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{{Short description|Sausage in a bun}}
{{Other uses|Hot dog (disambiguation)}}
{{protection padlock|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Hot dog
| image            = Hot dog with mustard.png
| caption          = A typical hot dog with [[American mustard]] as a [[condiment]]
| alternate_name   = Frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie, tube steak, sausage, banger, coney
| country          = {{plainlist|
*[[Germany]] (early version)
*[[United States]] (modern version)
}}
| region           = 
| type             = [[Fast food]], [[finger food]]
| served           = Hot
| main_ingredient  = Sausage made from pork, beef, chicken, turkey or combinations thereof and a bun
| minor_ingredient = {{plainlist|
*[[Ketchup]]
*[[Mustard (condiment)|Mustard]]
*[[Chili con carne]]
*Chopped vegetables
}}
| variations       = [[Hot dog variations|Multiple]]
| other            = 
}}

A '''hot dog'''<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Definition of 'hot dog' |encyclopedia=Collins English Dictionary |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hot-dog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210430044446/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hot-dog |archive-date=30 April 2021 |access-date=9 July 2025  |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=hot dog |encyclopedia=Cambridge English Dictionary |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hot-dog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190708141802/https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hot-dog |archive-date=8 July 2019 |access-date=9 July 2025 |language=en}}</ref> is a [[grilled]], [[steamed]], or [[boiling|boiled]] [[sausage]] served in the slit of a partially sliced [[Hot dog bun|bun]].<ref name="binghamton">{{cite news |url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964.pdf/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964%20d%20-%203669.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=ffffffffb04bc27f&DocId=867615&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT&HitCount=3&hits=eda+edb+edc+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf |newspaper=Binghamton (NY) Sunday Press |title=Anniversary of Hot Dog, Bun. |date=29 November 1964 |page=10D |access-date=17 June 2013 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618034934/https://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964.pdf/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964%20d%20-%203669.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=ffffffffb04bc27f&DocId=867615&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT&HitCount=3&hits=eda+edb+edc+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="latimes1">{{cite news |date=11 October 1925 |title=Hot Dogs Chain Store Basis |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=18}}</ref><ref name="zwilling">{{cite news |last=Zwilling |first=Leonard |date=27 September 1988 |title=Trail of Hot Dog Leads Back to 1880s |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/27/opinion/l-trail-of-hot-dog-leads-back-to-1880-s-531388.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621121114/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/27/opinion/l-trail-of-hot-dog-leads-back-to-1880-s-531388.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |access-date=17 June 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A34}}</ref> The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a '''wiener''' ([[Vienna sausage]]) or a '''frankfurter''' ([[Frankfurter Würstchen]], also just called '''frank'''). The names of these sausages commonly refer to their assembled dish.<ref name="lavin">{{cite news|newspaper=Chicago Tribune |title=Hot dog! 2 mustard moguls who relish their work. |date=24 September 1980 |first=Cheryl |last=Lavin |page=E1}}</ref> Hot dog preparation and condiments vary worldwide. Common [[condiments]] include [[mustard (condiment)|mustard]], [[ketchup]], [[relish]], onions in tomato sauce, and cheese sauce. Other toppings include [[sauerkraut]], diced [[onion]]s, [[jalapeño]]s, chili, grated [[cheese]], [[coleslaw]], [[bacon]] and [[olive]]s. [[Hot dog variations|Hot dog variants]] include the [[corn dog]] and [[pigs in a blanket]]. The hot dog's cultural traditions include the [[Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest]] and the [[Wienermobile|Oscar Mayer Wienermobile]].

These types of sausages were culturally imported from [[Germany]] and became popular in the United States. It became a [[working-class]] [[street food]] in the U.S., sold at [[Hot dog stand|stands]] and [[Hot dog cart|carts]]. The hot dog has become closely associated with [[baseball]] and [[American culture]]. Although particularly connected with [[Cuisine of New York City|New York City and its cuisine]], the hot dog eventually became ubiquitous throughout the US during the 20th century. Its preparation varies regionally in the country, emerging as an important part of other regional cuisines, including [[Chicago cuisine|Chicago street cuisine]].<ref name="hauck">{{cite book|last1=Hauck-Lawson|first1=Annie|last2=Deutsch|first2=Jonathan|title=Gastropolis: Food and New York City|date=2013|publisher=Columbia University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7yjunQcc-oC&q=hot+dogs+associated+with+nyc&pg=PA252|isbn=978-0-231-51006-6|access-date=2020-10-18|archive-date=2023-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703223843/https://books.google.com/books?id=N7yjunQcc-oC&q=hot+dogs+associated+with+nyc&pg=PA252|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="mercuri">{{cite book|last1=Mercuri|first1=Becky|title=The Great American Hot Dog Book: Recipes and Side Dishes from Across America|date=2007|publisher=Gibbs Smith|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yGm9T0ptJ1cC&q=new+york+chicago|isbn=978-1-4236-0022-0|access-date=2020-10-18|archive-date=2023-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703223844/https://books.google.com/books?id=yGm9T0ptJ1cC&q=new+york+chicago|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="kraig">{{cite book|last1=Kraig|first1=Bruce|last2=Carroll|first2=Patty|title=Man Bites Dog: Hot Dog Culture in America|publisher=AltaMira Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K83ai6cWO9IC&q=hot+dogs+associated+with+nyc|isbn=978-0-7591-2074-7|date=2012|access-date=2020-10-18|archive-date=2023-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703223844/https://books.google.com/books?id=K83ai6cWO9IC&q=hot+dogs+associated+with+nyc|url-status=live}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Coney Island Hot Dogs (1940).webm|thumb|left|A hot dog as served on [[Coney Island hot dog|Coney Island]] in 1940]]

