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Life is too complicated to always stick to labels. Sure, the tomato is technically classified as a fruit, but it lives in our hearts as a vegetable. What’s more, we’re okay with the indignity of drinking Champagne that doesn’t originate from the Champagne, France. However, there is one thing that is not okay: calling a hot dog a “sandwich.”
For shame, people. Is this what we’ve come to as a great BBQ nation?
The humble hot dog is a proud extension of the fires that warm our home grills. For us to give it a “sandwich” label is nothing short of a slight that will live forever in infamy. As the favored comfort food of our backyard cookouts, we need to respect this distinguished staple of the firepit.
In honor of National Hot Dog Day, here are 4 iron-clad reasons why the ubiquitous red hot is a unique phenomenon. As the long-shaped tubular food that has made its way into our hearts, it does not deserved to be called a “sandwich”.
No other food uses a hot dog bun
A hot dog has unique characteristics that elevate it beyond that of normal sandwiches. This fact is readily apparent from the bread that binds it together. Whereas ordinary sandwiches allow for the interchanging of bread, this type of food is only properly made when served in a hot dog bun. What’s more, a hot dog bun is an ingredient that has only one primary function, something that does not involve sandwiches of any other kind.
Think about it. Have you ever used a hot dog bun for anything other than a hot dog? Ever bought hot dog buns for the purpose of anything other than making hot dogs?
READ: How to Grill a Perfect Hot Dog
We’ll admit that the possibility exists. Hot dog buns are bread, and bread is used for all types of recipes. This includes being remade as pizza boats, homemade croutons, garlic bread, and bread crumbs. And yet, as you’ll notice, none of these new transformations happen to be anything that resembles a sandwich. Moreover, unlike normal bread, hot dog buns are not the first choice when it comes to making peanut butter or tuna sandwiches.
As the bread that supposedly makes it a sandwich, the hot dog bun isn’t compatible with other sandwiches. For this reason, we see that the hot dog is clearly a bread-wrapped food that is in a menu category of its own.
Hot dogs can only be served in a hot dog bun
For just a second, let’s take the suggestion seriously and suppose that a hot dog was, in fact, a sandwich (outlandish, I know). If that was the case, then it makes sense we should be able to make certain claims.
For example, as a sandwich, a hot dog should be able to be served on sliced bread much the same as other sandwiches. And yet, the suggestion becomes absurd at the mere thought of it. A single weiner wrapped up by a single flexible slice of bread? Preposterous! How about a bed of red hots laid side by side and used as the meat in a hero sandwich? Pure blasphemy.
Of course, a hot dog is an ingredient used in other recipes. The American frankfurter is cut up and cooked as burnt ends or incorporated in a bowl of mac and cheese. But when used in this way, hot dogs aren’t the main ingredient. Instead, when you want to eat a hot dog properly, there’s only one way to do it.
Let’s accept the facts, people. When presented in its so-called “sandwich” form, a hot dog is only properly enjoyed when served in a hot dog bun. Not on sliced bread, or a tortilla, or in a croissant. And because it has such specific demands, it makes sense to say that it is wrong to classify a hot dog as a simple “sandwich.”
Hot dogs have a simplicity that is timeless
Even though it has undergone variations, it’s undeniable that the basic concept of a hot dog has remained the same over time. After originating in Germany, the American version would go on to ratify its version by serving a cooked sausage wrapped in a bun and topped with various dressings. A hundred years later, we are still enjoying this delectable treat in much the same way.
To be clear, a lot of different foods feature simple recipes that make them so endearing. In the case of the hot dog, what’s important to keep in mind is that the simplicity that makes it so timeless also gives it its unique characteristics—all of which are not found in your standard sandwich.
There’s only one way to eat a hot dog
The ability of a hot dog to stand apart from sandwiches really shines when it comes to the way it is consumed. This is something that is not able to be said for your average sandwich.
Sandwiches feature a casual practicality that makes them easy to eat. Pick it up with your hands and bite the part that’s closest to you: that’s it. And yet, this is not the case for a hot dog. We’re talking rules, people, and some rules weren’t ever made to be broken.
Upon picking up a hot dog for the first time, there is only one way to eat it: to take a bite at either of its ends. Eating a hot dog in a linear fashion from end to end is the only way to enjoy mouthfuls of hot dog, bun, dressings, and condiments in equal portions. Any other option is a recipe for failure.
- Top first? Face full of condiments.
- Side first? Mouth full of bread and a structurally compromised food item.
- Bottom first? A guarantee that the food goes everywhere but into your mouth.
This specific eating condition is not found in traditional sandwiches. Instead, this makes the hot dog more similar to wraps and burritos, a type of “sandwich outlier” that isn’t as likely to get branded with the outrageous “sandwich” moniker. As is the case with these other linear food items, a hot dog is not a sandwich.
Conclusion: Hot dog independence
It’s very clear at this point that the hot dog is most definitely a type of food that stands on its own. It has specific rules and conditions that govern its preparation and consumption. It is made with specific ingredients and has maintained its own tradition for well over a hundred years. For this reason, it’s important to respect the hot dog as a sovereign food item that is independent of the sandwich category.
In all, this acceptance is for the greater good. The faster we acknowledge that hot dogs are sandwiches, the faster we can get back to enjoying them fresh off the grill without the need for controversial debate. That’s because, in this age of unity, we should not be dividing ourselves over unnecessary divisions in our menus.
No matter which side of the debate you fall on, your best policy for determining when your food has been cooked properly is to use a cooking thermometer! By cooking according to internal temperatures, you can cook your food to perfection every time!
ThermoPro offers a wide lineup of thermometers that cater to your individual preferences. The Lightning One-Second Instant-Read Meat Thermometer offers pitmasters a quick and reliable method for getting measurements you can count on! Simply unfold, insert, and measure: in one second, you’re done!
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