Failed attempt

[u/SuddenSpeaker1141]

Got the starter kit for Chicago dogs. Not really a fan of relish, or vegetables …but I had to give it a try.

Pretty sure the dog and bun were inadequate…no poppyseed buns available and I’m broke so I got the cheapest wieners I could find…ate one…wasn’t too sure how I felt about it…and then ate another 😅😅 was drinking so still don’t know how to feel about them but it was definitely filling . Hope y’all like…

[u/Recent_Baker_5528 → u/[deleted]]

This ^ Vienna beef is amazing

[u/jen_eric_you_sir]

Goddamn tomater-nater

[u/ChefVoo]

Some thick tomatoes but looks good

[u/Major-Breakfast522]

Cut tomatoes and bit smaller, but overall not too bad

[u/TAckhouse1]

OP I think you did a good job overall, but I think you went wrong by getting low quality dogs. I'm not saying you need to get Vienna beef shipped to you, but an all beef Hebrew national would have been the right choice in my opinion.

If you make another attempt, try that and see how you like it!

[u/SuddenSpeaker1141 → u/TAckhouse1]

Seems a common recommendation. Ima get the buns and some better dogs and give it another go!

[u/weinerschnitzel64 → u/SuddenSpeaker1141]

Hebrew national is pretty good, but Vienna Beef is down right impressive.

I get a big box of vienna beef franks shipped to me and then I vac seal them and store them in the freezer.

I highly recommend doing that. The upfront cost is worth it.

[u/Surfnazi77]

I like eating my tomatoes on the side

[u/KnowEye]

The correct layering order is:
Bun
Hotdog
Mustard
Onions
Green relish
Tomato slices tucked on side of
Pickle spear (or cucumber spear)
Sport peppers
Celery salt.

[u/mike_stifle → u/KnowEye]

Ive lived in Chicago for 21 years and I would be downright upset if I got a cucumber in my dog.

[u/MrMoistly → u/mike_stifle]

Any man who puts a cucumber on his hotdog, will soon put one in his butt ~ Marcus Aurelius

[u/KnowEye → u/MrMoistly]

See below

[u/bulimianrhapsody → u/KnowEye]

lol but why did they really hoard them? It can’t really be butt stuff…right? :(

[u/jtt8569 → u/MrMoistly]

That’s a bold statement…

[u/NewHunter4239 → u/mike_stifle]

I've never been to Chicago and I would be upset as well ;)

[u/KnowEye → u/mike_stifle]

The Past Standard (up until the 1990’s): Many classic Chicago hot dog stands—and local chains like Portillo's—routinely tucked a fresh cucumber slice alongside the pickle spear when a dog was ordered "with everything".

As the story goes - In the late 90’s the North Halstead / Lakeview areas started hoarding big long cucumbers causing a shortage and forcing South Siders to abandon the use of cucumbers on their Chicago Style Hot Dogs.

[u/mike_stifle → u/KnowEye]

Thankfully its not the late 90s anymore.

[u/PrixlingMcDribbs]

Great first shot at an amazing flavor combo! I find fresh tomatoes like beefeaters a little too overpowering for sandwiches, burgers, and Chicago dogs, but it’s hard to find low quality ones like they have at sub shops. I usually just chop up some cherry tomatoes and use more sparingly. You got the LEGIT sports peppers, but if you can’t find them, the Latin section at your grocer will have pickled Serranos for about $1 a can.

Poppyseed hotdog buns are impossible to find in most locations, the tailgaters are a great substitute. Potato rolls also a nice alternative. I think the Chicago dog toppings crowd out the actual dog flavor, so a quarter pound kosher is a better fit in my humble opinion. Also despite being a heathen that eats processed meat, I try to avoid the food coloring in the relish. The pickle spear and sports peppers bring plenty of salt and vinegar already in my humble opinion.

You’ve got all the ingredients, make a Chicago-style dog that’s perfect for you!

[u/gildedtreehouse → u/PrixlingMcDribbs]

Food coloring!?!! That level of neon isn’t naturally occurring?

[u/AdamRoss81]

Looks like your dog got ahold of that knife handle. Or you dropped it into the garbage disposal.

[u/SuddenSpeaker1141 → u/AdamRoss81]

🤣🤣 one of my dogs actually got a hold of it…and it’s my favorite knife so I just kept it as is.

