“BASEBALL, HOT DOGS, apple pie, and Chevrolet” was the chorus to an earworm TV ad from the 1970s touting quintessential symbols of American culture. And while our definitions of Americana may have expanded over the years, hot dogs’ iconic status remains intact; they’re affordable, convenient, and universally appealing, equally at home at a backyard barbecue as on a street corner in any city.
Hot dogs evolved from sausages brought to the United States by European immigrants in the late 1800s. In particular, frankfurters (pork sausages from Frankfurt, Germany) and wieners (German pork-and-beef sausages styled after those in Vienna) laid the foundation for modern dogs, which are typically made from beef or a blend of beef, pork, poultry, and/or veal. Whatever the meat, it’s finely pulverized (so much so that it resembles a batter or emulsion), flavored with curing salt and seasonings (often garlic, pepper, coriander, and/or warm spices like nutmeg), stuffed into casings, fully cooked, and lightly smoked. The casings were originally made from sheep or pig intestines, but now cellulose casings are usually used during manufacturing and removed before packaging, creating the “skinless” dogs commonly available.
Hot dogs gained popularity in American cuisine primarily through street carts in the early 1900s (the same way they’re
