PrintSerious Eats New York Special Report: The Great Hot Dog Cook-Off
When I bought a ticket for the 3rd annual Great Hot Dog Cookoff in Brooklyn held this past weekend, I never thought I would end up eating hot dogs like it was my job. Well, it turned out it was my job that day: Hot Dog Destiny chose me to be a judge of this tubular meat marathon. I anxiously prepared myself for the fourteen variations by recalling all of my newly gained wisdom from writing last week's guide to America's regional hot dog styles. From tequila-spiked alligator chili to paratha-wrapped masala dogs, by the end of the day I realized I should have been channeling Kobayashi instead.
Thrown by Kara from the Ted & Amy Supper Club and Cathy of Not Eating Out in New York, about a hundred hungry people came to this year's contest, which kicked off in Kara's Fort Greene apartment and backyard. The weather was perfect for the event, which felt more like a fun party full of foodies, bloggers, and hot dog lovers of all kinds—especially with the two varieties of Kelso-donated beer flowing.
Before I was randomly chosen to be a judge, I unknowingly used up precious stomach space on the pre-cookoff snack offerings: pretzels with mustard, veggie dog sushi rolls, and baked brie dogs. When my name was called out, I let out an uncontrollable yip of glee and a mild fist pump. One fellow party-goer took one look at my 5'3" (and a half!) stature and with a warning look, reminded me that I'd have to eat all fourteen hot dogs. Clearly, this man was not aware of the superhuman eating powers of small Asian women, i.e. the Black Widow.
The first round began with the Banana Leaf Dog: a hot dog wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled, then topped with cactus crema, chopped bacon, scallions, and jalapenos. Of course, you can't go wrong with bacon, which made a second appearance later in the Cheesy Grits Dog.
The cookoff was divided into three categories: veggie dog, chili dog, and none of the above. The veggie variations included the Banh Mi Dog (winner) and Estelle's Veggie Corn Dogs.
We were told that Estelle was the contestant's chicken who laid the egg that went into the batter that very morning—now that's knowing where your food comes from.
As for the chili dogs, there was the winning Oaxacan Dog, which had caramelized onions, peppers, a dark and slightly sweet chili (very tasty), queso fresco, chives, and cotija cheese, served in a corn tortilla. Also in the category was the aforementioned tequila-spiked Gator Chili Dog (right), which featured a Waygu beef dog with the chili, cheese, and Fritos.
The Purple Haze and the Colombian Dog. Photographs by arthurohm on Flickr
Fritos weren't the last chip-toppings of the day: the Purple Haze had crunched up Red Hot Blues over its cabbage slaw with berries and a healthy slather of mayo. And the sweet-and-salty Colombian Dog was topped with potato chips along with homemade jam and a special pink sauce.
From left: The Cajun Dog (Photograph from arthurohm on Flickr), The Chicago Dog.
The Cajun Dog folks served up their secret Cajun-spiced relished franks with extra goodies to lure the judges: Mardi Gras beads and potent Hurricanes.
One contestant made Chicago-style dogs as a throwback to his hometown, while another was dedicated to a contestant's grandmother.
Named after his grandmother's initials, the O.K. Dog was the day's fan favorite. It was way better than OK with its spicy mango salsa, goat cheese, tempura flakes, and three dipping sauces to choose from.
The international flavors kept coming with Benny's Bombay Dog. Staying true to its theme, Benny used a chicken dog, topped it with yogurt and a mix of masala-spiced onions and peppers, and wrapped each one in paratha.
The cookoff saw not one, but two variations using macaroni and cheese. The Mack Daddy Dogs were each stuffed with the macaroni, wrapped in collard greens, and served with a side of cornbread and a citrus Izze soda-hefeweizen concoction as a palate cleanser.
I guess macaroni and cheese was a favorite with the judges because the Mack Daddy came in second in the crowded "none of the above" category, while the Thanksgiving Dog came in first.