The word ''frankfurter'' comes from [[Frankfurt]], Germany, where pork sausages similar to hot dogs originated.<ref>{{OEtymD|frankfurter|access-date=2009-10-17}}</ref> These sausages, ''[[Frankfurter Würstchen]]'', were known since the 13th century and given to the people on the event of imperial coronations, starting with the coronation of [[Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor]], as King. "Wiener" refers to [[Vienna|Vienna, Austria]] ({{langx|de|Wien}}), home to a sausage made of a mixture of pork and beef.<ref>{{OEtymD|wiener |access-date=2009-10-17}}</ref> Johann Georg Lahner, an 18th/19th century butcher from the [[Franconia]]n city of Coburg, is said to have brought the ''Frankfurter Würstchen'' to Vienna, where he added beef to the mixture and simply called it ''Frankfurter''.<ref>{{harvcolnb|Schmidt|2003|p=241}}</ref> Nowadays, in German-speaking countries, except Austria, hot dog sausages are called ''Wiener'' or ''[[Vienna Sausage|Wiener Würstchen]]'' (''Würstchen'' means "little sausage"), to differentiate them from the original pork-only mixture from [[Frankfurt]]. In [[Swiss German]], it is called ''Wienerli'', while in Austria the terms ''Frankfurter'' or ''Frankfurter Würstel'' are used.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}

[[File:Frankfurter stand LOC det.4a13502.jpg|thumb|right|Carts selling frankfurters in New York City, {{circa|1906|lk=no}}. The price is listed as "3 cents each or 2 for 5 cents".]]  It is not definitively known who started the practice of serving the sausage in the bun.  One of the strongest claims comes from [[Harry M. Stevens]] who was a food concessionaire.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2008 |title=Derby's claim to the hot dog |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/articles/2008/08/13/hot_dog_history_feature.shtml |access-date=June 8, 2022 |website=BBC |archive-date=June 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608172534/https://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/articles/2008/08/13/hot_dog_history_feature.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>  The claim is that, while working at the New York Polo Grounds in 1901, he came upon the idea of using small French rolls to hold the sausages when the waxed paper they were using ran out.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ringolsby |first=Tracy |date=March 18, 2017 |title=Q&A with great-great-grandson of hot dog inventor |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/q-a-with-harry-m-stevens-ancestor-c219792410 |access-date=June 8, 2022 |website=The Official Site of Major League Baseball |archive-date=July 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707235408/https://www.mlb.com/news/q-a-with-harry-m-stevens-ancestor-c219792410 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008 |title=Harry Stevens — The Hot Dog King from Niles, Ohio |url=https://nileshistoricalsociety.org/harry.htm |access-date=June 8, 2022 |website=Niles Historical Society |archive-date=September 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922104716/http://nileshistoricalsociety.org/harry.htm }}</ref>

A German immigrant named [[Feuchtwanger]], from [[Frankfurt]], in [[Hesse]], allegedly pioneered the practice in the American Midwest; there are several versions of the story with varying details. According to one account, Feuchtwanger's wife proposed the use of a bun in 1880: Feuchtwanger sold hot dogs on the streets of [[St. Louis, Missouri]], and provided gloves to his customers so that they could handle the sausages without burning their hands. Losing money when customers did not return the gloves, Feuchtwanger's wife suggested serving the sausages in a roll instead.<ref>{{cite web |author=KiteFly Web Design – kitefly.com |url=http://www.hotdogchicagostyle.com/history.php |title=Hot Dog History |publisher=Hotdogchicagostyle.com |access-date=2012-03-05 |archive-date=2010-12-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204012255/http://hotdogchicagostyle.com/history.php |url-status=live }}</ref> In another version, Antoine Feuchtwanger, or Anton Ludwig Feuchtwanger, served sausages in rolls at the World's Fair&nbsp;– either at the 1904 [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition]] in St. Louis,<ref>Allen, Beth; Westmoreland, Susan (ed.) (2004). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=coA1FiirGxUC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49 Good Housekeeping Great American Classics Cookbook] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118092702/https://books.google.com/books?id=coA1FiirGxUC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49 |date=2023-01-18 }}''. New York: Hearst Books. p.&nbsp;49.</ref><ref>Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2004). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=SJGNAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA968&lpg=PA968 Encyclopedia of Kitchen History]''. New York: Fitzroy Dearborn. p.&nbsp;968.</ref> or, earlier, at the 1893 [[World's Columbian Exposition]], in Chicago<ref>{{harvcolnb|McCullough|2000|p=240}}</ref>&nbsp;– again, allegedly because the white gloves provided to customers to protect their hands were being kept as souvenirs.<ref name="js">{{harvcolnb|Jakle|Sculle|1999|pp=163–164}}</ref>

Another possible origin for serving the sausages in rolls is the pieman [[Charles Feltman]], at [[Coney Island]] in New York City. In 1867 he had a cart made with a stove on which to boil sausages, and a compartment to keep buns in which they were served fresh. In 1871 he leased land to build a permanent restaurant, and the business grew, selling far more than just the "Coney Island Red Hots" as they were known.<ref>{{harvcolnb|McCullough|2000|pp=234–36}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westland.net/coneyisland/articles/food.htm|title=Coney Island History -Food & Dining|website=www.westland.net|access-date=2017-09-11|archive-date=2017-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218170521/http://www.westland.net/coneyisland/articles/food.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.coneyislandhistory.org/hall-of-fame/charles-feltman|title=Charles Feltman|date=2015-05-22|work=Coney Island History Project|access-date=2017-09-11|language=en|archive-date=2017-09-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911205025/http://www.coneyislandhistory.org/hall-of-fame/charles-feltman|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
[[File:Dog Factory (1904).ogv|thumb|right|''[[Dog Factory]]'', a short film by [[Thomas Edison]] poking fun at what went into hot dogs in 1904]]
[[File:Indoor Sports (January 8, 1916).jpg|right|thumb|[[Tad Dorgan]]'s ''Indoor Sports'' strip from January 8, 1916, using the term ''hot dog'']]

The term ''dog'' has been used as a synonym for sausage since the 1800s, possibly from accusations that sausage makers used [[dog meat]] in their sausages.<ref name=wilton>{{harvcolnb|Wilton|2004|pp=58–59}}</ref>

