On this page, I would like to show you how to make a traditional Danish Hotdog. You might ask yourself, what is a Danish hotdog and how is it different from the original American hotdog? This is the question I would like to answer here. I promise, this recipe for Danish hotdogs is fantastic and absolutely worth knowing. Read more to learn how to make a Danish hotdog.
Original hotdog
The original hotdog is from the United States but have over the years been spread across the entire world. Today, it is possible to purchase hotdogs all around the world. However, as the original hotdog has moved around the world its original recipe has been adapted to the locals preferences.
Read also: Healthy chocolate cake without sugar and flour
This is exactly what has happened to the Danish hotdog. When it first arrived to Denmark, it was like the American hotdog. However, over the years the original hotdog was transformed into the Danish hotdog as it is today. The original hotdog is a cooked sausage in a bun and topped with mustard - very simple to make but also very delicious.
The recipe for Danish hotdog does require a little more ingredients but is still quite easy to make. In the section below, I will answer the question, what is a Danish hotdog?
How to make a Danish Hotdog
So now the good question is - how to make a Danish hotdog? How is the Danish hotdog different from the original hotdog? The short answer to these questions are the toppings. As mentioned in the section above, the original American hotdog is typically made from three ingredients, hotdog bread, cooked sausage and mustard.
Also read: Recipe for easy Nordic Rye Bread
The recipe for Danish hotdog contains the same three ingredients but traditionally also a few extra. Besides mustard, we also like to add toppings like ketchup, French fried onions or raw finely chopped onions, slices of pickled cucumber and Danish remoulade. As said before, the Danish hotdog is all about the topping.
I am not sure how familiar some of these traditional toppings are to people outside Denmark - so let me try to shortly explain some of them.
Slices of pickled cucumber
Slices of pickled cucumber is a must when making a Danish hotdog. I guess this ingredient is quite clear to everybody. However, I will still make a short comment about this ingredient. Pickled cucumber is known around the world and are typically made from whole, semi-thick and short cucumbers.
The traditional Danish pickled cucumber is called Agurksalat and is made by slicing up a long cucumber into very thin slices. If you want to make the traditional Danish pickled cucumber, then I have a great recipe here on my food blog. You can find it by using the search field on the front page or clicking the link.
If you want to save a little time you can simply just use the whole pickled cucumber which you cut in thin slices.
French fried onions
A very traditional topping for a Danish hotdog is French fried onions. French fried onions are thin slices of onion, which have been deep-fried into small and super crisp pieces. In Denmark, you can purchase these fried onions in every supermarkets.
I am not sure how normal French fried onions are in the rest of the world. However, you can easily make a batch your own by frying small pieces of thinly sliced onions. A Danish hotdog is traditionally served with either French fried onions or finely chopped raw onions.
Danish remoulade
This final topping I would like to talk about is the Danish remoulade. I almost sure that you have never heard about Danish remoulade, if you are not a Dane or are not related to Denmark somehow. Remoulade is traditional Danish condiment and is almost only found in Denmark.
Read also: The best recipe for Danish Remoulade
Remoulade is mainly made from cabbage, pickled cucumber and mayonnaise. You can choose to serve your Danish hotdog with Remoulade or just decide to go for mustard and ketchup. If you are interested to make homemade Danish remoulade, then I have a simple recipe here on my blog.
Homemade hotdog bread
If you are interested in making some super delicious and homemade hotdog bread then I have a great recipe here on my blog. Follow the link or use the search field on the front page.
Hotdogs at Copenhagen Airport
In fact, we believe that the Danish hotdog is so good that one of the absolutely first pieces of food that you can buy, when you arrive in Denmark, is the Danish hotdog. When you arrive at Copenhagen Airport you will be able to purchase traditional Danish hotdogs from the Danish 'Pølsevogn' which directly translated means 'sausage wagon'.
This Pølsevogn or Sausage Wagon is located as one of the only food stands just next the baggage reclaim belts at the airport. Therefore, it is safe to say that a Danish hotdog is literally some of the first Danish food you can try when visiting Denmark.
When you are at the Pølsevogn make sure to grab a Cocio chocolate milk, which is traditionally served together with Danish hotdogs.
Recipe for Danish Hotdog
I this final section, I would like to shortly explain how to assemble the traditional Danish hotdog. You start by heating up the hotdog bread and then cut a deep groove where the sausage is going to be. In the groove, you place a pan cooked sausage.
Then you add ketchup, mustard and maybe some Danish remoulade.
Then add some finely chopped onions and maybe some French fried onions. Finish your Danish hotdog by adding thin slices of pickled cucumber.
Serve right away traditional with chocolate milk.
Ingredients
- 4 hotdog bread
- 4 pan fried sausages
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- French fried onions, optional
- pickled cucumber, thinly slices
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Danish remoulade (optional)
Instructions
- Heat up the hotdog bread and fry the sausages
- Cut a deep groove in the hotdog bread and place a sausage in groove.
- Add ketchup, mustard and some Danish Remoulade, as you prefer.
- Add finely chopped onions or some French fried onions.
- Finally, add thin slices of pickled cucumber.
