Bacon, Beans and Bolillos – The Hot Dog of Arizona
One of the greatest things about traveling or living somewhere else is the chance to try new things. Even something as American as a hot dog can take on a new dimension when it crosses the border and comes back again. Such is the case with the Sonoran Dog.
Commonly found in south Arizona (specifically Tucson), these hot dogs are wrapped in bacon, covered with pinto beans, onions, a green chile sauce (salsa verde) and chopped tomatoes. It is then topped with mustard and a tricked-out mayo. A soft, torpedo-shaped bolillo roll troughs the ingredients and soaks up the runoff from the magical meld of liquidy toppings.
This clip from Man v. Food explains the dog and where it comes from.
Where to Get a Sonoran Dog
In Tucson
El Guero Canelo – Perhaps the most iconic Sonoran Dog vendor. Consistently a local favorite.
5201 S 12th Ave
5802 E 22nd St
2480 N Oracle Rd
BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs
2860 N. First Ave.
5118 S. 12th Ave.
Ruiz Hot Dogs – food stand
Look for it near 22nd and 6th Ave
In Phoenix
El Exquisito – Food Truck
Near 3911 W. Indian School
Make it at Home
Instead of opening that can of hotdog chili, open a can of pintos, drain them and warm them up while you prepare the dogs. You’re going to want to cook the dogs in a skillet; no boiling. A couple key factors are the bun and the green salsa. The Bread – Bolillo (bow-YEE-yoh) rolls are can often be found in the fresh bread section of the grocery store or at a Hispanic market. If you can’t find them, go for a bun that is slightly chewy on the outside and soft inside. It needs to be heartier than the average hot dog bun because it has a lot of yummy goodness to contain.
The Salsa Verde — This is the part that distinguishes one Sonoran dog from another. Some folks cook up a blend up tomatillos and chiles with garlic. Some go for a simple chile/onion/ tomato pico de gallo. Others opt for a pre-made salsa verde selection from the Mexican food section at the store. Play around. It’s all good.
Sonoran Dog Recipes
Offering some perspective and professional instruction – two very different recipes.
The Everyday Southwest version — This one uses a tomato, avocado, onion pico de gallo.
From Fine Cooking — This one includes a DIY salsa verde. Note the differences in the mayonnaise or crema too.
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