In Germany the consumption of dog meat was common in Saxony, Silesia, Anhalt, and Bavaria during the 19th and 20th centuries.<ref name="Geppert">{{cite journal |last1=Geppert |first1=P |title=[Dog slaughtering in Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries with special consideration of the Munich area]. |journal=Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift |date=1992-10-01 |volume=105 |issue=10 |pages=335–42 |pmid=1463437 |language=German |quote=German title, "Hundeschlachtungen in Deutschland im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Raums München"}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/06/23/106756317.pdf|title=Germany's dog meat market; Consumption of Canines and Horses Is on the Increase.|date=June 23, 1907|work=The New York Times|access-date=2008-01-20|archive-date=2020-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817142535/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/06/23/106756317.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3mZJAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP5 |title=Horse and Dog Meat as a Food in Germany |journal=Monthly Consular and Trade Reports |department=Notes |volume=64 |number=240–243 |date=September–December 1900 |publisher=United States Bureau of Manufactures, Bureau of Foreign Commerce, Dept. of Commerce; Bureau of Manufactures, Bureau of Foreign Commerce; Bureau of Statistics, Dept. of Commerce and Labor |page=133 |access-date=28 June 2023 |archive-date=18 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118092656/https://books.google.com/books?id=3mZJAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP5 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hot dogs occasionally contained it.<ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=hot+dog&searchmode=none "Hot Dog"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219003904/http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=hot+dog&searchmode=none |date=2012-02-19 }} at ''Online Etymology Dictionary''</ref>

An early use of the term ''hot dog'' in reference to the sausage-meat appears in the ''Evansville'' (Indiana) ''Daily Courier'' (September 14, 1884):

<blockquote>even the innocent 'wienerworst' man will be barred from dispensing hot dog on the street corner.<ref name="oedhotdog">{{Cite OED|term=hot dog|access-date=10 September 2017}}</ref></blockquote>

It was used to mean a sausage in casing in the ''Paterson'' (New Jersey) ''Daily Press'' (31 December 1892):

<blockquote>the 'hot dog' was quickly inserted in a gash in a roll.<ref name="oedhotdog" /></blockquote>

Subsequent uses include the ''New Brunswick Daily Times'' (New Jersey; May 20, 1893), the ''New York World'' (May 26, 1893), and the ''Knoxville Journal'' (September 28, 1893).<ref name="popik" />

According to one story, the use of the complete phrase ''hot dog'' (in reference to sausage) was coined by the newspaper cartoonist [[Thomas A. Dorgan|Thomas Aloysius "Tad" Dorgan]] around 1900 in a cartoon recording the sale of hot dogs during a [[New York Giants (baseball)|New York Giants]] baseball game at the [[Polo Grounds]].<ref name="popik" /> He may have used the term because he did not know how to spell "dachshund".<ref name="wilton" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allrecipes.com/article/hot-dogs-history/|title=How Did Hot Dogs Get Their Name?|website=Allrecipes|access-date=8 May 2023|archive-date=29 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429223013/https://www.allrecipes.com/article/hot-dogs-history/|url-status=live}}</ref> No copy of the apocryphal cartoon has ever been found.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/hotdog.asp | title=Hot Dog | website=Snopes | date=July 13, 2007 | access-date=2007-12-13 | archive-date=2023-07-03 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703223845/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/hot-dog/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Dorgan did use the term at other times; the earliest known example was in connection with a bicycle race at [[Madison Square Garden (1890)|Madison Square Garden]], appearing in ''[[New York Journal-American|The New York Evening Journal]]'' of December 12, 1906.<ref name="wilton" /><ref name="popik">"[http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/hot_dog_polo_grounds_myth_original_monograph/ Hot Dog (Polo Grounds myth & original monograph)] barrypopik.com {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608215101/http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/hot_dog_polo_grounds_myth_original_monograph/ |date=2011-06-08 }}"</ref>

== General description ==
{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2021}} 
[[File:Hotdogs.JPG|thumb|right|Grilled hot dogs]]

=== Ingredients ===
Common hot dog sausage ingredients include:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hot-dog.org/sausage-basics/sausage-glossary|title=Sausage Glossary &#124; NHDSC|website=www.hot-dog.org|access-date=2020-09-02|archive-date=2020-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901150637/http://hot-dog.org/sausage-basics/sausage-glossary}}</ref>
*Meat trimmings and fat
*Flavorings, such as salt, garlic, and [[paprika]]
*Preservatives (cure) – typically [[sodium erythorbate]] and sodium nitrite

Pork and beef are the traditional meats used in hot dogs. Less expensive hot dogs are often made from chicken or turkey, using low-cost [[mechanically separated poultry]]. Changes in meat technology and dietary preferences have led manufacturers to lower the salt content and use turkey, chicken, and vegetarian meat substitutes.

=== Commercial preparation ===
[[File:This Is Hormel (1964) hot dog segment.webm|thumb|Hormel hot dogs going into a smoker (1964)]]
Hot dogs are prepared commercially by mixing the ingredients (meats, spices, binders and fillers) in vats where rapidly moving blades grind and mix the ingredients in the same operation. This mixture is forced through tubes into casings for cooking. Most hot dogs sold in the US are "skinless" rather than "natural casing" sausages.

==== Natural casing ====
As with most sausages, hot dogs must be in a casing to be cooked. Traditional casing is made from the small intestines of sheep. The products are known as "natural casing" hot dogs or frankfurters.<ref name=levine>{{harvcolnb|Levine|2005}}:[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/dining/25dogs.html It's All in How the Dog Is Served] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830110301/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/dining/25dogs.html |date=2011-08-30 }}</ref> These hot dogs have firmer texture and a "snap" that releases juices and flavor when the product is bitten.<ref name=levine/>

[[Kosher foods|Kosher]] casings are expensive in commercial quantities in the US, so kosher hot dogs are usually skinless or made with reconstituted collagen casings.<ref name=levine/>

==== Skinless ====
"Skinless" hot dogs use a casing for cooking, but the casing may be a long tube of thin [[cellulose]] that is removed between cooking and packaging, a process invented in Chicago in 1925<ref name="zeldes">{{cite web | last = Zeldes | first = Leah A. | title = Know your wiener! | work = Dining Chicago | publisher = Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. | date = 2010-07-08 | url = http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/08/know-your-wiener/ | access-date = 2010-07-31 | archive-date = 2011-07-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110710093609/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/08/know-your-wiener/ }}</ref> by Erwin O. Freund, founder of [[Viskase|Visking]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Viskase: About Us |url=http://www.viskase.com/aboutus_history.aspx |publisher=Viskase Companies, Inc |access-date=19 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210062950/http://www.viskase.com/aboutus_history.aspx |archive-date=December 10, 2011 }}</ref>

The first skinless hot dog casings were produced by Freund's new company under the name "[[Viskase#Products|Nojax]]", short for "no jackets" and sold to local Chicago sausage makers.

