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How Do I Choose the Best Hot Dog Relish?

K. K. Lowen
K. K. Lowen

Choosing hot dog relish can be as simple as selecting the type you like best, but it could involve the consideration of other factors such as ingredients and taste preferences of your guests. If other people will be eating the relish, thinking about what they like may be necessary. There are several different types of relish and also different types of hot dogs, and some relishes and hot dogs may taste better together than others. Some types of relish to consider include sweet and dill pickle relish, spicy relish, and homemade relish.

Dill relish and sweet relish are two very common forms of hot dog relish. Typically inexpensive, these pickle relishes may be sufficient to suit many tastes. If serving hot dogs to a large number of people, it may be wise to purchase both types so that guests or family members can choose the kind they like best.

Hot dogs.
Hot dogs.

Many people also may enjoy a spicy hot dog relish. Some people, even if they do not enjoy spicy condiments, may keep a spicy hot dog relish on hand for others to enjoy. Determining how spicy the relish should be is a major consideration when buying this type. Some hot dog relishes could have relatively mild spices that add a little kick, but others are intensely hot, appealing only to a select few people.

Pickle relishes are quite popular with hot dogs.
Pickle relishes are quite popular with hot dogs.

Pickle relishes are quite common, but many other types of relishes may be perfect for hot dogs. Relishes made from artichoke, zucchini, onion, tomato, and a variety of peppers are quite common. Think about what you or your guests may enjoy the most. It may be a good idea to try out different types of relish on hot dogs to determine what kinds are most appealing to you.

Depending on your taste, zucchini relish may be perfect on a hot dog.
Depending on your taste, zucchini relish may be perfect on a hot dog.

The best hot dog relish for some people may be homemade. If you choose to make relish at home, you can search for recipes with ingredients and spices that suit your personal taste. People also can experiment with relish in the kitchen, adding new ingredients or excluding certain ingredients to achieve a particular taste or texture.

Different types of hot dogs are available at most grocery stores, and some relishes may be better suited for certain kinds of hot dogs than others. It may be an intelligent course of action to read some cookbooks or do research on Internet recipe sites to find common hot dog and relish combinations. If time and budget allows, however, trying out combinations yourself can be very useful.

For some people, the hot dog relish that costs the least may be the best choice. Relish for hot dogs may be purchased at a lesser cost if bought in bulk. Other people may want hot dog relish made in a certain way, including no preservatives, low sodium, kosher, certified organic, or a condiment that meets their dietary requirements. Purchasing any of these special relishes may cost more than regular sweet or dill pickle relish.

Discussion Comments

Rotergirl

It's also super easy to make your own relish. Just buy either sweet or dill gherkins, chop them and add the condiment of choice. One thing my mom loves is sweet-hot relish. I get sweet pickles or bread-and-butter pickles and chop them, then put them in a jar with half of their juice and half dill pickle juice and a couple of hot peppers, along with a clove of garlic and some mustard seed. In a couple of days, it's perfect sweet-hot relish. I also usually add some chopped onion to the relish mix.

There are dozens of recipes for making relish. Some call it chow-chow and some piccalilli, but it's all relish of one kind or another, and most of it is good on hot dogs.

Pippinwhite

My husband likes sweet relish, but I prefer dill or mustard relish. In fact, my preferred hot dog has ketchup, mustard relish, sauerkraut, onions and chili. Sophisticated, it is not.

Most relish, in fact, falls into the sweet or hot/sour category. I almost always prefer hot. I like a little spice on my hot dog. Hot pickle mix is good on hot dogs, in my opinion.

The hubs mixes a little mustard with his sweet relish and calls it perfect. I like to mix a little chili sauce with my mustard relish for a perfect bite. It all comes down to personal preference.

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    • Hot dogs.
      By: Natika
      Hot dogs.
    • Pickle relishes are quite popular with hot dogs.
      By: Brent Hofacker
      Pickle relishes are quite popular with hot dogs.
    • Depending on your taste, zucchini relish may be perfect on a hot dog.
      Depending on your taste, zucchini relish may be perfect on a hot dog.