If someone were to offer you a “dirty water hot dog” right now, you’d probably turn your nose up, right? You’d at least have a few follow-up questions. That is, unless you’re from New York City, where dirty water hot dogs are a tradition and a delicacy. Much like dirty rice, dirty Coke, or extra-dirty martinis, the “dirty” in “dirty water hot dogs” references there being a little something extra in the mix.
In the case of a dirty water dog, the water they get cooked in contains spices, seasonings, and salty fat that leeches out of the stewing dogs. The result is a briny, flavorful, and juicy hot dog with a perfect snap. Dirty water hot dogs are a New York staple. There are thousands of hot dog carts positioned on street corners and bustling intersections across the city, and the competition for the title of best hot dog in New York is fierce. Since the late 1800s, hot dogs have been a popular portable food served at boardwalks, ballparks, and beyond.
The practice of cooking and serving them out of steaming vats of water stemmed from necessity. The original hot dog carts that would be pushed around the streets of NYC were wooden, making cooking anything over an open flame a potential hazard. Not only was cooking the dogs in water safer, the hot brine kept them from drying out and added wonderful texture and flavor. It worked well, and, despite there being many different ways to cook hot dogs, the beloved dirty water tradition lives on.
You’ll never make hot dogs the same way again
Sunny summer days scream charred burgers and hot dogs on the grill, but you might want to consider serving dirty water dogs at your next backyard barbecue instead. Not only does stewing hot dogs in seasoned water give them a perfect, textured bite, it can be an amazing way to introduce unique flavors. Some traditional additions to the dirty water hot dog might be cumin, onions, bay leaf, ketchup, chili powder, vinegar, or nutmeg, but there is so much room for experimentation, here.
While the dirty water dog is a New York-born tradition, take inspiration from the other city known for its hot dogs: Chicago. Season your dirty water with lots of celery salt, sport pepper brine, onions, and tomato juice for a dirty Chicago-style hot dog. Or, play on the salty and sweet pairing by adding barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Less traditional additions for your dirty dog water could be curry powder, star anise, jalapeños, fish sauce, cinnamon sticks, lemongrass, or fresh sage.
You can still throw your dirty water dogs on the grill after they get between 15 and 20 minutes of soaking time (and here’s why you shouldn’t leave hot dogs in boiling water for too long) for some grill marks and charred flavor. Just make sure you experience a true dirty water dog from a New York hot dog cart at least once in your life, because there’s nothing else like it. For more unique spins on this classic dish, here are 20 fascinating hot dog variations from around the world.