Skinless hot dogs vary in surface texture, but have a softer "bite" than with natural casing.  Skinless hot dogs are more uniform in shape and size and cheaper to make than natural casing hot dogs.

=== Home consumption ===
Hot dogs may be prepared and served in various ways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/SEASONS/hotdogs.html |first=Stacy |last=Cooper |title=Hot Dogs, Get Your Hot Dogs: all about hot dogs, wieners, franks and sausages |publisher=Inmamaskitchen.com |access-date=2012-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309074822/http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/SEASONS/hotdogs.html |archive-date=March 9, 2012 }}</ref> They can be grilled, steamed, boiled, broiled, pan-fried, or cooked in an [[air fryer]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pittman |first=Ann Taylor |date=23 May 2024 |title=I Tried 8 Methods of Cooking Hot Dogs and Found an Absolute Winner (No Other Came Close) |url=https://www.thekitchn.com/skills-showdown-how-to-cook-hot-dogs-23659836 |website=[[The Kitchn]]}}</ref> Some home cooks cut their hot dogs into spirals before grilling or pan frying to increase the surface area, which allows for a better [[maillard reaction]], and also creates pockets to retain filling and lengthens the hot dog, which better fills a commercial bun.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cook |first=Liz |date=3 July 2024 |title=Should You Spiralize Your Hot Dogs and Sausages? We Tested to Find Out |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/should-you-spiral-cut-sausages-8673104 |access-date=2025-09-29 |website=[[Serious Eats]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gritzer |first=Daniel |last2=Bousel |first2=Joshua |date=24 April 2025 |title=Hot Dogs Are Sandwiches. No Further Questions. |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/best-grilled-hot-dogs-recipe |access-date=2025-09-29 |website=[[Serious Eats]] |language=en}}</ref>

Typically it is served in a hot dog bun with various condiments and toppings. The sausage itself may be sliced and added to other dishes such as [[Beanie weenie|beanie weinie]] or [[filipino spaghetti]].

<gallery class="center" caption="" widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:Spiral hot dogs.jpg|Spiral-sliced hot dogs
File:Hotdog (4739769948).jpg|Hot dog garnished with ketchup and onions
File:Allina Volunteer at National Night Out (229022095).jpg|Hot dogs being grilled outside
File:Hot Dog Toaster.jpg|Toaster for hot dog buns that grills hot dogs at the same time
</gallery>

===Sandwich debate===
There is an ongoing debate about whether a hot dog, fully assembled in its [[Hot dog bun|bun]] with [[condiment]]s, fits the description of a [[sandwich]].<ref name="atlanticsandwich">{{cite web |last1=Garber |first1=Megan |title=A Hot Dog Is Not a Sandwich |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/11/its-not-a-sandwich/414352/ |website=The Atlantic |access-date=14 November 2021 |language=en |date=5 November 2015 |archive-date=14 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114115148/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/11/its-not-a-sandwich/414352/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Merriam-Webster]] has stated that a hot dog is indeed a sandwich.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/80901/merriam-webster-boldly-declares-hot-dog-sandwich|title=Merriam-Webster Boldly Declares That a Hot Dog is a Sandwich|date=June 1, 2016|website=www.mentalfloss.com|access-date=February 11, 2021|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224083341/https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/80901/merriam-webster-boldly-declares-hot-dog-sandwich|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, the [[National Hot Dog and Sausage Council]] (NHDSC), on the other hand, declared that a hot dog is not a sandwich.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/11/07/a-hot-dog-is-not-a-sandwich/75362898/|title=Is a hot dog a sandwich? Council rules once and for all|first=Lindsay|last=Deutsch|date=November 7, 2015 | website=USA Today|access-date=February 11, 2021|archive-date=January 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127234613/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/11/07/a-hot-dog-is-not-a-sandwich/75362898/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BHG">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.bhg.com/are-hot-dogs-sandwiches-according-to-experts-6825197 |title=Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich? Here's What 4 Pros Have to Say|last=Jones |first=Bryce |date=October 8, 2024 |website=[[Better Homes and Gardens (magazine)|Better Homes and Gardens]] |access-date=November 6, 2024}}</ref> Hot dog eating champions [[Joey Chestnut]] and [[Takeru Kobayashi]] agree with the NHDSC,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/eats/2017/07/19/joey-chestnut-hot-dog-not-sandwich-debate|title=Joey Chestnut rules that a hot dog is not a sandwich|first=Chris|last=Chavez|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest-legend-kobayashi-settles-the-hot-dog-sandwich-debate/|title=Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest legend Kobayashi settles hot dog-sandwich debate|website=CBS Sports|date=July 4, 2017 |access-date=2021-02-12|archive-date=2021-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513003403/https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest-legend-kobayashi-settles-the-hot-dog-sandwich-debate/|url-status=live}}</ref> as does [[Nathan's Famous]], the host of [[Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest|a significant hot dog eating contest]].<ref name="BHG" />

[[United States Supreme Court]] justice [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]] also weighed in on the matter, stating that a hot dog ''might'' be categorized as a sandwich, but ultimately it comes down to the definition of a sandwich.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/03/colbert-gets-ruth-bader-ginsburgs-ruling-on-hot-dogs.html|title=Stephen Colbert Gets Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Ruling on Hot Dogs v. Sandwiches|first=Tolly|last=Wright|date=March 22, 2018|website=Vulture|access-date=February 11, 2021|archive-date=April 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420012721/https://www.vulture.com/2018/03/colbert-gets-ruth-bader-ginsburgs-ruling-on-hot-dogs.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She went on to acknowledge that a hot dog bun is a single [[Bread roll|roll]] that is not sliced all the way through, and in that way is similar to a [[submarine sandwich]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=153&v=0oBodJHX1Vg "Stephen Works Out With Ruth Bader Ginsburg"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816232642/https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=153&v=0oBodJHX1Vg |date=2021-08-16 }}, ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' (2018).</ref>

