Chicago Hot Dog-Style Meatloaf Recipe

Classic dishes can always use a reboot, and meatloaf is a prime candidate for your culinary creativity. Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins shares this Chicago hot dog-style meatloaf recipe that is sure to satisfy all sorts of cravings you didn't know you had. "I love an overly topped hot dog," she shares and describes, "Chicago-style dogs are especially endearing, with all those pickled goods," like the sweet pickle relish and spicy sport peppers. She went ahead and took those qualities and transferred them into meatloaf. "It was surprisingly silly how well this mash-up worked (pickled goodies topped on a meatloaf), wet-nap still advised," Watkins raves.

Aside from the flavor profile veering into Chicago hot dog territory, Watkins also uses hot dog buns in the meatloaf mixture as a binder, yet another homage to the beloved dog. Leftovers lead to all sorts of meal variations, and Watkins recommends using this to make a meatloaf Parmesan sandwich (minus the pickles). "If you'd like to keep the pickled toppers, opt for a fun remix on Chicago's second famous food-stuff, the hot roast beef sando," she recommends. Really, the options are endless with these savory meatloaf as a foundation.

For this recipe, you'll need toasted hot dog buns, beaten eggs, half and half, salt, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, black pepper, tomato paste, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, allspice, ground beef, and ground pork. To garnish and serve, use dill pickle relish, Campari or Roma tomatoes (sliced), dill pickle spears, sport peppers or pepperoncini peppers, sliced white onion, fresh parsley leaves, and celery seeds.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a large loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly spritz with cooking spray. Set aside.

Crumble the toasted hot dog buns into a large bowl.

Add the eggs, half and half, 1 teaspoon salt, dried garlic, dried onion, and black pepper to the bowl. Stir to combine with the crumbled buns and set aside to soak for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the tomato paste, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and allspice in a small saucepan.

Whisk to combine the sauce and bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, and then set aside.

Place both the ground beef and pork in the bowl with the meatloaf mix and fold until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and firmly press into the bottom and sides of the pan. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour.

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and top with the sauce, spreading out evenly to cover.

Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F.

Remove the meatloaf from the oven, carefully lift the meatloaf out of the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool, about 10 minutes.

Slice the meatloaf, divide between plates, and top each serving with relish, tomato slices, pickle spears, peppers, and onion. Sprinkle with parsley and a small pinch of celery seeds before serving.

If you've never had a Chicago hot dog, then you might not be familiar with its defining elements. However, once you do you'll reminisce over the combination of flavors to no end. At least that's what inspired Watkins to create this meatloaf dish. "Aside from the classic hot dog toppers; sport peppers, relish, tomato slices, pickle spears, raw onions ... I really put some thought into how to get that essence of Chi-town into this meatloaf," she describes. Ultimately, she realized, "That manifested in the meatloaf's tomato glaze." 

A Chicago hot dog has plenty of juiciness and pickled flavors that all come together with the bun, meat, and condiments. "So, I wanted a glaze that was more tart and tangy, than sweet," she notes, which she achieved by "Using a hearty amount of yellow mustard, vinegar, and savory spices and using tomato paste (instead of ketchup) with just a hint of brown sugar for balance." Of course, meatloaf and a hot dog are a different sensory experience, so she notes, "I felt the need to double down on those flavors to really make an impact." 

This recipe features a pleasant contrast of meaty and pickled flavors, and Watkins notes, "The classics work well with this super-charged meatloaf." Of course, that will vary based on your preference and what you're accustomed to serving with a traditional meatloaf. Watkins shares, "I paired my personal favorites: green beans and mashed potatoes. A day later, I added some mac and cheese to party." Starchy vegetables like peas and corn would work well here, or a buttery rice or rice salad. 

Meanwhile, Watkins also suggests, "Neutral-like and richer sides, that will marry well with the savory-tangy flavors the meatloaf." Mashed potatoes are an easy win to match with this classic dish, or you could even serve fries if you want to play up the hot dog concept. If you're all about the tangy notes, dole out some sauerkraut to pair with this meaty main. And, if you'd like some greenery with your hearty meatloaf, consider a simple, leafy salad with vinaigrette to contrast nicely against all of that decked-out meaty goodness.

Using toasted hot dog buns as a binder is part of the fun of this inspired mashup. "I always seem to have an excess of hot dog buns (one day they will make a package of buns match the package of hot dogs — I wish), so this was an easy addition for me," Watkins remarks. That said, if you don't have any on hand but still want to play with the overall flavors of this recipe she says, "Feel free to use toasted white bread/potato bread slices as a substitute (2-3 classic slices should do the trick, you want about ⅔ to ¾ cup of crumbs)."  

Experiment with switching up the other ingredients too. "I chose the combo of ground beef and pork, to mimic the two most popular hot dog styles," Watkins explains, but notes that 100% beef or ground turkey work well too. She adds, "Some folks prefer the trio of beef, pork, and veal in their meatloaf mix (my grocer sells that ground trio specifically for meatloaves). That's all good too!" Meanwhile, the toppings are especially evocative of a Chicago hot dog but Watkins concedes they might be tricky to find outside of Chicago. This is the case for sport peppers, so she recommends, "Pepperoncini will work well as would piparras peppers." You can also tone down the glaze by using ketchup instead of tomato paste for a bit more sweetness.