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Opening Arguments

Mission accomplished -- almost

As I may have mentioned here, or at least alluded to, I've been on a lifelong mission to create the perfect chili dog. I can't say I'm quite there yet, but thanks to a Christmas gift from my sister, I'm closing in on it. I have the perfect chili -- Skyline, absolutely the best food to ever come in a can -- and the back-to-basics just-so combination of ingredients: bun, frankfurter, mustard, chili, chopped onions. But I've never been happy with any of the ways to cook a hot dog: boiling water, microwave, baked (yes, even tried that), fried. Frying was the best, but there was still a slightly unpleasant burnt aftertaste. Now, with this handy hot dog roller and bun toaster, my hot dogs taste just like what you can get in a movie theater or at the ball game.

I'm not totally sold on how this thing does the buns -- they're mostly just warmed rather than really toasted. I may go back to toasting them in the toaster oven or even try steaming them. Oh, and my current favorite is Ballpark for the franks, but I'm still experimenting there, too. And once in a while, when I'm feeling really extravagant and decadent, I add pickle relish.

Comments

gadfly
Tue, 01/03/2012 - 11:04pm

All this work just to eat a chili hot dog? It is a whole lot more rewarding to drive to Dawson's Dogs up on Lima near Dupont and chomp on the best chili dogs in NE Indiana. Just a buck and a quarter.

Then again, if you really like Skyline Chili, you probably wouldn't understand ...

William Larsen
Wed, 01/04/2012 - 3:24am

Leo, thanks, my son loves hot dogs and I introduced him to Conney Island a few years ago. This would make a great gift for him.

littlejohn
Wed, 01/04/2012 - 2:11pm

I often see those hot dog rollers in convenience stores around the country, and they always taste great. But I can't possibly be the only person who looks at those things and wonders how long they've been there - kind of like that jar of pickled eggs at your favorite beer joint.

Harl Delos
Wed, 01/04/2012 - 2:50pm

It's even better when it's fresh, Leo.

4 cups water
2 lb. ground beef chuck
2 medium onions, finely chopped
5 to 6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
10 whole black peppercorns, ground
8 whole allspice berries, ground
8 whole cloves, ground
1 large bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1

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