Hotdogs are cured and cooked sausages that consist of pork, beef, chicken, and turkey, or a combination of meat and poultry. Although, often people wonder: Is ketchup an acceptable condiment to put on hotdogs? Over the years, there has been lots of controversy over the answer to this question. However, it is no surprise that controversy would surround this fare. Around 20 billion hotdogs are consumed by Americans each year, making them a very popular food item. Today, I will be telling you exactly why ketchup really doesn’t belong on them.
This controversy is especially popular in Chicago. The classic Chicago hotdog includes mustard, relish, raw onions, a pickle spear, tomatoes, celery salt, all on a poppy seed bun. This, as you may be able to tell, doesn’t contain ketchup. Even when former president Barack Obama (who has lived in Chicago) was asked about whether or not ketchup was acceptable on hotdogs, he said, “It’s not acceptable past the age of eight.” In fact, the majority of those from Chicago say that ketchup doesn’t belong on hotdogs. Their reasoning is generally along the lines that the sweetness clashes with other hotdog condiments, or that it overpowers the other condiments.
Credit: Price Chopper
However, this argument doesn’t only lie in Chicago, Illinois. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council blatantly stated to not “use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18.” In other words, ketchup on hotdogs is only acceptable for children, and those who are adults should ditch the ketchup.
Here at Green Level High School, I interviewed those who agree that ketchup doesn’t necessarily belong on hotdogs to figure out why people believe this. The AP English Literature and Leadership in Media teacher at Green Level, Mr. Kesterson, explained, “I prefer to have mustard over ketchup on my hotdogs because mustard has less tang and ketchup is much more sweet, making it contrast with the hotdog.” So, even if some people are okay with the idea of ketchup on their hotdog, those like Mr. Kesterson have a preference for another condiment, like mustard, because of the sweetness of the ketchup.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to preference, but there are several sources that agree that ketchup is unacceptable on hotdogs. If you are unsure about if you should make the switch, try out a different condiment on your hotdog and see how you feel.
