Hot Dog vs Sausage vs Red Hot: Unraveling the Savory Secrets of Chicago Style Street Carts

Chicago, the Windy City, is renowned for its rich culinary scene, particularly its street food. Among the city’s most popular street foods are hot dogs, sausages, and red hots. While these three items may seem similar, they each have unique characteristics that set them apart. Let’s delve into the savory secrets of these Chicago-style street cart favorites and explore their differences in terms of ingredients, preparation, and presentation.

Hot Dog: The Classic Chicago-Style Delight

A hot dog, also known as a frankfurter or wiener, is a cooked sausage that is traditionally made from ground meat, usually pork, beef, or chicken, and flavored with spices. The meat mixture is then encased in a thin skin and cooked. In Chicago, hot dogs are typically served in a poppy seed bun and topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. This is famously known as “dragged through the garden” due to the many toppings.

Sausage: A Hearty Street Food Staple

Sausages, on the other hand, come in a wider variety. They can be made from different types of meat, including pork, beef, chicken, and even exotic meats. The meat is often mixed with fat, flavorings, and sometimes fillers, then stuffed into a casing and cooked. In Chicago street carts, the most common type of sausage served is the Italian sausage, which is typically made from pork and flavored with fennel or anise. It’s often served on a roll with grilled onions and peppers.

Red Hot: The Spicy Chicago-Style Treat

Red hots, also known as red hot Chicago-style dogs, are a type of hot dog that is spicier and more heavily seasoned than the classic hot dog. The term “red hot” refers to the spicy heat of the sausage. Red hots are typically made from beef and are dyed red or smoked to achieve a deep red color. They are usually served in a bun with the same toppings as a classic Chicago-style hot dog.

Preparation and Presentation

While hot dogs, sausages, and red hots all start with a base of ground meat, the preparation and presentation of these street foods can vary greatly. Hot dogs and red hots are typically boiled or steamed, while sausages are often grilled or pan-fried. The toppings also differ, with hot dogs and red hots featuring a colorful array of condiments and sausages often served with a simpler topping of onions and peppers. Regardless of these differences, all three are beloved staples of Chicago’s street food scene, each offering a unique and delicious taste of the city’s culinary culture.