Caitlin
Looks delicious! Here in America we don't typically put pickle slices on our hotdogs, but we do add relish (finely chopped pickles...both sweet and dill varieties). Fried onions are available here, but I never thought to put them on hotdogs! If you go to a baseball game or a barbeque, common toppings you'll find are mustards, ketchup, relish, finely chopped fresh onion, sometimes cheese and mayo, jalapeno slices (this can sometimes vary regionally). Each region in the US has their own favorites.
Kim Nielsen
It's really funny how a simple thing like a hotdog is so different around the world :-)
Greta
We traveled to Copenhagen this year from Pittsburgh and absolutely feel in love with Danish Dogs (polse)! We actually do through Chicago, so my husband could have 2 amazing hotdogs in one trip! Thank you for this recipe, although, doesn't the ketchup have a sweetness from having some applesauce added to it?
Anyway, I found your blog bc I'm making Danish and Chicago style hotdogs for my husband's 40th birthday party on Sunday.
Thank you for the recipes!
Kim Nielsen
Your are right, sometimes the ketchup is changed a little having a little sweetness. I happy that you like the recipe. :-)
Lynette MEYER
I’m unable to find the remoulade recipe. We really love it!
Kim Nielsen
I'm currently working on a recipe for remoulade. Currently it's not online on my blog yet.
Ana Maria
Oh please! i need this recipe! I loveit!
Alexandra
I don't like hot dogs, but I loved these dogs when I traveled to Copenhagen last month. I am set on trying to recreate this delicacy at home in the U.S., so thanks for the post***I wanted to let your viewers here in the states know, though, that the Danish fried onions are nothing like the French Fried Onions you can buy at the supermarket here, especially a well-known brand. The Danish ones are so much better, I think making homemade ones is the best option for us--or traveling to Denmark!!! Thanks again!
Kim Nielsen
Hi. I happy that you like these Danish hotdog. I have never tried original french fried onions I just thought that they were the same. I didn't now. Then I have to make a recipe for original Danish fried onions. Thanks for letting me know :-)
M
The remoulade is similar to American slaw, which sometimes includes sweet pickle relish. A favorite hot dog relish is made from dill pickles sliced and jarred with a sweet pickle spiced brine. My MIL makes these for hot dogs, tuna salad, or just for an appetizer pickle tray these (sweet pickles, dill, dilly green beans, pickled beets, and sometimes pickled okra or asparagus). https://pin.it/rzpzxwv7qrqs4y
Im from North Carolina, where the Carolina Slaw dog reins supreme. White hot dog bun (https://pin.it/p2znqfku2fgxwv), a hot dog that’s also boiled or grilled. Then topped with yellow mustard, ketchup, hot dog chili, finely chopped onion,slaw, and often relish. This recipe includes homemade hot dog chili. https://pin.it/os3fcyt7idyx4j The dogs are also good without the slaw and relish —a chili dog. We also love chili and slaw on a cheese burger —white bread bun, burger, cheese, yellow mustard, ketchup, chili, and slaw.
Here’s the tuna salad —an American Southern favorite because it’s inexpensive and good to us. Great on crackers or toasted white bread. https://pin.it/klqhigv2sx3bix
Frank Paone
"i'm a U.S. citizen married to"a wonderful Danish lady (en dejligt Dansk pige) Vibeke". I've known and loved Danish hotdogs since i first worked and lived in DK back in' 69 and '70.
A couple points on polser. in my opinion, Steff Holberg is far superior to other brands such as Tulip. My favorite sausage is a grilled ,Frankfurter, previously known by other Danish names such as "Long John", Super Borge or knaek." I would suggest ordering one sausage with a bun and mustard only (et brod og kun sennep). Don't add ketchup or anything else. This way you will be able to savor the full flavor of the sausage. You just cannot get this kind of sausage (and many other types of Danish sausage) in The States. One other thing. Take a look at the sausages on the grill. If you see that the sausages look "wrinkled" or the skin is split, these have been keeping warm on the grill for too long. So, as much as you may want to try one, take a pass in this case.
By the by, if you are in Denmark long enough. Make sure to try all the types of sausage at the Polservogn including Medister, and red hot dog with onion (rod polser med log). Enjoy!
Peter
Mange tak du er helt rigtig. Only a Dane would know how it's suppose to be.
Bonnie Trevor
Great stuff
Peter Breede
En rigtig dansk roed poelse er ik som det er here It is a basic red dog with only mustard with a small bread role on the side . Finger food.
sh
what hot dog here in the states is most like the danish red ones
(color notwithstanding)
DB
I am looking for this too. I once had a Weiner (Vienna style vs Frankfurter style) brand I bought at Grand Central Market in NYC that tasted exactly right but I cannot remember it. Does anyone know a brand here that is close?
Ben de Bruin
This recipe is exactly how I ate my first Danish hotdog in Copenhagen in 1970. The toppings even inspired me to use it with other meats on plain bread.
Having a Danish girlfriend now, I’m lucky to visit Denmark regularly, and I agree with Frank Paone above, about the Steff Houlberg brand.
BTW: Fried onions are available in several European and Asian countries .
Thanks for sharing all these wonderful recipes!