Mexican Hot Dogs on 26th Street

This started as a general discussion of Mexican hot dogs over in Shopping & Cooking. Since we're now talking about some specific Chicago establishments, I thought it appropriate to start a new thread here.

David Hammond wrote:Was thinking of searching out the vendor at 26th and St. Louis last night (thanks C2 & ReneG), but figured that probably this was a daytime only operation.

Bad news: the hotdoguera no longer has a cart at 26th & St Louis. For the good news, read on.

David Hammond wrote:In my search to approximate the flavor, I discovered that Five Guys Oak Park has bacon hot dogs (ketchup, hot sauce, jalapenos, grilled onions are available, and maybe mayo could stand in for crema), but the bacon is not twirled around the wiener prior to heating, which I have a feeling makes all the difference.

I've never been to Five Guys but would guess their hot dogs are quite different from these Mexican street dogs. I think stewing the dogs and—just as important—the onions and jalapeños in half an inch of bacon fat makes a significant difference.

David Hammond wrote:Wonder how they make the bacon stick to the sausage during cooking (toothpicks, some kind of edible adhesive substance?)...

If you look below at the enlargement of the dogs being cooked there don't seem to be any toothpicks (and I doubt any meat glues are used). The dogs are simply nestled together until their coat of bacon crisps up.



I stopped by 26th & St Louis yesterday for a dog but the cart was nowhere to be found. Also a week or two ago I noticed it was missing, though it was definitely present a week or two before that. I was worried that she might be gone for good but found that surprising because her business seemed to be going well.

Instead of a hot dog I got some really lousy tacos de canasta from another street cart. My visit wasn't a total waste though. I had some pretty good tamales de camaron (sort of like shrimp and grits in tubular form).



I also got to admire the mega-cow (mounted on a truck trailer) in front of Cremeria Santa Maria. I noticed the big bovine was sporting a new paint job (I preferred the natural look).



Wandering around after lunch I spotted a new awning on a yet-to-open fast food place (yawn).



On closer inspection I realized this was the new home of the hotdoguera from 26th and St Louis!



After years of working her street cart she has moved into a regular storefront. I couldn't be happier for her and wish her the best. I only hope that her signature hot dogs will be as good as ever once they move indoors. I'm told that Delicias Mexicanas will open next week.

Finally, here's an old shot of one of the bacon-wrapped beauties con todo.



Delicias Mexicanas
"Los Hot Dogs de la 26 y St Louis"
4148 W 26th St
Chicago
773-522-5009

Rene G wrote:

David Hammond wrote:In my search to approximate the flavor, I discovered that Five Guys Oak Park has bacon hot dogs (ketchup, hot sauce, jalapenos, grilled onions are available, and maybe mayo could stand in for crema), but the bacon is not twirled around the wiener prior to heating, which I have a feeling makes all the difference.

I've never been to Five Guys but would guess their hot dogs are quite different from these Mexican street dogs. I think stewing the dogs and—just as important—the onions and jalapeños in half an inch of bacon fat makes a significant difference.

Oh, no doubt, the Five Guys’ rendition is a feeble approximation of what looks to be an excellent-wiener-with-bacon concoction. You know, I saw MikeG’s heart broken at a recent media event when this lady who edits a food mag told him that bacon was pretty much over (that’s why Sky Full of Bacon is now Sky Full of Rainbow Chard). But this pork-belly-crusted-sausage proves powerfully, graphically, and I’m sure deliciously, that bacon is forever. It’s not a fad; it’s an enduring element of so many things that taste good. What is not enhanced, upgraded, made special by the addition of this always welcome accompaniment, counterpoint, one-thing-that's-needed-to-go-over-the-top? How could a hot dog not shine in the loving embrace of a bacon strip, become more of what it could be, realize its full potential, make we lovers of the dog even more happy as we revel in the excessiveness of it all, fat-on-fat, pig-on-pig perfection.

Rene G wrote:

David Hammond wrote:Wonder how they make the bacon stick to the sausage during cooking (toothpicks, some kind of edible adhesive substance?)...

If you look below at the enlargement of the dogs being cooked there don't seem to be any toothpicks (and I doubt any meat glues are used). The dogs are simply nestled together until their coat of bacon crisps up.

Yeah, I thought the toothpick notion was probably wrong, and such a step is, as you say, unnecessary as the bacon itself probably contains enough adhesive lard to hold it tight to whatever it’s wrapped around. Bacon loves almost everything, and almost everything loves bacon.