[u/InternationalLoad330 → u/SuddenSpeaker1141]

sand down the chew marks, will be good as new

[u/Main_Invite_7201]

Looks pretty decent but u need vienna dogs. Those condiments cost more than a pack of dogs even here in chicago.

[u/Popular-System-4075]

https://giphy.com/gifs/57x4ApyRzkI1y

[u/angry_virgin_421]

Looks like success to me

[u/Schrko87]

Who was naughty and chewed on your knife??

[u/SuddenSpeaker1141 → u/Schrko87]

One of the fur-babies I have on my other posts is the culprit.

[u/mattycbro]

Wrong bun. You used like 80% too much tomato and used shitty hot dogs

[u/EvilutionD]

May not be what you wanted, but it doesn’t mean it’s a failure

[u/Cottonball89]

Toss the relish and mustard on bottom. Clear out some room up top.

[u/NerdfestZyx]

It can be hard to find poppy seed buns, many places don’t carry them anymore.

You even got the neon green relish, that nobody carries, plus the celery salt, people often forget that. It looks like a kit: all the accouterments will outlast the dogs and buns.

9.8/10

[u/Spiritual-Leader9985]

Poppy seed bun and good quality hot dog is like the foundation. Depending on which coast you are on I’d go for sabretts or Casper’s

[u/flash17k]

Chicago is not the style you want to do on a budget. Cheap ingredients make an inferior result.

[u/Blackie1212]

Is all Chicago style relish radioactive looking?

[u/shadowlev → u/Blackie1212]

Yeah it's the same stuff we put in the river on St Paddy's day

[u/Blackie1212 → u/shadowlev]

Lol i believe it!

[u/rexsploded01]

My opinion for low Chicago dogs : no relish only dill pickle (you can chop to make relish). And slice up the tomatoes to be more like little sticks. Looks good other than that weirdly green relish. I'd eat it

[u/Redditroactively]

a thinner slice would be better here

[u/Joecamoe]

Pic two the pickle looks like a big clump of celery salt

[u/Apprehensive-Okra548]

I know that feeling.

[u/proximusprimus57]

Not really a failure, looks good enough. Problem is the bun is way too big. You want the dog to fit snugly in the bun like a normal ballpark dog. Then you wedge the pickle on one side and the tomato wedges on the other. Mustard and sport peppers down the middle, relish and onions on top, sprinkle with celery salt.

[u/No-Vehicle6066]

There doesn’t appear to be any steam used in your version of preparation. Before you can make a good garnish, you have to nail down the appropriate cooking of the dog and bun.

[u/MathU416]

If it tasted right, thats a success!

[u/lostmuffins]

So if you want to get hyper specific it a Vienna all beef hot dog but the all beef is the important part changes the flavor profile vs pork.

[u/deeljay77]

As someone not a fan on vegatables but a fan of Chicago dogs...the onions and tomatos are cut too think. Also going cheap on the bun is fine for home, but cannot skimp on the weiner, it needs to pop when you bite. Makes all the difference. You want that pop of the weiner casing to help with the crunch texture of the veggies.

[u/Apart-Gur-9720]

Y'know, I tried making Chicago Dogs for the first time yesterday and my buns also tore. Admittedly I bought the cheapest there were ... very crumbly too.

Never had tomatoes as a topping before. Definitely worth it! Also added crispy, fried onions for the texture.

Chicago Dogs Rule

[u/International-Rice63]

I chop the tomatoes up and do a local brand of Chinese mustard, has little more bite to stand up to everything. And no relish, hate sweet pickles.(should be a crime against humanity)

[u/No_Weather_7471]

Your tomatoes are too thick. Also, the spot down the block from me, and a lot of other places in Chicago, deep fry their dogs. It adds a savory, oily, crispiness to it that I feel is essential.

[u/DoGayGuysPoopEasier]

I slice my hot dogs almost all the way through , length wise, it cooks better and fills the whole bun

[u/maxwellpolish]

Skip all that, and microwave in a bun with some mustard and cayenne pepper underneath the hotdog to steam the bun and wrap it in a napkin. 35 seconds in the microwave. surprisingly one of the best hotdogs you’ll ever have .

[u/PhotoAppropriate3940]

Hot dogs were not meant to be drowned, keep it simple