Food
It’s debatable whether or not a “New England” or “Massachusetts-style” hot dog is a thing, but there are some rules to follow in crafting the perfect version of this summer favorite.
A hot dog is a versatile food, one that can be customized to an individual’s surroundings and preference.
You can keep it “naked” to avoid messy condiments. Add toppings galore for a creatively personalized version of this backyard BBQ food.
Or you could follow the recipe of the several regional identities the hot dog has taken on since it found its home in the U.S., by way of European immigrants in the late 1800s. There are hot dog styles in just about every corner of the country, from Seattle to Chicago and Atlanta to New York.
But what about New England or Massachusetts? While data may point to us being big-time hot dog consumers — just ask the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council — we’re not known to have our own style of hot dog.
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There are key ingredients, however, that you’re likely to find in a hot dog served in Massachusetts.
We asked some “hot dog experts” — those who work in kitchens, restaurants, and bars in Boston — what makes a New England-style hot dog. And if there isn’t such a thing, how do they prefer a perfect, simple hot dog?
Hot dog meat
Anyone who’s ever been to Fenway Park has probably ordered a Fenway Frank — after all, the ballpark sells about 7,500 hot dogs, give or take, per home game, according to Fenway Park senior executive chef Ronald Abell.
Fenway has been using the Kayem all-beef wieners since 2009, and the Chelsea-based brand is also sold in grocery stores and other restaurants. Sullivan’s Castle Island in South Boston also uses Kayem, but a beef-pork mix.
“People love it,” Abell said. “They’ve been here forever.”
Chris Campbell, owner of Troquet on South, is skeptical about the idea of a “Massachusetts-style hot dog,” but if there is one, it’s probably the Fenway Frank.
He likes it as much as he likes Pearl hot dogs, another Massachusetts-based brand of all-beef hot dogs. Pearl is also what they use at Troquet on South, the new home of the famous Speed Dog — a wiener topped with bean-less chili, onions, red relish, a sweet and hot mustard, and a hickory barbecue sauce that was served out of Ezra “Speed” Anderson’s famous hot dog wagon for decades.
You’ll also find Pearl hot dogs served at other restaurants, as well as Nathan’s Famous, which is what you’ll smell cooking on a roller while playing pool at the Silhouette Lounge.
General Manager Sarah Leib said Nathan’s is her favorite, and came to that conclusion while taste-testing hot dogs with friends that they would then serve at the Silhouette.
“We made hot dogs outside for an entire summer, trying different types of hot dogs,” Leib said. “That’s how we came to that decision by, I wouldn’t say error, but lots of trial.”
There are also other shops that make their own hot dogs, like Savenor’s Butcher & Market — Abell’s personal favorite — and even the Sausage Guy, the cart often seen outside of Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium.
What should — and shouldn’t — go on a hot dog?
Chicago and New York have their toppings that mark the identity of their beloved hot dogs. But does Massachusetts?
Every hot dog expert Boston.com spoke to said a combination of these three condiments are a must: mustard, chopped onions, and relish. A Boston magazine article from 2021 also found that Bay Staters often ate their hot dogs topped with mustard, chopped onions, and piccalilli, a veggie relish.
But it might be a stretch to say these toppings make for a regional hot dog style. They’re typically just what’s around, and Abell said that’s just the way you eat sausage and hot dogs.
“I think it’s kind of traditional,” Abell said.
Maybe one of the more controversial toppings is ketchup, though this isn’t just a Massachusetts opinion. Abell said it’s best to avoid, unless you’re a child, while the Sausage Guy owner David Littlefield said it’s OK on hot dogs, just not on sausage.
“It’s a crime at Fenway to put ketchup on a sausage,” Littlefield said.
Chris Lane, general manager at Sullivan’s Castle Island, defended the tomato condiment’s use, and said he uses on hot dogs from time to time. Many Sullivan’s customers use it, too.
“Some people are just loud,” Lane said. “It’s almost like half the people nowadays put ketchup on a hot dog.”
The regional bun
Possibly the only thing that could be considered “New England-style” with regard to the hot dog is the bun, aptly named the New England-style hot dog bun that’s also used for lobster rolls and fried clam rolls.
“The hot dog roll is what makes it [New England style],” Lane said.
Leib said it’s the superior bun, mostly because the buns are better at securing the hot dog and all its toppings.
These buns also aren’t typically used or easy to find elsewhere in the country. Growing up in Detroit, Campbell had never even seen the split-top buns.
“You had hot dog [buns] that were almost like hamburger rolls,” Campbell said.
The split-top bun is now what he prefers with a hot dog, though he doesn’t care if it’s griddled or buttered.
At Fenway, Abell said they just don’t have the time or space to griddle up split-top buns, but he said customers actually prefer a ballpark hot dog that way: a steamed hot dog wrapped up so that it warms and softens the bun itself.
For Littlefield, a great bread is critical to any good sandwich. When it comes to the hot dog, that means putting it between a toasted New England-style bun.
“If you have the ability to butter toast it, that’s a home run,” Littlefield said.
What ingredients make the perfect hot dog?
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