I believe this new location is the only brick-and-mortar location in Chicago for this wonderful sounding street creation, which currently I can taste only in my imagination.

Hey, Chicago Hot Dog. Yeah, you. You catsup-less aberration. Watch your ass!

The "Danger Dog" aka the "Bacon" or "Tijuana Bacon Dog" has been a staple on carts in Mexico and southern California for years. Made with an inexpensive hot dog, bacon, grilled onions, mustard, ketchup, lime mayo, and jalapenos, this beauty is illegal to vend from a "street cart" in the United States.

chicagostyledog wrote:The "Danger Dog" aka the "Bacon" or "Tijuana Bacon Dog" has been a staple on carts in Mexico and southern California for years. Made with an inexpensive hot dog, bacon, grilled onions, mustard, ketchup, lime mayo, and jalapenos, this beauty is illegal to vend from a "street cart" in the United States.

Since the hot dog biz is your area of expertise, you may be in a position to explain why.

Regards,

I remember a big to-do about this when I was in L.A. a couple of years ago. The health department there said that all street dogs had to be steamed or boiled, not griddled or grilled. That meant the end of the legal Mexican hot dog (aka "Danger Dog") vendor, though there is still a big underground market. Don't know how or if that regulation could be extended nationally though.

Street carts in most states are limited to heating pre-cooked, pre-packaged foods. Raw meat is illegal, which includes bacon. Hot holding temps must be at least 140 and the food must be covered. The LA bacon dog experience set the guidelines for the current Cal Code: hot dog carts must now have mechanical refrigeration, a pressurized water system for hand wash sinks, and a cart must be located within 100 feet of a county health department licensed restroom. Dogs can no longer be griddled or grilled and some health departments only allow steaming.

HI,

I had wondered about the national aspect, especially since this is usually regulated locally. I can see many regulators emulate how another community addresses a problem for a wave affect.

The woman on 26th Street's operation wasn't an open air push cart. It was an enclosed trailer similar to what you see at fairs and festivals. It might have had amenities like water and refrigeration.

Truthfully, I was too distracted by the opportunity to finally try one of these dogs to really pay attention to her trailer. I'm glad it wasn't one-time only, too.

Regards,

One week ago I wrote:I'm told that Delicias Mexicanas will open next week.

Just a quick update for anyone thinking of visiting. As of today it's still not open but it looks like it might any day now. The menu board is up and a hot dog con tocino is only $2, the same as the old street price.

Delicias Mexicanas opened on Saturday. The full menu (or close to it) should be available by Monday.











Dangerous knowledge: on weekends they're open 'til 6am and are almost a straight shot south on Pulaski from Weegee's.

Dangerously good pozole (rojo, verde and blanco) is served there on weekends as well.

And, damn, I love the dog as a quick unpretentious nosh...in a Papaya King sorta way.

How's the El Pastor "en su trompo"? I'm always interested in any place that has el pastor on the spit.

PIGMON wrote:Dangerously good pozole (rojo, verde and blanco) is served there on weekends as well.

stevez wrote:How's the El Pastor "en su trompo"? I'm always interested in any place that has el pastor on the spit.

There was no trompo (a meaty frustum) spinning on opening day. They said they hope to be serving the full menu by Monday (today).

At yesterday’s picnic, I spent a good amount of time talking to ReneG about the Mexican hot dog. So last night, I stayed up late reading and re-reading Bruce Kraig’s Hot Dog book, then dreaming of this marvelous wiener and getting psyched for a trip to Delicias Mexicanas today…but repeated calls yielded no answer, and I knew they just opened last Saturday, so I figured maybe they just decided not to open today (though they are a 7-day operation).

To satisfy my urge for a Mexican hot dog, I decided to see if I could create an ad hoc facsimile of the Sonoran sausage at Five Guys.

I ordered the bacon hot dog (about 4 bucks -- twice as much as at Delicias Mexicanas) with additional tomato, catsup, mustard, mayo, grilled onion and jalapenos. I realize this is not exactly what is served at every Mexican hot dog place in Tuscon, Sonora and L.A., but there seems as much variation in this wiener’s condimentation as there is at local dog stands when ordering a Chicago dog.



