New York Hot Dog
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This New York Hot Dog recipe gives you a taste of the big apple without the need to leave your home! A classic street food staple, loaded with tangy sauerkraut, spicy mustard, and savory onions, brings the iconic flavors of NYC right to your kitchen. Get ready to enjoy a true New York hot dog experience, no matter where you are!
These hot dogs are so good all on their own, but you can make it a meal by serving with a side of broccoli salad, homemade pickles, or my famous pasta salad!
Why You’ll Love This Hot Dog NY Style
- Authentic Taste: Enjoy the iconic flavors of a New York street food staple without having to travel to the city.
- Nostalgia: Recreate a favorite food experience from a trip to New York, bringing back fond memories.
- Impress Guests: Serve an iconic and beloved dish that’s sure to impress friends and family at any gathering.
I love New York City. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know that I’ve already been there twice this year and plan at least one more trip. The bustle of the city is addicting and the food is even better.
While I’ve only ever eaten a true New York street cart hot dog once in my life, I’m a smidge nervous to do that again, it was incredible. A New York-style hot dog offers a combination of savory, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors and all of that magic starts with an all-beef hot dog. Top that with a blend of crunchy sauerkraut, spicy mustard, and a homemade onion sauce that sends this over the top. This recipe will take you right to the streets of New York without the need to leave your home.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Turns out the ingredient list is fairly basic. Here is what you will need to get started:
- Onion Sauce: Can you buy this (affiliate)? Technically yes. However, it’s super simple to make it on your own! I included the recipe below.
- Spicy Brown Mustard: Traditionally you’ll use a spicy brown mustard. This type of mustard adds a bit of heat and tanginess, complementing the savory flavors of the hot dog and other toppings like onion sauce and sauerkraut.
- Sauerkraut: It provides a sharp, tangy taste that contrasts beautifully with the savory hot dog and other toppings.
- Hot Dogs: All-beef hot dogs, like Nathans, are the best. If you want to be truly authentic you’ll need to boil them. I prefer a grilled hot dog.
Hot Dog Onion Sauce
One of the main things that make this a hot dogs New York style is the onion sauce. Onion sauce on a New York hot dog is a tangy and slightly sweet condiment made from sautéed onions simmered in a tomato-based sauce. It’s a staple in New York City hot dog stands which is perfect for giving you a more authentic flavor.
- Onion: The best onion for a hot dog onion sauce is a yellow onion. They caramelize well and develop a nice depth of flavor when cooked, which complements the other ingredients typically found in a hot dog onion sauce.
- Ketchup: It adds sweetness and a mild tanginess, balancing the savory flavors of the onions. It also gives the sauce a richer, reddish color and helps thicken it for better consistency.
- Salt and Cinnamon: The slight sweetness and aromatic quality of cinnamon can balance the acidity and enrich the overall taste, making the onion sauce more interesting and layered. Don’t skip it.
New York Hot Dog Recipe
- Grill the Hot Dogs: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the all-beef hot dogs on the preheated grill. Grill for about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are evenly charred and heated through.
- Prepare the Buns: While the hot dogs are grilling, lightly steam the poppy seed buns. You can do this by placing them in a steamer basket over boiling water for about 1-2 minutes or by microwaving them wrapped in a damp paper towel for about 10-15 seconds.
- Assemble the Hot Dogs: Place each grilled hot dog in a steamed poppy seed bun. Squeeze a line of spicy brown mustard along one side of the hot dog. Place a generous spoonful of sauerkraut on top of the hot dog. Spoon the prepared onion sauce over the sauerkraut and hot dog.
- Serve: Serve the New York-style hot dogs immediately while they’re hot and enjoy!
Helpful Tools
These tools will help streamline the preparation and cooking process, ensuring your onion sauce turns out perfectly.
- Cutting Board: (affiliate) A sturdy surface for chopping onions and other ingredients.
- Chef’s Knife: (affiliate) A sharp knife for finely chopping the onions.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups: (affiliate) For accurately measuring ketchup, spices, and other ingredients.
- Large Skillet or Saucepan: (affiliate) For cooking the onion sauce evenly.
- Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula: (affiliate) For stirring the sauce as it cooks, ensuring it doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Mixing Bowls: (affiliate) Useful for pre-mixing ingredients like ketchup and spices before adding them to the skillet.
Expert Recipe Tips:
- High-Quality Ingredients: Use high-quality all-beef hot dogs and fresh poppy seed buns for the best flavor and texture.
- Grill Marks: For beautiful grill marks, ensure your grill is preheated properly and avoid moving the hot dogs too frequently.
- Steam the Buns: Steaming the buns makes them soft and warm, enhancing the overall hot dog experience. If you don’t have a steamer, microwaving them wrapped in a damp paper towel works well.
- Warm Sauerkraut: Briefly heat the sauerkraut before adding it to the hot dog. Warm sauerkraut complements the hot dog better than cold.
- Balance the Toppings: Don’t overload the hot dog with too much of any single topping. The balance of spicy mustard, tangy sauerkraut, and sweet-savory onion sauce is key.
- Prepare in Advance: Make the onion sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Use high-quality, all-beef hot dogs for the best flavor and authentic experience. Vienna Beef, Nathan’s, and Hebrew National are popular choices.
While the classic New York-style hot dog has specific toppings, feel free to customize with your favorites, such as relish, pickles, or cheese.
Yes, you can make the onion sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat it gently on the stove before serving.
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New York Hot Dog
Ingredients
Onion Sauce
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 onion sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch cinnamon
Hot Dog
- 4 hot dog buns
- 4 all-beef hot dogs
- 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
- 4 tablespoons sauerkraut
Instructions
Onion Sauce
- In a large skillet or saucepan, add a small amount of oil and heat over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until they are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the ketchup, water, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and the flavors are well combined.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a bit more water to reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more salt or cinnamon to taste.
Hot Dog
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the all-beef hot dogs on the preheated grill. Grill for about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are evenly charred and heated through.
- While the hot dogs are grilling, lightly steam the poppy seed buns. You can do this by placing them in a steamer basket over boiling water for about 1-2 minutes or by microwaving them wrapped in a damp paper towel for about 10-15 seconds.
- Place each grilled hot dog in a steamed poppy seed bun.
- Squeeze a line of spicy brown mustard along one side of the hot dog.
- Place a generous spoonful of sauerkraut on top of the hot dog.
- the prepared onion sauce over the sauerkraut and hot dog.
- Serve the New York-style hot dogs immediately while they’re hot and enjoy!
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
As a frequent New York visitor this has become a staple in our summer menu