==Health risks==
[[File:A Mark of Wholesome Meat (1964).ogv|thumb|United States Department of Agriculture 1964 film on hot dog and other meat inspection]]
Although hot dogs are cooked during manufacture, it is still recommended that packaged hot dogs are heated to an internal temperature of at least 165&nbsp;°F (75&nbsp;°C) prior to consumption.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |title=How to Grill Safely |url=https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/bbq-iq.html |website=Food Safety |publisher=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=10 October 2019 |archive-date=9 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009132844/https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/bbq-iq.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Hot dogs are a form of [[processed meat]]. According to the [[International Agency for Research on Cancer]] (IARC), processed meat causes cancer, particularly [[colorectal cancer]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=26 October 2015 |title=Cancer: Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat |url=https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/cancer-carcinogenicity-of-the-consumption-of-red-meat-and-processed-meat |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=World Health Organization |language=en}}</ref> Most hot dogs contain [[nitrite]] and/or [[nitrate]] preservatives, which react with amines in meat to form carcinogenic [[N-nitroso]] compounds.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Xie |first=Yingfeng |last2=Geng |first2=Yaqian |last3=Yao |first3=Jinbo |last4=Ji |first4=Junfu |last5=Chen |first5=Fang |last6=Xiao |first6=Jianbo |last7=Hu |first7=Xiaosong |last8=Ma |first8=Lingjun |date=September 2023 |title=N-nitrosamines in processed meats: Exposure, formation and mitigation strategies |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2666154323001527 |journal=Journal of Agriculture and Food Research |language=en |volume=13 |article-number=100645 |doi=10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100645|doi-access=free }}</ref>  Hot dogs are also high in fat and salt.  

An [[American Institute for Cancer Research]] (AICR) report found that consuming one daily 50-gram serving of processed meat—about one hot dog—increases long-term risk of [[colorectal cancer]] by 20 percent.<ref name=AICR>[http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=15642&news_iv_ctrl=0&abbr=pr_ AICR Statement: Hot Dogs and Cancer Risk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503071935/http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=15642&news_iv_ctrl=0&abbr=pr_ |date=2010-05-03 }}, American Institute for Cancer Research, July 22, 2009.</ref> Thus, eating a hot dog every day would increase the probability of contracting colorectal cancer from 5.8 percent to 7 percent. The AICR's warning campaign has been criticized as being "attack ads".<ref name="Fox">[https://www.foxnews.com/story/new-attack-ad-targets-hot-dogs-citing-dubious-cancer-risk New Attack Ad Targets Hot Dogs, Citing Dubious Cancer Risk], Fox News, August 26, 2008.</ref><ref name=CBC>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/attack-ad-targets-hot-dogs-as-cancer-risk-1.760765 Attack ad targets hot dogs as cancer risk], ''[[Canadian Broadcasting Company]]'', August 27, 2008.</ref> The Cancer Project group filed a class-action lawsuit demanding warning labels on packages and at sporting events.<ref name=Cleveland>[http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2009/08/hot_dog_cancerwarning_labels_s.html Hot dog cancer-warning labels sought in lawsuit: Healthy Cleveland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716060851/http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2009/08/hot_dog_cancerwarning_labels_s.html |date=2017-07-16 }}, ''[[The Plain Dealer]]'', August 29, 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-06.</ref>

Like many foods, hot dogs can cause illness if not [[Pasteurization|cooked properly]] to kill pathogens. ''[[Listeria monocytogenes]]'', a type of bacteria sometimes found in hot dogs, can cause serious infections in infants and pregnant women, and can be transmitted to an infant ''in utero'' or after birth. Adults with suppressed immune systems can also be harmed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/listeria_e.html |title=Listeria and food safety |publisher=Health Canada |date=2011-06-24 |access-date=2012-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080507233932/http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/listeria_e.html |archive-date=May 7, 2008 }}</ref>

Due to their size, shape, and ubiquitous consumption, hot dogs present a significant choking risk, especially for children. A study in the US found that 17% of food-related asphyxiations among children younger than 10 years of age were caused by hot dogs.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Harris | first1 = Carole Stallings | last2 = Baker | first2 = Susan P. | last3 = Smith | first3 = Gary A. | last4 = Harris | first4 = Richard M. | title = Childhood Asphyxiation by Food: A National Analysis and Overview | journal = JAMA | volume = 251 | issue = 17 | pages = 2231–2235 |date=May 1984 | doi = 10.1001/jama.251.17.2231 | pmid = 6708272 |issn=0098-7484}}</ref> The risk of choking on a hot dog is greatly reduced by slicing it. It has been suggested that redesign of the size, shape and texture of hot dogs would reduce the choking risk.<ref name="USAToday-choke">{{cite news | last = Szabo | first = Liz | title = Pediatricians seek choke-proof hot dog | newspaper = USA Today | date = 22 February 2010 | url = https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20100222/1achoke22_st.art.htm | access-date = 6 March 2012 | archive-date = 9 May 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120509055249/http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20100222/1achoke22_st.art.htm | url-status = live }}</ref>

==In the United States==
[[File:Hotdog three.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Hot dogs with ketchup, mustard, raw onion, fried onion, artificial bacon bits, and sliced pickle]]

Hot dogs are a traditional element of [[American cuisine|American food culture]], having obtained significant cultural and patriotic status from their association with public events and [[Sports in the United States|sports]] since the 1920s.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |last2=Jackson |first2=Donald Dale |title=Hot Dogs Are Us |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/hot-dogs-are-us-68009224/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023045029/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/hot-dogs-are-us-68009224/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Selinger |first=Hannah |title=How the hot dog became an American icon |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hot-dog-classic-american-summer-food/index.html |others=Video: Diana Diroy |access-date=2022-10-23 |work=CNN|date=3 July 2020 |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023045035/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hot-dog-classic-american-summer-food/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the US, the term ''hot dog'' refers to both the sausage by itself and the combination of sausage and bun. Many nicknames applying to either have emerged over the years, including frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie, [[Coney Island hot dog|coney]], and red hot.  Annually, Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs.<ref>{{cite web |title=In 2016, consumers spent more than $2.4 billion on hot dogs in U.S. supermarkets |url=http://www.hot-dog.org/media/consumption-stats |publisher=National Hot Dog & Sausage Council |access-date=4 July 2018 |archive-date=22 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822080333/http://www.hot-dog.org/media/consumption-stats }}</ref>