The main problem with this ad hoc rendition of the Mexican hot dog is that the ingredients seemed not to “fit” together. The tomato, onions and jalapenos sat like strangers on the bun, and the bun itself was a problem. The assembly procedure for a Five Guys menu item seems to involve breaking the bun in two and adding some condiments to each side; this is fine with a circular and flat hamburger, but with a cylindrical dog, it causes the bun to separate into halves, spilling everything everywhere. At Tuscon’s El Guero Canelo, which some consider ground zero in the US for the Sonoran hot dog, they use a cool boat-like bun that enables a dog to be inserted and condiments piled on without fear of structural failure. Plus, though the Five Guys sausage was griddled, it was split and, most problematic though not surprising, it was not enshrouded in pork belly before griddling, so no marriage of flavors there and no pool of pork fat to cook in. Basically, many of the necessary elements were present but there was no gestalt, no coming together of flavors to make a good sandwich.

I am not blaming Five Guys for trying their best here, but it just did not match my dreams. Tomorrow, I’m going to Delicias Mexicanas whether they answer their phone or not.

David Hammond wrote:…but repeated calls yielded no answer, and I knew they just opened last Saturday, so I figured maybe they just decided not to open today (though they are a 7-day operation).

A little before 5pm on Monday the place was locked up tight, no lights, nobody around, no note on the door. I have no idea what's going on.

I stopped by Delicias Mexicanas today and found out they were closed yesterday because they needed time "to get organized."

I had the Mexican hot dog, of course.



I must say, I was disappointed. The weiner, though brown from the grill, did not seem to have the beautiful caramel-like appearance of the street cart version, pix of which ReneG provides, probably because the restaurant versions have not been sitting in bacon grease for hours. That's a downside of going brick-and-mortar -- you lose the gritty goodness when you get all refined. Another possible problem resulting from the cart-to-restaurant transition is the availability of kitchen appliances that don't help; to wit, my hot dog bun was evidently fresh from the fridge, and the cook microwaved it to almost inedible pastiness and toughness. Not good.

However, I went around lunchtime, and it's possible that things are a little different and better in the evening. I talked to one of the servers about the cart owner, Blanca Diaz, and the following she has among the after-midnight crowd who provided her with lots of business at her old location and have followed her to the new place. I wonder if, during the early morning hours on a weekend, when I understand Blanca is sometimes cooking, if one can get a better rendition of the Mexican hot dog. So, in the interests of science, I'm considering a stop by DM on Sunday morning, sometime in the early AM, to see if the quality of the wieners improves when Dona Blanca is at the grill.

David "Or, Maybe I'm Just Really Hard to Please" Hammond

David Hammond wrote:David "Or, Maybe I'm Just Really Hard to Please" Hammond

Or maybe the "charm" of a Mexican hot dog is lost on those of us who grew up loving Chicago hot dogs. That's certainly true in my case.

David Hammond wrote:I must say, I was disappointed. The weiner, though brown from the grill, did not seem to have the beautiful caramel-like appearance of the street cart version, pix of which ReneG provides, probably because the restaurant versions have not been sitting in bacon grease for hours. That's a downside of going brick-and-mortar -- you lose the gritty goodness when you get all refined.

I was worried the hot dogs would change with the move but I thought the one I had at the restaurant on opening day was fairly close to the street version. That's a picture of the restaurant dog I posted above on September 13 (my August 29 post has a photo of a street dog eaten in May 2009).

The bacon on my restaurant dog seemed a bit crisper and the onions and peppers were somewhat less greasy. Both these differences might be explained by different equipment: the restaurant griddle is probably hotter than the one in the street cart. Neither change is necessarily bad though the onions fried in bacon fat are, to me, the most important component (and the bacon fat is an important component of the onions). From your photo it looks like your dog was deficient in this critical ingredient. Here's another shot of an opening day restaurant dog that shows the onions in all their glory.



I have a feeling that preparing these dogs properly isn't as simple as it might appear. I hope Delicias Mexicanas will become consistent soon. I'll be very curious to hear if your late night experience is any better.

Rene G wrote:

David Hammond wrote:The bacon on my restaurant dog seemed a bit crisper and the onions and peppers were somewhat less greasy. Both these differences might be explained by different equipment: the restaurant griddle is probably hotter than the one in the street cart. Neither change is necessarily bad though the onions fried in bacon fat are, to me, the most important component (and the bacon fat is an important component of the onions). From your photo it looks like your dog was deficient in this critical ingredient. Here's another shot of an opening day restaurant dog that shows the onions in all their glory.

