Growing up, my dad used to take me to Tommy's Red Hots in suburban Crystal Lake for the two hot dog special. I've spent the rest of my life trying to enjoy food as much as I liked wolfing down those dogs with fries and a Mountain Dew. I know nostalgia plays a role in this obsession, but a great Chicago-style hot dog also offers a balance of taste, texture, and color that some pretty good restaurants I know would be incredibly lucky to hit on their best day.
Mark's classes, both the original"Art of the Cart" I was attending and a newer"Hot Dog Stand" class, take place weekly in Chicago and occasionally in Los Angeles. Class sizes range from two to six, and include a mix of Chicago locals, Koreans, Romanians, and even Germans. So, the question that you've been wondering and that I've been asked 600 times: what did I actually learn at Hot Dog University? More details than I ever thought possible.
The number of hot dogs per pound determines how each is labeled. So if there are six to a pound, then it's listed as a 6:1. Large 4:1 skinless franks seem like a good idea and profit driver, but the toppings start to fall off and the bun isn't particularly up to the task.