One of the best things about perros calientes is that they are so customizable. While mine is incomplete without papitas, that might not be someone else’s jam. Latin America has some of the most creative and amazing hot dogs, with some even hiding la salchicha beneath a mountain of toppings.
Because it’s National Hot Dog Day, we’re looking at the amazing hot dogs Latin America gave us.
1
Venezuela
White cabbage, sometimes carrots, chopped onions, shredded cheese are just a few of the ingredients included. Check out Mama Contemporanea’s recipe here, or watch one guy put on all the sauces in the video below.
2
Colombia
Let Ingrid Hoffman guide you through this hot dog recipe. The pineapple sauce, she said, is what makes them different.
3
Guatemala
Here, they are called shukos. And other than the traditional ketchup, mayo, and mustard, there’s also coleslaw, chirmol, and avocados.
4
Chile
In Chile, el completo has palta (also known as aguacate), tomatoes, mayo, and ketchup and/or mustard.
5
Mexico
Hot dogs estilo Sonora start off with a bigger, slightly sweet bread. The sausage is also wrapped in bacon.
6
Brazil
Cachorro quentes come with ground beef, but can also include things like corn, carrots, and probably anything else you want.
7
Uruguay
Pancho, as it’s also called in Argentina and Peru, comes with a salchicha that’s larger than the bun.
8
Ecuador
Ecuadorians cook their hotdogs in a baño maria: water that can contain anything from garlic, parsley, and onions to ketchup and mustard. In fact, the baño maria sauce recipe is a tightly guarded secret, with each hot dog cart/stand refining their own special sauce recipe. Once the dogs are bañados, they’re topped with the classics (ketchup/mustard/mayo) AND Ecuador’s own salsa verde and aji.
9
Salchipapas
Peruvians skip the bun altogether for salchipapas, chopped up hot dogs stir-fried with french fries. Sounds deceptively simple, and yet the most ñom.