Burgers
Portillo's Inspired Chicago-Style Hot Dog
An all-beef hot dog dragged through the garden with mustard, neon relish, onion, tomatoes, pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt on a steamed poppy-seed bun.
Inspired by Portillo's
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Serves
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Pantry match
Uses the current servings and temporary recipe changes.
Missing 9 ingredients
- • 4 all-beef natural-casing hot dogs
- • 4 poppy-seed hot dog buns
- • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- • 1/4 cup neon-green sweet pickle relish
- • 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
- • 1 medium ripe tomato, cut into 8 thin wedges
- • 4 dill pickle spears
- • 8 sport peppers
- • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
View ingredient-by-ingredient match
- 4 all-beef natural-casing hot dogsMissing
- 4 poppy-seed hot dog bunsMissing
- 1/4 cup yellow mustardMissing
- 1/4 cup neon-green sweet pickle relishMissing
- 1/3 cup finely chopped white onionMissing
- 1 medium ripe tomato, cut into 8 thin wedgesMissing
- 4 dill pickle spearsMissing
- 8 sport peppersMissing
- 1/2 teaspoon celery saltMissing
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Method
Recipe notes
This unofficial recreation uses the classic Chicago assembly documented by the restaurant: mustard, green relish, onion, tomato, pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt on a steamed poppy-seed bun. Careful placement keeps every topping in each bite.
Planning, storage, and serving
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate cooked hot dogs and cut vegetables separately within 2 hours for up to 3 days. Reheat hot dogs to 165°F and steam fresh buns before rebuilding.
Make-ahead tips
Chop onion and cut tomato several hours ahead; keep them chilled separately. Portion all condiments before steaming the buns.
What to serve with it
- - Crinkle-cut fries
- - Chopped salad
- - Dill pickle chips
Equipment needed
- - Wide saucepan with lid
- - Steamer basket
- - Small sharp knife
Difficulty explained
Cooking is simple; the only challenge is arranging abundant toppings neatly on a soft bun.
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Nutrition facts
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Alternatives
Apply a reviewed substitution to this temporary working copy. The published recipe stays unchanged.
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Dijon mustard
Use about three-quarters as much Dijon mustard, then adjust to taste.
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Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Boiling hard can split the hot dogs; use a gentle simmer.
- Oversteaming turns buns sticky and fragile, so warm them for only about a minute.
- Watery tomato wedges and relish can soak the bun; drain both before assembly.
Nutrition Context
- The hot dog, pickle, peppers, and celery salt make this sandwich high in sodium.
- Tomato and onion add freshness and texture, though they do not make the meal nutritionally equivalent to a full vegetable side.
FAQ
What does dragged through the garden mean?
It describes the full pile of vegetable and pickle toppings arranged around the hot dog.
Does ketchup belong on it?
The traditional Chicago-style build uses yellow mustard and no ketchup, but home cooks can serve it however they prefer.
What are sport peppers?
They are small tangy pickled green chiles with moderate heat and a snappy texture.
Can I grill the hot dogs?
Yes, but simmering produces the softer, juicy texture associated with this particular recreation.
How do I keep toppings from falling out?
Use thin tomato wedges, drain the relish, chop onion finely, and place the long pickle spear along the bun as a brace.
What sides pair best with this dish?
Good pairings include Crinkle-cut fries; Chopped salad; Dill pickle chips. Choose one or two based on how substantial you want the meal to be.