===Restaurants===
Stands and trucks sell boiled hot dogs at street and highway locations.  Wandering hot dog vendors sell their product in baseball parks.  At convenience stores, hot dogs are kept heated on rotating grills. Hot dogs are also common on restaurants' children's menus. [[Costco]], a [[Big-box store|big-box retail chain]], sells a yearly average of 135 million hot dogs at its food courts, [[Costco hot dog|at a notably low price]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matthews |first=Todd |date=2018-04-18 |title=Costco CEO Craig Jelinek on Shareholders, Costco.com, and Hot Dogs |url=https://www.425business.com/news/costco-ceo-craig-jelinek-on-shareholders-costco-com-and-hot-dogs/article_5ff4b632-1f75-5e98-b9ff-6e02d676668b.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=425Business.com/ |language=en |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831232317/https://www.425business.com/news/costco-ceo-craig-jelinek-on-shareholders-costco-com-and-hot-dogs/article_5ff4b632-1f75-5e98-b9ff-6e02d676668b.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Fast-food restaurant chains typically do not carry hot dogs because of its shorter shelf-life, more complex toppings and cooking, and mismatched consumer expectations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Alleyne |first1=Allyssia |title=Hot Dogs Are America's Food, So Why Aren't They a Fast-Food Staple? |url=https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/fast-food-hot-dogs-chains |access-date=6 July 2020 |work=[[Mel Magazine]] |date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=21 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821142612/https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/fast-food-hot-dogs-chains |url-status=live }}</ref>  There are also restaurants where [[List of hot dog restaurants|hot dogs are a specialty]].

===Condiments===
Hot dogs are commonly served with one or more condiments. In 2005, the US-based National Hot Dog & Sausage Council (part of the American Meat Institute) found mustard to be the most popular, preferred by 32% of respondents; 23% favored ketchup; 17% chili; 9% pickle relish, and 7% onions. Other toppings include sauerkraut, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and chili peppers.

Condiment preferences vary across the U.S. Southerners showed the strongest preference for chili, while Midwesterners showed the greatest affinity for ketchup.<ref>{{cite web| title= Fire in their Bellies: Sixty Percent of Americans Prefer Hot Dogs Grilled, New Hot Dog Council Poll Data Shows Mustard Takes 'Gold Medal' in Topping Poll| url=http://www.hot-dog.org/pr/052505.htm | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050616014926/http://www.hot-dog.org/pr/052505.htm | publisher= National Hot Dog & Sausage Council; American Meat Institute | date= 25 May 2005 | access-date= 29 March 2013 | archive-date= 16 June 2005}}</ref>[[File:Sigh and Elaine Bell Catering Pop-Up, Sonoma, California 07.jpg|thumb|A hot dog made from [[Lamb meat|lamb]] in [[Sonoma, California]]]]

===Variations===
{{For|a list of regional differences in hot dog preparation and condiments|Hot dog variations}}
American hot dog variations often have misleading names; they are commonly named for the geographical regions that allegedly inspired them instead of the regions in which they are most popular. For example, <!-- intentionally lowercase as per source -->[[Michigan hot dog|Michigan]] hot dogs and [[white hot]]s are popular in upstate New York, whereas [[Coney Island hot dog]]s are popular in Michigan.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |last2=Bramen |first2=Lisa |title=The Annals of Geographically Confused Foods: Michigan Hot Dogs from New York |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-annals-of-geographically-confused-foods-michigan-hot-dogs-from-new-york-84948029/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023045034/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-annals-of-geographically-confused-foods-michigan-hot-dogs-from-new-york-84948029/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:coneyhdog.jpg|thumb|A Michigan hot dog, an all-beef hot dog on a steamed bun topped with a meaty sauce]]
Sauteed bell peppers, onions, and potatoes find their way into New Jersey's deep-fried [[Italian hot dog]]. [[Hot wiener]]s, or weenies, are a staple in Rhode Island where they are sold at restaurants under the misleading name "New York System."<ref name="nyt">Lukas, Paul. [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/13/dining/the-big-flavors-of-little-rhode-island.html "The Big Flavors Of Little Rhode Island."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117183736/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/13/dining/the-big-flavors-of-little-rhode-island.html |date=2020-11-17 }}  ''The New York Times''. November 13, 2002.</ref> [[Texas hot dog]]s are spicy variants found in upstate New York and Pennsylvania (and as "all the way dogs" in New Jersey), but not Texas.  In the [[Philadelphia metro area]], [[Texas Tommy (food)|Texas Tommy]] refers to a hot dog variant in which the frank is topped with melted cheese (often cheddar) and wrapped in [[bacon]]. In the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]], the [[Chicago-style hot dog]] is served on a poppy seed bun and topped with mustard, fresh tomatoes, onions, "sport peppers", bright green relish, dill pickles, and celery salt.

The "[[Hot dog variations#New York|New York dog]]" or "New York style" hot dog is a natural-casing all-beef frank topped with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard, onions optional, invented and popularized in [[New York City]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=TheHotDog.org |date=2021-06-29 |title=Types of Hotdog |url=https://www.thehotdog.org/types-of-hotdog/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=TheHotDog.org |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023045030/https://www.thehotdog.org/types-of-hotdog/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Some baseball parks have signature hot dogs, such as [[Dodger Dog]]s at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and Fenway Franks at [[Fenway Park]] in Boston.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLB Hot Dog & Sausage Guide {{!}} NHDSC |url=https://www.hot-dog.org/culture/mlb-hot-dog-sausage-guide |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=www.hot-dog.org |archive-date=2022-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023045036/https://www.hot-dog.org/culture/mlb-hot-dog-sausage-guide |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Wood, Bob., Wood, Robert. Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks: The Ultimate Guide to America's Top Baseball Parks. United States: McGraw-Hill, 1989.</ref>

[[File:2020.03.19 DC People and Places, Washington, DC USA 080 30019 (49679400851).jpg|thumb|[[Ben's Chili Bowl]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] sells the [[half-smoke]].]]
[[Washington, D.C.]] is home to the [[half-smoke]], a half beef, half pork sausage that is both grilled and smoked. A half-smoke is often placed into a hot dog-style bun and topped with chili, cheese, onions, and mustard, similar to a [[chili dog]]. Among the famous half-smoke restaurants in the [[Washington metropolitan area|Washington area]] include [[Ben's Chili Bowl]], which is a cultural landmark, and [[Weenie Beenie]] in [[Arlington County, Virginia]].

