People love hot dogs especially in the United States of America. There is a hot dog stand in just about every street corner in every major city in the country. Not to mention the hundreds of fast-food restaurants that sell them.
Hotdogs despite being one of the favorite foods of most Americans are relatively unknown. There are many things known about hot dogs but most are myths and misconceptions.
The following are some interesting facts about hot dogs:
1. Hot Dogs Have Mysterious Origins
A hot dog is a sausage in between a bun which might seem simple enough to trace its origins. However, the origin of hot dogs is yet to be ascertained.
There are many conflicting stories as to the origin of the hot dog. There are claims that it was invented in Vienna by two Hungarian immigrants. They then brought the hot dog to Chicago in the late 19th Century where it grew in popularity.
There are also claims by German officials that claim the hot dog was first introduced in Frankfurt. Regardless of the stories, there is no solid evidence to prove any of the claims.
2. Proper Way to Eat Hot Dogs
Eating hot dogs has been thought of as the most mundane activity in the world. You simply put it in your mouth, right? Wrong.
According to an American meat trade association, there is a proper way to eat hot dogs. They claim that a hot dog should be plain and that it should not be topped by anything including ketchup.
Apparently, you should not include any fancy condiments in a hot dog as it impedes from properly eating it. You are also supposed to eat every part of the hot dog and not throw away the leftover bun bits.
3. Mustard Is the Most Popular Hot dog Topping
People like putting a variety of toppings on hot dogs. Of all the condiments that can be placed atop a hot dog, mustard is the most popular; not ketchup as is the misconception.
There are a wide variety of hot dog recipes which means you can add many things to a hot dog. And according to https://www.thehotdog.org, most of the recipes must have mustard. Chili and cheese are also favorite toppings in these recipes. According to a survey done in the US in 2014, seventy-one percent of hot dog eaters said they liked mustard on their hot dogs. So, you might be one of the few people who like ketchup on their hot dogs.
4. Hotdogs Have Left the Planet
Of all the foods that astronauts have taken to space, hot dogs are one of them. Apparently, many of the astronauts who go to space like eating hot dogs.
On the Apollo 7 mission done in 1968, the astronauts carried frozen ice cream to space. However, those that came after them did not like the choice and opted for hot dogs instead.
Astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission actually carried hot dogs to space. Hot dogs are incredibly easy to make so it is easy to make hot dogs in a restricted environment.
5. A Hot Dog that Cost $169
When thinking of the world’s most expensive hot dog, it can be incredibly difficult to come up with a number. There are those that will go too low and others obscenely high.
One of the facts you might not know about hot dogs is that the most expensive hot dog in the world costs $169. It was sold in Seattle, Washington in 2014.
The hot dog included cheese bratwurst which was glazed with butter, had Teriyaki grilled onions, and Maitake mushrooms. Other ingredients included were wagyu beef, foie gras, shaved black truffles, caviar, and Japanese mayonnaise on a brioche bun.
6. 74 Hot Dogs in 10 Minutes
Hot dog eating competitions are extremely popular in the United States. Competitive hot dog eating contests can attract hundreds of people and are even included in the news. A relatively unknown fact about hot dogs is the maximum eaten. The record is actually seventy-four hot dogs eaten in ten minutes.
The record was set in 2018 by a hot dog competitive eater known as Joey Chestnut. It was at Nathan’s Hot dog Eating Contest. The record is even more impressive considering that he made the record while in incredible heat.
The hot dog is a favorite food of many Americans and can be found in essentially every country around the world. There is much known about the hot dog but there is also much that is unknown. The above are some of the most intriguing facts about the hot dog. If you know nothing about hot dogs, the above facts should at the very least compel you to try one.