Maine’s Not the Only Place With Red Dogs

It's cookout season and one of greatest summertime delights that we get to indulge in is cooking hot dogs on the grill.  Maine doesn't have a lot of time to enjoy this delight but we make up for it with one kick-ass hot dog.

Other states have signature hot dogs, simply due to what's on the dog.

Arizona has the Sonoran hot dog which is a typical hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeño sauce and wrapped in a bolillo roll.

Ohio has 'the coney', which is simply a hot dog topped with Cincinnati chili.  Add some grated cheese on top and then it's called a cheesy Coney.

Here in Maine, we change the dog itself.  And we call it a 'Red Snapper'.

We call them red snappers because, 'red'- well, they're red coloring, but, 'snappers' because they make a snapping sound when you bite into them due to the natural casing that the meat of the dog is held in.

Mainers grow up knowing, loving and eating this hot dog almost exclusively.  Some children don't even know what a typical hot dog looks like around here.  Which is why some Mainers may be surprised to find out there are other states with red hot dogs, too.

Even Denmark has a stake in the red hot dog oddity.  The Danish red sausaged dog includes a whole lot of other stuff than just the beauty of a red hot dog: ketchup, Danish mustard, fried onion, raw onion and a mayo based sauce, sweet relish and a sliced dill cucumber.

So, who are these other states in the nation with a red hot dog and why do you think they can compete with Maine's 'Red Snapper'?  Good luck.

Virginians enjoy themselves a red dog at the race track. The 'Jesse Jones' southern style dog is so beloved that the Martinsville Speedway, after replacing the popular dog with another, brought the red dog back two years later due to fan demands.
A tip of the cap right there. That's love a whole lotta love for a red hot dog.