Hot Dog (New York Style)
intro
Iconic New York City street-cart hot dog with snappy natural-casing beef franks, soft steamed buns, tangy mustard, sauerkraut, and signature sweet onion sauce.
Ingredients
Steps
Make sweet onion sauce
Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (150°C/300°F). Add the 150g thinly sliced yellow onion, sauté for 8 minutes until soft and translucent, taking care not to brown the edges. Stir in 2 tablespoons (32g) tomato paste, 1 tablespoon (12g) light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon (0.5g) ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar, and 1/2 cup (120ml) water. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens to a loose, relish-like consistency, then set aside off heat. Cook franks while the sauce simmers to save total prep time.
Cook beef franks
Pour 2 cups (480ml) of water into a large deep skillet, bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat (160°C/325°F). Add the 4 natural-casing all-beef franks to the shallow water, cooking for 6 minutes and turning every 90 seconds with tongs, until casings are plump, snappy, and franks reach an internal temperature of 71°C/160°F. Do not bring water to a rolling boil, as high heat will split the casings and make the meat rubbery.
Steam the soft buns
Use tongs to transfer cooked franks to a clean plate, then reduce stovetop heat to low (135°C/275°F). Set a wire cooling rack over the remaining hot water in the skillet, arrange the 4 white potato hot dog buns on the rack in a single layer, split side up. Cover the skillet tightly with a lid, and steam buns for 2 minutes until soft, pillowy, and warm all the way through, with no crisp or toasted edges.
Nestle franks in buns
Remove steamed buns from the rack one at a time, tucking one cooked beef frank into each bun, adjusting so the frank runs the full length of the bun with minimal overhang for a classic street-cart fit. Hold each assembled base at a 45-degree angle to make topping application neater with less spillage.
Layer classic toppings
Zig-zag 1 tablespoon (15ml) of yellow mustard down the full length of each frank, then top each with 1/4 cup (35g) of well-drained sauerkraut spread evenly over the mustard, followed by 2 tablespoons (30g) of the warm sweet onion sauce. Do not press down on the toppings, as this will crush the soft bun and make it soggy faster.
Serve street-cart style
Wrap each assembled hot dog loosely in a 30x30cm (12x12 inch) square of plain wax paper, just like NYC sidewalk vendors, and serve immediately within 2 minutes of assembly. Offer extra yellow mustard on the side for guests who prefer a more tangy bite.
Tips
2.Drain sauerkraut thoroughly before topping; excess brine will quickly soak through the soft steamed bun and turn it soggy before you can serve it.
3.Avoid rapid boiling when cooking franks; high heat will split the natural casings, let flavorful juices escape, and leave the meat with a rubbery, tough texture.
OMG this tastes exactly like the street carts I grew up grabbing after high school! I was worried I’d never get that perfect snap and the right onion sauce balance out here in Chicago, but this recipe nailed it. 20 minute cook time is perfect for quick weeknight dinners too!
Made these for my son’s post-little league team dinner last night and the kids went WILD! I set up a little topping bar with sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard, and that famous onion relish the recipe mentions, and even the other parents were asking for the recipe. SO good, total game changer for busy nights.
Tried this in my dorm room using a tiny electric griddle and it slapped way harder than the sad dining hall hot dogs. Only thing I added was a little drizzle of cheese whiz, no regrets. Super easy even for someone who burns toast half the time lmao
I’ve been chasing that perfect Coney Island dog flavor since I moved to Florida 10 years ago. This is the closest I’ve ever gotten! The trick of toasting the bun in the leftover dog grease? *Chef’s kiss* No more sad grocery store hot dog nights for me.
Added these to my weekly meal prep rotation! They reheat so well, and I love that I can customize toppings for each day of the week. I was worried they’d get soggy, but keeping the toppings separate works perfectly. Way better than grabbing takeout for lunch every day.
Threw these on the charcoal grill last weekend for our cookout instead of my usual brats, and everyone was raving. The natural casing gives such a better texture than the cheap skinless franks I used to buy. Will be making these all summer long.
This was the first recipe I’ve ever made all by myself for my family’s Sunday dinner and everyone loved it! I was so nervous I’d mess it up, but the instructions were so simple and easy to follow. Even my picky little sister ate two whole dogs!