Not only is Thanksgiving my favorite holiday, this hot dog was my personal favorite of the day: a black angus beef frank baked inside biscuit dough with cornbread stuffing, served on top of fantastic macaroni and cheese, and finally, laden with gravy and chopped scallions. It might have been the twelfth hot dog I tried that day, but that grease-soaked paper plate was mighty clean when I was through with it.
A big thanks to Kara and Cathy for putting this event together to benefit the Food Bank for New York City. Inspired by the many amazing entries, I'm already looking ahead to entering the cook-off next year. I'm thinking the Loaded Dog: deep-fried bacon wrapped frank, a slather of mild horseradish cream, scallions, lots of melted sharp cheddar, a sliver of Sriracha, and the kicker—potato stix. Can't wait.
Related
America's Regional Hot Dog Styles
Talk Topic: Crazy Delicious and Creative Hot Dogs?
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
3 Comments:
Hi Jen: Great round-up, and thanks so much for taking your judging job so seriously! I'm so glad the random judge drawing fell into such capable hands (or stomachs)?
Cathy@noteatingoutinny at 5:50PM on 07/14/08
Thanks for the comprehensive recap. I was so preoccupied with cooking dogs and drinking beers that I comprised about 4 pictures all in all. Pretty sad. My short attempt at a recap lives here....
http://midgepingletonsplanb.blogspot.com/2008/07/im-not-enemy-im-winner.html
Glad you enjoyed the Thanksgiving Dog! I am lucky to know so many amazing local producers through greenmarket and completely owe the success of my dog to the freshness and love that goes into the production of the ingredients i used.
midgepingleton at 12:34AM on 07/15/08
Interesting report and great pictures. As someone whose hobby is sampling hot dogs from all over and in different styles, let me say that personally I prefer a quality hot dog on a steamed (if the dog is prepared in water) or grilled (if the dog is grilled or fried) bun with just mustard. Sometimes chili. I know people love the diversity and styles presented here, but not me. I'm a bare bones guy. I believe the hot dog should be a simple, unpretentious food. The most important thing is to start with a quality dog. If you don't have a quality dog, it doesn't much matter what you do to it or what you put on it. Let me preface my comments by saying that they reflect my opinions. I don't consider anything made out of tofu or poultry to be a true hot dog. A true hot dog is made of beef and pork (or beef/pork/veal) in the German style, or all beef in the kosher style. The quality of the dog itself, whether it has a casing, (casing is much better than skinless) the spicing, and how the dog is prepared is much more important than all the crap you throw on it. These things, in my opinion, overwhelm, rather than complement the dog itself. If I want a salad, I'll have it on the side. Most of this stuff does not belong on a hot dog. New York, New Jersey, New England, the Midwest (Wisconsin and Chicago specifically) and some isolated areas are known for quality franks. Some areas (down south) view the dog as more of a holder for what you put on it. With all the crap put on it, it really doesn't matter if you use an inferior dog.
I've noticed that although brands of dogs are not mentioned, there was a Wagyu dog and an Angus all beef dog used. I don't know which ones specifically, so I cannot pass judgement on them. But I have found Wagyu and (Kobe) dogs to be mushy and unremarkable. Ed Levine also stated this in a past article. A great beef dog uses quality beef, (Best from N.J. uses a blend of choice and lean) a good natural casing, and a flavorful blend of spices. I've had more than a few beef dogs made from Angus beef. They are hit or miss, depending on who makes them. Most are average, while some, like Usinger's, are exceptional.
While I didn't sample the offerings here, I have sampled dogs from all over in many styles. I prefer a simple old school dog. Give me a quality, well made beef dog with a natural casing, prepared on a hot grill, with a toasted bun, and topped with a zesty brown mustard that complements, rather than overwhelms the frankfurter, and I'm in Hot Dog Heaven. Less is more.
hotdoglover at 9:21PM on 07/15/08