Definitely. It almost looked to me like the bacon was partially cooked and then wrapped around the sausage. It wouldn't surprise me if the dog itself had been wrapped and griddled earlier and just re-heated when I ordered. You're correct: my onions were not griddled and neither was the jalapeno. My sense is that I had the "B team" behind the grill; I'd love to be there when Blanco is there just to see if she does the dog old school style...

I ordered a taco al pastor, and the meat was certainly simply reheated. Not very good.

After throwing back a few fancy cocktails at Mercadita (recommended: parete, a combo of mescal and black tea), The Wife and I blew on down to Delicias Mexicanas to test my theory that the hot dog con tocino might be better at night.



I don’t know if I proved anything, but this was one wonderful wiener. It is almost like the Mexican hot dog I had yesterday was prepared at a different restaurant. Tonight, the bun was soft yet not fall-apart, and every single item in the bun was at about the same, warm, flavor-mingling temperature. The hot dog and bacon became one, wrapped in a sweaty embrace, juicy under a squiggle blanket of mayo. Catsup has never been shown off to more advantage, playing off the crunchy sweetness of the griddled onions, complementing the sourness of the mustard, set in relief by the heat of the jalapenos, pickled and fresh. Chunks of tomato added perk and moisture, though the lush griddle grease ensured there was no way this sandwich would yield a dry bite -- the oily matrix also helped all the flavors merge, integrating them in a way that is hard to achieve with the Chicago Dog. This is a fabulous snack; the best two bucks I’ve spent in a real long time.

Tonight, they had a rack of bacon-shrouded sausages, along with peppers, staying warm in an aluminum-foil lined pan, just like the street version posted by ReneG above. Is this a night time thing and not a day time thing? Are the dogs going to be running better after dark? I don't know. It could be a luck-of-the-draw thing. During my survey of tacos al pastor, it seemed like sometimes I just happened upon them at the right moment; it's hard to guess when that right time is. Incidentally, tonight I also had a taco al pastor, cut from the fustrum, also way better than yesterday's lunchtime version.

Odd moment: eating my dog, I glanced up to see a guy I saw there yesterday at lunch; we smiled in mutual recognition of our shared interest in Mexican hot dogs.

After eating, The Wife acted as translator as I got the backstory on Blanca Diaz.



To be continued...

On a south side trip I stopped in at Restaurante Delicias Mexicanas for a Sonoran hot dog (hot dog con tocino). I am not a connoisseur of Chicago hot dogs, finding it generally difficult to distinguish one from another, but the Sonoran hot dog awakened me to the power of accessorizing. Eating it brought back the thrill of first discovering a bacon cheeseburger at A&W in the late 1950s. Not a daily treat, but a treat none the less. Even the most convention preparation can benefit from some global rethinking - ketchup, no celery salt. Who would have thought?

I don't know how I missed this thread earlier & while I like hot dogs(yes, the veggie kind) I was never a big fan of bacon. This looks really, special.

I think I may try a veggie version of this at home. It probably won't be until next year, but this did intrigue me.

Hot Dog con Tocino, endorsed by David Hammond in the Chicago Reader.

Just posted on on RIA:

"The big addition to Big Star is the Sonoran hot dog, a bacon-wrapped all-beef sensation stuffed into a toasted Mexican bolillo roll with mayonnaise, yellow mustard, jalapeño sauce, pinto beans, onions and tomatoes."

David Hammond wrote:Just posted on on RIA:

"The big addition to Big Star is the Sonoran hot dog, a bacon-wrapped all-beef sensation stuffed into a toasted Mexican bolillo roll with mayonnaise, yellow mustard, jalapeño sauce, pinto beans, onions and tomatoes."

Not surprisingly, Big Star's Sonoran hot dog ($6) is quite different than the hot dog at Delicias Mexicanas ("Acapulco style").



This one is deep fried to crispness and served in a very crusty bolillo. They add beans (perfectly prepared, by the way) but forego sautéed onions. Strikingly different taste profiles. Both are good.

Big Star
1531 N Damen Av
Chicago
773-235-4039

PIGMON wrote:Dangerously good pozole (rojo, verde and blanco) is served there on weekends as well.

While the beauty of Delicias Mexicanas Mexican Hot Dog eludes me I very much enjoyed the pozole, both red and green.

