What The Heck Is A Rhode Island Hot Wiener?

Hot dogs are an American staple, and while the world has unique ways to make awesome dogs, nothing beats native variations. Some are a bit unique, like the toppings that make Chicago's variety taste different or the unusual ingredient that tops Philadelphia-style dogs – fish cakes. But don't overlook Rhode Island, home to the hot wiener, a delight topped with a cooked meat sauce and other accouterments. 

A mixture of beef, pork, and veal make up the wiener that locals recommend you order "all the way." This means it's topped with onions, yellow mustard, celery salt, and that special meat sauce.

Many believe the meat sauce is what puts it over the edge. Picture a thick chili-like topping, piled high with shiny, cooked onions. The actual recipes for the secret sauce are so safeguarded that only hot wiener joint owners know them. There are a few clues though. Many recipes recommend using lean meat, up to 80% lean beef, cooked with onions. Add a combination of seasonings like paprika, curry, cinnamon, allspice, and Worcestershire sauce to the meat. The sauce should simmer for up to an hour or until you reach your desired consistency. 

The Rhode Island signatures have been around for over 100 years — when "New York System" was a popular marketing term, and hot dogs were just breaking onto the fast food scene. So the story goes, the original location opened its doors in 1927. The Original New York System restaurant was founded by Augustus Pappas, an immigrant from Greece. In the late 1930s, relatives Nicolas and Anthony Stevens temporarily took over but eventually went on to open their own restaurant, the Olneyville New York System.

Today, most joints have "New York System" in the name, reflecting its origins. Most shops were founded by Greek immigrants, who left New York City and moved to Rhode Island. Many claim the dish is a copycat of the classic Coney Island hot dogs of New York. Often, area natives gulp down the classic hot wiener with a signature coffee milk, a sugary-sweet iced coffee syrup mixed with milk, coined the official state drink in 1993. 

When you walk into a Rhode Island hot wiener establishment, you'll see a chef "up the arm" with dogs. This is a reflection of customers ordering multiple wieners at a time, for their size and price. As of publication, Baba's Original New York System sells each wiener for $3.25. At Olyneyville, you can get one delivered by Grubhub for $3.99. The chefs work fast to meet the demand, handling multiple buns and wieners on their forearms for quick topping distribution.