==In Canada==
Skinner's Restaurant, in [[Lockport, Manitoba]], is reputed to be Canada's oldest hot dog outlet in continuous operation, founded in 1929 by Jim Skinner Sr.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/whos-got-canadas-best-hot-dog/article584896/|title=Who's got Canada's best hot dog?|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=6 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106152708/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/whos-got-canadas-best-hot-dog/article584896/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winnipegsun.com/2014/04/02/hot-dog-skinners-celebrating-85-years|title=Hot dog! Skinner's celebrating 85 years|work=Winnipeg Sun|access-date=11 June 2015|date=2014-04-02|archive-date=2014-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106123800/http://www.winnipegsun.com/2014/04/02/hot-dog-skinners-celebrating-85-years|url-status=live}}</ref> Hot dogs served at Skinner's are European style foot-long (30.5&nbsp;cm) hot dogs with natural casings, manufactured by Winnipeg Old Country Sausage in Winnipeg, Manitoba.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Outside North America==
{{For|a list of international differences in hot dogs|Hot dog variations}}
In most of the world, a "hot dog" is recognized as a sausage in a bun, but the type varies considerably. The name is often applied to something that would not be described as a hot dog in North America. For example, in New Zealand a "hot dog" is a battered sausage, often on a stick, which is known as a [[corn dog]] in North America; an "American hot dog" is the version in a [[bun]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Rough Guide to New Zealand|author=Rough Guides|isbn=978-0-241-18670-1|year=2010|publisher=[[Rough Guides]]}}</ref>

===Gallery===
<gallery class="center" widths="200" heights="200">
File:Austrian Hot Dog.jpg|An Austrian "hot dog" can use a hollowed-out [[baguette]] as the bread.
File:Thai hot dogs.JPG|Grilled sausages on sticks for sale in [[Thailand]]
File:わさびぬき (3559517214).jpg|Hot dog [[sushi]]
File:Khanom Tokiao.jpg|Thai ''khanom Tokiao'' being prepared, a Thai style crêpe with a hot dog sausage, at a night market
File:ミニホットドック (16853193965).jpg|Miniature hot dogs in Japan
File:Hot dog from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.jpg|Hot dog from [[Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur]] in [[Iceland]]
File:Cachorro-quente.jpg|In Brazil, a ''cachorro-quente'' is served on a bread roll with a tomato-based broth, corn, and potato sticks.
File:Completo italiano.jpg|The ''[[completo]]'', a [[Chile]]an version of hot dog with additional sausages
File:Hot Dog in Berlin.jpg|German Hot Dog version served here in Berlin, Germany. In Germany, such sausages are heated in a kettle of hot broth, but are also often grilled, then served in a crunchy bun. The German term for this grilled street food is "Bockwurst" or "Bratwurst im Brötchen."
</gallery>

==Records==
[[File:60m Hot Dog Akasaka Aug4 06.jpeg|thumb|upright|Pictured in August 2006, the [[world's longest hot dog]] stretched {{convert|60|m|0|sp=us}}.]]
The [[world's longest hot dog]] had been {{convert|60|m|0|sp=us}} long and rested within a {{convert|60.3|m|adj=on|sp=us}} bun. The hot dog was prepared by Shizuoka Meat Producers for the All-Japan Bread Association, which baked the bun and coordinated the event, including official measurement for the world record. The hot dog and bun were the center of a media event in celebration of the Association's 50th anniversary on August 4, 2006, at the Akasaka Prince Hotel in [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=53589O |title=Guinness World Records |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233034/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=53589O |access-date=2023-04-05|archive-date=2016-03-03 }}</ref>

On May 31, 2012, [[Guinness World Records]] certified the world record for the most expensive hot dog at [[USD$]]145.49.  The "California Capitol City Dawg", served at Capitol Dawg in Sacramento, California, features a grilled {{convert|18|in|abbr=on|order=flip}} all-beef, natural-casing frank from Chicago, served on a fresh-baked herb-and-oil focaccia roll, spread with white truffle butter, then grilled.  It is topped with whole-grain mustard from France, garlic and herb mayonnaise, sauteed chopped shallots, organic mixed baby greens, maple syrup-marinated and fruitwood-smoked uncured bacon from New Hampshire, chopped tomato, [[moose cheese]] from Sweden, sweetened dried cranberries, basil olive oil and pear-cranberry-coconut balsamic vinaigrette, and ground peppercorn.  Proceeds from the sale of each {{convert|3|lb|abbr=on|order=flip}} super dog were donated to the [[Shriners Hospitals for Children]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Pierleoni |first=Allen |title=Sacramento claims record with $145.49 hot dog |url=http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/01/4529994/capital-claims-hot-dog-record.html |access-date=12 June 2012 |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |date=1 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604040615/http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/01/4529994/capital-claims-hot-dog-record.html |archive-date=June 4, 2012 }}</ref>

Hot dogs are a popular food for eating competitions. The record for hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes is 83 by [[Joey Chestnut]] at the "''[[Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef]]''" event on September 2, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Peter |first1=Josh |last2=Moore |first2=Casey L. |last3=Tucker |first3=Heather |title=Joey Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Chestnut sets record in winning hot dog eating rematch |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/09/02/joey-chestnut-kobayashi-hot-dog-eating-contest-highlights/75045706007/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-02 |title=Joey Chestnut tops Takeru Kobayashi with new world record of 83 hot dogs to win Netflix eating battle |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/live/joey-chestnut-tops-takeru-kobayashi-with-new-world-record-of-83-hot-dogs-to-win-netflix-eating-battle-183211224.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJwvZFK7UZ7qDGAZsArzz8e0v7cEZbR_k8UQ2BtpJQcM1Htk_cWXXL6sBmCXcwmPDBZzfNqzdqiCYDdRMeB1-plNaxUS7przdO7dRxG_QbQLiiZpmufkvAxI1ZoGf5ijYkDFE4ats9tHT9FGN7y7E4GcajAwGc7zkDMCg2yG1fzO |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> The last person to hold the record before Chestnut was [[Takeru Kobayashi]]. Competitive eater [[Miki Sudo]] holds the record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes by a female at 48.5 hot dogs, also setting this record on July 4, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/science/hotdog-eating-contests.html|title=Scientists Have Finally Calculated How Many Hot Dogs a Person Can Eat at Once|first=Christie|last=Aschwanden|author-link=Christie Aschwanden |newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 14, 2020|access-date=February 12, 2021|archive-date=January 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104141019/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/science/hotdog-eating-contests.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The last person to hold the record before Sudo was [[Sonya Thomas]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/04/sports/nathans-hot-dog-competition.html|title=Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo Again Set Hot Dog Eating Records|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 4, 2020|access-date=September 28, 2021|archive-date=September 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928191458/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/04/sports/nathans-hot-dog-competition.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
* [[Hot dog variations]]
* [[Breakfast roll]]
* [[Poorman's Meal]]
* [[List of hot dogs]]
* [[List of hot dog restaurants]]

