A Chicago-style hot dog, Chicago Dog, or Chicago Red Hot is an all-beeffrankfurter[1][3] on a poppy seed bun,[4][5] originating from the city of Chicago, Illinois.[6][7] The hot dog is topped with yellow mustard, chopped whiteonions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers (a variety of Capsicum annuum), and a dash of celery salt.[1][8] The complete assembly of a Chicago hot dog is said to be "dragged through the garden" due to the many toppings.[9] The method for cooking the hot dog itself varies depending on the vendor's preference. Most often they are steamed, water-simmered, or less often grilled over charcoal (in which case they are referred to as "char-dogs").
The canonical recipe[1] does not include ketchup, and there is a widely shared, strong opinion among many Chicagoans and aficionados that ketchup is unacceptable.[10] A number of Chicago hot dog vendors do not offer ketchup as a condiment.[11]
^Zeldes, Leah A (September 30, 2002). "How to Eat Like a Chicagoan". Chicago's Restaurant Guide. Archived from the original on October 1, 2002. Retrieved September 30, 2002.
Fodor's Chicago 2010. New York: Fodor's. 2009. p. 189. ISBN978-1-4000-0860-5. Retrieved February 18, 2010. Make sure to never add ketchup to your Chicago-style hot dog: a major no-no among hot dog aficionados.