Chicago Style Hot Dog Recipe

Chop and slice

Finely chop 1/2 yellow onion and place in a small bowl. Cut the tomato into 4 thin wedges (each wedge should be long enough to rest along the length of a hot dog). Halve each dill pickle spear lengthwise. Drain sport peppers and set aside.

Measure out relish, mustard, celery salt and butter/oil so they are ready for assembly and finishing.

Bring 4 cups of water to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the hot dogs and simmer (not boil) for 4 to 6 minutes, until heated through. Remove with tongs and keep warm. (Alternative: steam or grill hot dogs if preferred — adjust cooking time accordingly.)

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter or oil. Split the poppy seed buns and place them cut-side down in the skillet. Toast for 30–60 seconds until lightly browned. Remove and keep warm.

Place a hot dog in each toasted poppy seed bun.

Apply a thin stripe of yellow mustard lengthwise directly on the hot dog.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon (approx. 0.25 cups total used across 4 dogs) of neon-green dill pickle relish over the mustard on each dog (about 1/2 tablespoon per dog).

Add a generous pinch (about 1 teaspoon total divided) of finely chopped yellow onion on top of the relish for each dog.

Place a tomato wedge along the side of each hot dog inside the bun so it rests between the dog and the bun.

Tuck one halved dill pickle spear lengthwise into each bun alongside the hot dog.

Lay one sport pepper on top or to the side of each dog.

Lightly sprinkle celery salt over each assembled dog (about 1/4 teaspoon per dog) and, if desired, a pinch of black pepper.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra celery salt and sport peppers at the table. Enjoy as a classic Chicago-style hot dog; do not add ketchup.