==References==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite news |title=Anniversary of Hot Dog, Bun |newspaper=Binghamton Sunday Press |location=Binghamton, NY |date=1964-11-29 |page=10D |url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964.pdf/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964%20d%20-%203669.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=ffffffffb04bc27f&DocId=867615&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT&HitCount=3&hits=eda+edb+edc+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf |access-date=2013-06-17 |archive-date=2022-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618034934/https://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964.pdf/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201964%20d%20-%203669.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=ffffffffb04bc27f&DocId=867615&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT&HitCount=3&hits=eda+edb+edc+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite news |last=Brady |first=William |title=Personal Health Service |newspaper=Amsterdam Evening Recorder |date=1929-06-11 |page=5 |url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Amsterdam%20NY%20Daily%20Democrat%20and%20Recorder/Amsterdam%20NY%20Daily%20Democrat%20and%20Recorder%201929%20May-Aug%20Grayscale/Amsterdam%20NY%20Daily%20Democrat%20and%20Recorder%201929%20May-Aug%20Grayscale%20-%200265.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=2524456e&DocId=92915&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT&HitCount=6&hits=1ba+1bb+1bc+3b2+3b3+3b4+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf |access-date=2013-06-17 |archive-date=2023-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406033013/https://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Amsterdam%20NY%20Daily%20Democrat%20and%20Recorder/Amsterdam%20NY%20Daily%20Democrat%20and%20Recorder%201929%20May-Aug%20Grayscale/Amsterdam%20NY%20Daily%20Democrat%20and%20Recorder%201929%20May-Aug%20Grayscale%20-%200265.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=2524456e&DocId=92915&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT&HitCount=6&hits=1ba+1bb+1bc+3b2+3b3+3b4+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite news |title=Hot Dogs Chain Store Basis |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=1925-10-11 |page=18 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Immerso |first=Michael |title=Coney Island: The People's Playground |place=New Brunswick, New Jersey |publisher=Rutgers University Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-8135-3138-0 }}
* {{Cite book |last1=Jakle |first1=John A. |last2=Sculle |first2=Keith A. |title=Fast Food |url=https://archive.org/details/fastfoodroadside0000jakl |url-access=registration |place=Baltimore |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-8018-6109-3 }}
* {{Cite news |last=Lavin |first=Cheryl |title=Hot Dog! 2 Mustard Moguls Who Relish Their Work |newspaper=The Chicago Tribune |date=1980-11-24 |page=E1 }}
* {{Cite news |last=Levine |first=Ed |title=It's All in How the Dog Is Served |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2005-05-25 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/dining/25dogs.html |access-date=2017-02-08 |archive-date=2011-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830110301/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/dining/25dogs.html |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite news |last=McCollough |first=J. Brady |title=Frankfurter, she wrote: Hot dog shrouded in mystery |newspaper=The Kansas City Star |date=2006-04-02 |url=http://www.coveringsports.com/hotdog.htm |access-date=2007-05-27 |archive-date=2010-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123151659/http://www.coveringsports.com/hotdog.htm }}
* {{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WGGbhGx003oC&pg=PA236 |title=Good Old Coney Island: A Sentimental Journey Into the Past; the Most Rambunctious, Scandalous, Rapscallion, Splendiferous, Pugnacious, Spectacular, Illustrious, Prodigious, Frolicsome Island on Earth |last=McCullough |first=Edo |orig-date=1957 |year=2000 |publisher=Fordham University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-8232-1997-1 |language=en |access-date=2020-09-07 |archive-date=2023-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118092742/https://books.google.com/books?id=WGGbhGx003oC&pg=PA236 |url-status=live}}
* {{Cite book |last=Schmidt |first=Gretchen |title=German Pride: 101 Reasons to Be Proud You're German |place=New York |publisher=Citadel Press |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-8065-2481-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/germanpride00gret }}
* {{Cite book |last=Sterngass |first=Jon |title=First Resorts: Pursuing Pleasure at Saratoga Springs, Newport & Coney Island |place=Baltimore |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-8018-6586-2 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Wilton |first=David |title=Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends |place=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-19-517284-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/wordmythsdebunki00wilt_0 }}
* {{Cite news |last=Zwilling |first=Leonard |title=Trail of Hot Dog Leads Back to 1880's |department=Opinion |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1988-09-27 |page=A34 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/27/opinion/l-trail-of-hot-dog-leads-back-to-1880-s-531388.html |access-date=2017-02-08 |archive-date=2022-06-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621121114/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/27/opinion/l-trail-of-hot-dog-leads-back-to-1880-s-531388.html |url-status=live }}
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite web |last=Hammond |first=Julia |date=3 July 2019 |title=The truth about the US' most iconic food |url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20190702-the-truth-about-the-us-most-iconic-food |language=en |publisher=BBC Travel}}
* {{Cite book |last=Loftus |first=Jamie |year=2023 |title=Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs |location=New York |publisher=Tor Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-250-84774-4 |oclc=1372498488}}

==External links==
{{Sister project auto|wikt=yes|cookbook=yes}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080814143845/http://www.wqed.org/tv/natl/hotdogs/index.shtml Home page for a PBS documentary about hot dogs]
* [http://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat-catfish/hot-dogs-food-safety USDA Fact Sheet on hot dogs]

{{Hot dog variations}}
{{Sausage}}
{{Street food}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hot Dog}}
[[Category:Hot dogs| ]]
[[Category:American fast food]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Cuisine of New York City]]
[[Category:German-American cuisine]]
[[Category:Hot sandwiches]]
[[Category:National dishes]]
[[Category:Sausage sandwiches]]
[[Category:Street food in the United States]]
[[Category:American sandwiches]]
[[Category:German inventions]]
[[Category:American inventions]]