For The Best Chicago-Style Hot Dogs, Don't Skimp On This Seasoning

A Chicago-style hot dog has multiple components that are necessary to make it authentic. There's the all-beef hot dog and the poppy seed bun, to start with. Then, there are the toppings: The yellow mustard, the chopped onion, the bright green relish, the jumbo dill pickle, the sport peppers, and the tomato slices (and, sadly for ketchup lovers, you will never see ketchup on a Chicago dog). And while all of these things already make for a loaded hot dog, a true Chicago-style dog is still not complete until a specific seasoning is added: celery salt. Celery salt — which is made, fittingly, with crushed celery seeds and salt — is the final touch on a Chicago dog, adding a mildly peppery and herbal-like saltiness to it.

The Chicago-style hot dog originated during the Great Depression — all of the toppings were added to the dog so that individuals could get enough calories and have something filling for cheap. The iconic dish may have started at Fluky's, a Chicago hot dog stand that is no longer in business (but claims to have invented the Chicago dog in 1929), which called it the "Depression Sandwich."

As for how celery salt ended up on the hot dog, it was likely added because celery salt is often used to accentuate the flavor of tomatoes, according to food historian Bruce Kraig, who spoke with WGN9. And now, it's impossible to imagine a Chicago dog without the sprinkle of celery salt.

If you're going to buy celery salt to make homemade Chicago-style hot dogs, you're probably wondering what else you can use it for. If you're willing to experiment, you'll be happy to know that there are plenty of uses for it — in fact, it's the flavored salt that Emeril Lagasse uses in almost everything, including fried chicken and Bloody Mary cocktails. Celery salt is actually a common ingredient for Bloody Marys — which makes sense, given that, as we know, it helps emphasize all of the tasty elements of tomatoes. It's included in the Daily Meal recipe for a spicy Bloody Mary, if you want to give it a try.

And speaking of tomatoes, any recipes featuring them may give you an opportunity to use up that celery salt. You can try sprinkling it over the tomatoes in a classic BLT, mixing it into a tomato-based pasta sauce, or adding it to a cheesy tomato and zucchini casserole.

As for a few non-tomato ideas, you can use celery salt to season burgers, fries, or, like Lagasse does, fried chicken. We also include celery salt (or celery seeds) in our list of unexpected ingredients you should put in a tuna salad, for a grassy, herbal taste with a kick of salt. Or, similarly, try mixing it into chicken, potato, or egg salad. Whatever you make, you can pair it with a celery salt-infused Bloody Mary.