Delicias Mexicanas Mexican Hot Dog



Posole



Pork in the posole was particularly fatty that day, almost too fatty to eat, but lent the broth a mouth sticky rich feel I really dug. Meltingly tender pork skin contributed to mouth-coating richness/unctuousness. I'm sure they are using industrial pork but it tasted really good, almost sweet, very rich pork.

Posole



Posole served with radish, chicharron, lettuce, lime, onion, avocado.



Kicker is queso blanco, slight tang but young enough that it gets creamy gooey and starts to dissolve when torn and placed in the piping hot pozole.



While the Mexican Hot Dog may grow on me over time, Delicias Mexicanas posole will insure my return.

Enjoy,
Gary

Delicias Mexicanas Restaurant
4148 W 26th St
Chicago, IL 60623
773-522-5009

David Hammond wrote:I stopped by Delicias Mexicanas today and found out they were closed yesterday because they needed time "to get organized."

I had the Mexican hot dog, of course.



I must say, I was disappointed. The weiner, though brown from the grill, did not seem to have the beautiful caramel-like appearance of the street cart version,

I had one of these dogs yesterday, the last stop on a 26th street food crawl.

It was ok, toppings worked, so did the squishy bun. Bacon wasnt really crisp, and the dog was luke warm. By the taste of the dog I am guessing they are using a cheapo pork, or filler dog. Surprisingly it worked as a quality beef dog might be too much of the star.

Yesterdays dog was better than the over the top Big Star version(quality sure, but just not right imo.), but not as good as the sonoran style dogs I make at home. The price was right, $2.50 if I rememeber correctly. Since I am now hitting Troha's weekly I can see going back across the street for another attempt at their dog.

While on a mini lunch crawl with a friend yesterday, we were leaving Troha's and noticed Delicias Mexicanas across the street. We decided to call an audible and split a Mexican hot dog. Big mistake.

This dog was a piece of garbage compared to every other version I've had, including the much-maligned attempt from Big Star and this beauty from a street cart in Tucson. Delicias Mexicanas used what appeared to be the cheapest possible, lowest quality hot dog, wrapped in crappy, soggy bacon, dropped into the cheapest possible bun they could find, and then topped with a jumble of condiments that don't play well together.

Delicias Mexicanas - Will not repeat.
--Rich

A few weeks ago we stumbled on a place making hot dogs con tocino with natural casing Vienna Beef wieners. Paco's has taken over the space on Kedzie near 51st once occupied by the excellent La Placita de Durango (now in larger quarters at 2423 W 51st).







The dogs are wrapped and griddled to order then dressed with crema, fresh onions and tomatoes, ketchup and mustard. Unfortunately, even with a superior sausage, all the ingredients don't come together at all. I almost hate to admit it but I'd much prefer one of Delicias Mexicanas' low-grade franks stewed in bacon fat with onions and jalapeños (a recent example pictured below).



Paco's makes fresh-cut fries, reportedly has good burgers and serves ice cream from The Chocolate Shoppe so it could well be worth another visit.

Paco's Hot Dogs & Ice Cream
5141 S Kedzie Av
Chicago
773-925-1000

Delicias Mexicanas
4148 W 26th St
Chicago
773-522-5009

Every time I'm in Tucson, I find a daily excuse to get a Sonoran hot dog, love 'em !

I knew that the hot dog at Mexican Delicias did not come with beans (thanks to this thread) but was excited anyways to try something what I thought would be close to the beloved Sonoran dog.

Sadly this was not the case. I was fortunate enough to get a dog w/some nice crisp bacon but the whole thing just didn't come close to the umami flavor I love about the Sonoran dog.

If I'm in the area, I'll prob go back but in no way is Delicias Mexicanas worth a special trip IMO.

Delicias Mexicanas
4148 W 26th St
Chicago
773-522-5009

Sweet Willie wrote:I knew that the hot dog at Mexican Delicias did not come with beans (thanks to this thread) but was excited anyways to try something what I thought would be close to the beloved Sonoran dog.

Despite the word Sonoran being used a few times in this thread, I don't think Delicias Mexicanas would describe their hot dogs con tocino that way.



Acapulco style—whatever that means—is the term on their business card. I just don't want them to be accused of cutting corners on their hot dogs by leaving off the beans (check out the classic "cutting corners" thread if you're not familiar with it). It's been a while since I visited Delicias (and the hot dogs in the restaurant were never quite up to those served on the sidewalk in front of Payless Shoes; also, I've never been to Tucson or Acapulco in case that matters to anyone).