration,

Challenged the safety of benzoate which was banned in the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act.

In response,

Entrepreneurs,

Including Henry J.

Hines,

Pursued an alternative recipe that eliminated the need for that preservative.

Catherine Bidding,

A bacteriologist working for the U.

S.

Department of Agriculture,

Carried out research in 1909 that proved increasing the sugar and vinegar content of the product would prevent spoilage without use of artificial preservatives.

She was assisted by her husband,

Arville Bidding,

An official at the agency.

Prior to Hines and his fellow innovators,

Commercial tomato ketchups of that time were watery and thin,

In part because they used unripe tomatoes,

Which were low in pectin.

They had less vinegar than modern ketchups.

By pickling ripe tomatoes,

The need for benzoate was eliminated without spoilage or degradation of flavor.

But the changes driven by the desire to eliminate benzoate also produced changes that some experts,

Such as Andrew F.

Smith,

Believed were key to the establishment of tomato ketchup as the dominant American condiment.

Reviews

Loved it

I fell asleep 💤 straight away

I had a dream 🛌 about hotdogs and I woke up late and had a hotdog for breakfast but then my mum said that I was in trouble because I had a hotdog for breakfast and I was late for school 😅😬🥶

Keep releasing the amazing meds

Thank you for all your hard work

P.S. do you take breaks or do you read it in one go
My voice gets croaky after about 15 minutes of reading out loud
I would also get tired 😴

Thanks again

Harvey 😀😁

I dreamt i was looking for my hotdog costume to go on stage in a Broadway show! 😅 I slept so good. Thanks, Benjamin!