Hotdogs of the Sonoran Desert:El Guero Canelo, Tucson.

LTH

Last week while visiting a Chicago friend who winters in Tucson I had the pleasure of lunching at El Guerro Canelo. El Guero is a collection of trailers with both covered and outdoor seating.
Aside from the normal tacos and burritos El Guero is best know for its hotdogs.

And what dogs they are!

On top of a layer of intact frijoles sits a bacon wrapped dog. The dog is dressed with pico de gallo, mustard,sour cream and a roasted chile to top it all off.

El Guero keeps everyone happy 24/7 and has live marriachi bands on Sundays.


Now comes the big question. Here we are living in Chicago the hotdog capitol of America. We have a huge Mexican population and yet ...we have no Mexican hotdogs

Hot Doug...got your ears on?

El Guero Canelo
5201 S 12th Av.
Tucson,Az

Here's a pic of perros calientes in PV being made. Bacon wrapped with grilled onions and jalapenos.

We have 'em, we just haven't found them yet.

We found them a long time ago, folks, at Dona Torta. Their version, I believe, comes standard on a tortilla (odd for a torta place, no?). But I have no doubt that they will whip one up for you on a roll. Otherwise, sounds the same (esp. the bacon wrapped perrito base). It has been a while since I looked, but the Mexican food service style poster with the perrito hung proudly in DT, in Spanish only.

We don't have a big "Sonoran" or other border population here, but I don't think the dogs are restricted to that part of Mexico at all. Also, something about the name of your dog spot makes me think that the Sonoran dog is admittedly borrowed form los gringos.

The bacon-wrapped jalapeno dog is ubiquitous in Los Angeles. Heck, there's a guy that vends from a tiny brazier set up in front of Hollywood + Highland.

I mean, seriously.

No, really, seriously.

Some one could mop up this town if they sold those things.

Erik M.

They're ubiquitous in Mexico, as well. I've seen them widely in border towns, resort towns, and Mexico City. And they're not tourist food. They're cheap local food. Hamburguesas are quite popular, too, but not an improvement.

Antonius and I saw a handwritten sign for Mexican hot dogs at El Imperio de Memin (the old Las Alambres spot): as I recall it said "Hot Dogs estilo Mexico" with bacon (tocino), chorizo, and one other option which I forget now.

El Imperio de Memin
3053 N California Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 539-2672

Didn't know they had 'em at Dona Torta, though I did think of that weirdo sandwich Taqueria la Oaxaquena offers in which a hot dog is stuffed into the middle of a milanesa, or something. (Don't they call it a Cuban? Why, because it represents roughly the annual meat consumption of a family of six in Fidel's paradise?)

By the way, the hot dogs I saw at a distance in Mexico seemed non-bacon-wrapped. How ironic, though, that the one thing I saw and didn't eat in Mexico has been the one that keeps coming up...

Mike G wrote:Didn't know they had 'em at Dona Torta

That's funny, because that "Mexican food service style poster" for the perritos always draws my focus while I am waiting at Dona Torta (a/k/a Tortas USA). I've stared and stared at the bacon wrapped dogs. It looks like you get two per order, by the way. Just in case your cholesterol is too low and your heartburn is temporarily under control, they are ready to assist. So far never have I had the guts to order this gastronomic atrocity, but who knows now? Next time in the neighborhood, I'll give it a shot.

Yes, the hot dog is an American favorite, not just a US favorite. They are popular in Argentina for example (choripan). Also, arroz con salsichas (cut up hot dogs or canned Vienna sausages) is a legitimate Cuban dish. I don't care for it, but it is "authentic." I don't doubt that the widespread use of red hots in Latin America is akin to the widespread use of baseballs, canned fruit, and Coca Cola. Here, the Mexican meat and cheese section will often have Mexican and other LA brands of hot dogs, though in my limited experience they are pretty bad (maybe not worse than the Lykes pork dogs of my youth, but bad).

It seems that you are most likely to see the perrito in a DF style place here, next to the huaraches and tortas. I've seen them in places beyond Dona Torta, but I can't remember where.