A danger dog is a
hot dog that has been wrapped in
bacon and
deep-fried. It is served on a
hot dog bun with various toppings. Also known as a bacon-wrapped hot dog, it was first sold by
street vendors in Mexico. Its origin has been placed in either
Tijuana[1] or
Hermosillo,[2] where it was originally served in a
bolillo instead of a hot dog bun. These dogs are sold from carts that are ubiquitous along Avenida Revolución and the area surrounding the border in Tijuana, as well as the bar district in Ensenada.
The name "danger dog" comes from the perceived lack of
food safety precautions taken by the street vendors who sell them, many of which are unlicensed and lack refrigeration.[3]
Sonoran dogs are now sold by street vendors and in restaurants and sporting venues in urban areas in the United States such as San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City.[4][5][6]
The term "sonoran dog" originates from this form of hot dog's origins in the
Sonoran region of Mexico.[7]
Francheezie
In
Chicago, there is a variation of the danger dog called the francheezie. This is an all-beef hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep fried, with melted
Cheddar or
American cheese (or
Velveeta). Usually the hot dog is split and filled with cheese before being deep fried. Alternatively, the cheese may be added as a topping after frying. The francheezie is served on a bun. It is typically sold by restaurants rather than street vendors.[8][9][10][11][12]
A francheezie, with cole slaw and a potato pancake
A francheezie with a side of fries; the cheese is on top instead of inside
In
Los Angeles, the danger dog is known as the bacon-wrapped hot dog. Vendors can be found cooking them on a stainless-steel baking tray over
Sterno heat sources outside of bars, concerts, sporting events, and other late night establishments. The bacon-wrapped usually consists of a bacon-wrapped hot dog, grilled onions, bell peppers, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and grilled
jalapeño peppers.[13][14][15][16] After a public campaign in 2010, the L.A. City Council proclaimed the bacon-wrapped to be the official hot dog of Los Angeles.[17]
A bacon-wrapped
Bacon-wrapped hot dog vendor in Los Angeles
Jersey breakfast dog
In
New Jersey and elsewhere on the East Coast, there is a variation called the Jersey breakfast dog. This is a bacon-wrapped, deep-fried hot dog with melted cheese, on top of a
fried or
scrambled egg.[18][19][20]
Mission dog
In
San Francisco, the bacon-wrapped hot dog is also called a Mission dog after the
Mission District, the area of the city where it was originally sold. It is typically served with grilled onions, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, and jalapeños.[21][22][23]
Texas Tommy
The
Texas Tommy is found in
Philadelphia and elsewhere in eastern Pennsylvania. Like a francheezie, it is a hot dog that is split and filled with cheese before being wrapped with bacon. The Texas Tommy can be either deep-fried, broiled, or grilled.[24][25]
^Lovett, Ian (December 3, 2013).
"Food Carts in Los Angeles Come Out of the Shadows", New York Times. Retrieved December 6, 2013. "But despite the ubiquity of “danger dogs,” the bacon-wrapped hot dogs that sizzle on sidewalk griddles outside Lakers games and concert venues, almost all street vending has remained entirely illegal here."
^Hillibish, Jim (November 10, 2009).
"Easy Recipe: Texas Tommy". Milford Daily News. Archived from
the original on January 15, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2015.