6 Weird (and Delicious) Hot Dog Toppings

Celebrate National Hot Dog month with these 6 crazy hot dog combos from across the country.
Celebrate National Hot Dog month with these 6 crazy hot dog combos from across the country.

July is National Hot Dog month! Celebrate with one of these 6 crazy, but surprisingly tasty, hot dog combos from across the country.

1. At Asia Dog in NYC, the "Sidney" inspired us to create this concoction of homemade mango salsa (combine 1 c. chopped cucumber, 1/2 c. chopped mango, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion, and 1 tsp. fish sauce or soy sauce) and chopped salted peanuts.

Related:Chicago Hot Dog Salad Recipe

2. At the Kogi food truck in LA, Roy Choi serves hot dogs topped with the Korean classic condiment, kimchi, which is basically spicy, garlicky pickled cabbage. His version also includes Cheddar, scallions, fresh shredded cabbage, and a myriad of other toppings, but for simplicity's sake, just kimchi and shredded Cheddar works beautifully.

3. On the lower east side of Manhattan, a hot dog joint named Perros Locos ("Crazy Dogs" indeed...) serves up their "(no) tipico" tube steaks topped with 4 housemade salsas and crushed potato chips. Our home-friendly version: a combo of salsa verde and red salsa garnished with crushed Lay's chips.

4. Senate Pub in Cincinnati, OH is a late-night spot well-known among locals for its great beers and even better bar food. Inspired by their "Hello Kitty 2.0," we topped our weiners with wasabi mayo (1/4 c. mayo + 1/2 tsp. wasabi paste, optional), wasabi peas (the crunchy kind that you snack on), and a soy lime slaw (1 1/2 c. bagged slaw mix, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, and 2 tsp. soy sauce).

Related:4 New Ways with Hot Dogs

5. In Manhattan, Ditch Plains specializes in Long Island fish-shack-inspired cuisine, but their "Ditch Dog" is definitely for land-lovers. Smothered in gooey mac and cheese, this hot dog is not for the carbophobic.

6. Last, but certainly not least, the wackiest hot dog combo I came across was from the beloved, but now-closed Rosco's Big Dog in Hartford, Connecticut: peanut butter, shredded Cheddar, and bacon. Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it.

Not sure which supermarket hot dog you should use as the base for these crazy concoctions? Check out the results of our hot dog taste test.

- By Sherry Rujikarn

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