Michigan Hot Dog

Montreal·Medium·20 min

A steamé or toasté hot dog smothered in a rich, meaty tomato-based chili sauce, with mustard and chopped onions. A heartier cousin to the plain Montreal steamé, a beloved Montreal diner staple also ladled onto poutine.

The Montreal Michigan hot dog is a beloved diner staple, a heartier cousin to the plain steamé. A steamé or toasté hot dog is smothered in a rich, meaty tomato-based chili sauce (the Michigan sauce), with mustard and chopped onions. Though the name nods to Plattsburgh, New York, the Montreal Michigan is its own thing, found on real menus at Montreal Station Hot Dog, Greenspot and others, and also ladled onto poutine. It is part of the dense Montreal hot-dog subculture.

A soft bun and dog buried under a rich, savory, slightly sweet meat sauce, the mustard and onion cutting through, the sauce soaking into the bun. Eaten messy and hot, it is hearty, savory and a fuller meal than a plain dog.

The Michigan sauce is a ground-beef-and-tomato chili, simmered until thick and savoury, distinct from a Texas chili in being milder and sweeter and closer to a meat sauce. It is ladled hot over the assembled dog (steamé or toasté), soaking the bun. The mustard and raw onion go on first, under the sauce, so their sharpness cuts through the rich meat. The sauce is made in bulk and held warm all day at the diner.

Variations

A spicier version adds chili flakes. Some ladle the sauce onto poutine instead of a dog.

On the Palate

Where Michigan Hot Dog sits in the Canadian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 6

How it's made

6 steps · 20 min

1
8 min
Brown 400g ground beef in a pot; add 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves garlic; fry 5 minutes.
2
20 min
Add 400g canned crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp each of salt, sugar, pepper and mustard; simmer 40 minutes until thick.
Watch out
Simmer the Michigan sauce down until it's thick enough to mound on the dog — too loose and it runs off and turns the bun to mush.
3
6 min
Steam or grill 6 hot dogs and warm the buns.
4
4 min
Spread mustard and chopped onion in each bun; add a dog.
Watch out
Put mustard and raw onion under the sauce, not on top — their sharpness needs to cut up through the rich meat from below.
5
4 min
Ladle the hot Michigan sauce generously over each dog.
6
2 min
Serve immediately, messy and hot.

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Bamboo Steamer

Stacked bamboo baskets, 20-30 cm across, with woven lattice bottoms and a domed lid. Set over boiling water in a wok, the bamboo absorbs excess condensation so droplets never fall back onto the food — that's why xiaolongbao stay glossy and dumplings don't go soggy. Multiple tiers let dim-sum kitchens steam four or five different items in one stack on the same flame.

Techniques

Steaming Simmering