Hot Dogs at the Ballpark

Happy National Hot Dog Month, Hungry Fans!

Just the other day was National Fried Chicken Day. The following day was National Chocolate Day…and July is National Hot Dog Month. Just thinking of these foods makes me so incredibly hungry. (As I stated on Twitter, I have long held the belief that chocolate should be made its own food group. You know I get my daily recommended intake each day no sweat)!

In observance of National Hot Dog Month, it seemed worthwhile to give you a heads up to some great new spins on the stadium good classic and also some places where you can find the traditional sportsfood done right. And always worth noting, you can always easily find these hot dogs and more on Hungry Fan App, available for free in the App Store! Simply check the Hot Dog Filter on the top right of your screen to make finding the nearest hot dog a cinch!

Fresh Takes on Fan Favorites

Flavorful ballpark food continues to evolve and many concessionaires are beginning to tap into local flavors and current food trends. Check out these unique hot dogs and give them a try next time you’re at a ball game:

• Andrew Zimmern’s Canteen Dog* (Kauffman Stadium)- Piedmontese all beef hot dog topped with grain mustard, homemade roasted vegetable mayo, cabbage slaw, pickled jalapenos and spices, on a Martin’s long potato roll.
• Blazin’ Buffalo Chicken Dog (Kauffman Stadium)- Beef hot dog topped with pulled chicken in buffalo sauce and coleslaw.
• Cuban Pretzel Dog* (PNC Park)- Foot-long, all-beef hot dog topped with slices of ham, pulled pork, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard and pickles, on a pretzel hoagie roll.
• Dixie Dog (Turner Field)- Half pound, foot-long, all beef, national deli hot dog, flash-fried, pulled barbecue pork, coleslaw and homemade barbecue sauce.
• Pastrami Dog (Citi Field)- Two New York classics in one bite — Nathan’s Famous all beef hot dog topped with house-braised pastrami
• Philly Cheese Steak Dog (Citizens Bank Park)- Philly Frank topped with Philadelphia cheese steak, served ‘wit or wit out’ onions.
• Polish Hill Dog (PNC Park)- Hebrew National foot long topped with mini potato pierogies, coleslaw and homemade onion straws.
• South Philly Dog* (Citizens Bank Park)- Philly Frank topped with roasted red peppers, sharp provolone and broccoli rabe.

*Denotes hot dogs that are new to the ballpark this season.

Nacho Average Dog
As baseball fans’ taste preferences have changed, so has the ballpark dog. Here are some ‘dogs for more adventurous Hungry Fans:

• Elk Brat (Coors Field)- Ground elk and jalapenos, locally made by Gold Star, served with customer’s choice of peppers and onions or sauerkraut, on a hearty, white bread coney bun, with sesame seeds.
• Freddy Fender (Minute Maid Park)- From celebrity Chef Bryan Caswell, chorizo sausage, wrapped in a corn tortilla and deep fried, topped with tequila braised onions, pico de gallo, cotija cheese and a cilantro sour cream.
• Peameal Bacon Sausage* (Rogers Centre)- Peameal bacon sausage topped with caramelized onions and honey mustard, on a cornmeal bun
• Taco Dog* (Coors Field)- Chorizo dog topped with cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo.

*Denotes hot dogs that are new to the ballpark this season.

Classic Dogs
For those Hungry Fans who like their traditional hot dog, fear not. The classics are always available and that probably isn’t changing anytime soon. Indeed, tried and true favorites, like the Fenway Frank at Fenway Park, or Nathan’s Famous at Citi Field, remain top sellers. In fact, hungry Red Sox fans ate 815,000 Fenway Franks last season, and hungry Mets fans consumed 350,000 Nathan’s hot dogs, while cheering on the Mets in 2014.

Vegetarian fans, don’t you worry. Veggie dogs are available too! (On Hungry Fan App, be sure to use the Vegetarian Filter to find veggie dogs closest to you)!

Hot Dog Fun Facts
Dishing out ballpark dogs to fans in their seats is a tough job:

• An Aramark hot dog “hawker” sells an average of 150 hot dogs per game.
• A fully loaded ballpark hot dog vendor’s bin weighs 30 pounds.
• Depending on the game, it typically takes a hot dog vendor less than two innings to sell all the hot dogs in his/her bin.
• On average, Aramark hot dog “hawkers” walk 4–5 miles per game, up and down stairs.
• Hot dog bins are arranged left to right: Rolls — Condiments and wax paper — Hot Dogs.

No hot dog blog would be complete without a recipe for your stadium favorite that you can easily make at home! Here’s how to make the Pastrami Dog at Citi Field. It’s a Nathan’s Famous all beef hot dog topped with house-braised pastrami.

CITI FIELD PASTRAMI DOG
Makes one hot dog

Ingredients:

• 1 Nathan’s hot dog
• 1 hot dog bun, standard size
• 2 oz pastrami, diced
• 1 oz yellow mustard

Preparation:

1. Steam Pastrami until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees (roughly 2–3 hours).
2. Boil hot dog until it reaches in internal temperature of 155 degrees (roughly 5–7 minutes).
3. Once the pastrami is heated, small dice into ¼ pieces,
4. When hot dog is ready, place in bun.
5. Top hot dog with diced pastrami, 2 ounces.
6. Garnish with Gold’s spicy yellow mustard.