New York-Style Dirty Water Hot Dogs With Onion Sauce
These dirty water hot dogs bring the iconic New York City street-cart experience right to your kitchen — no cart required. All-beef hot dogs are gently simmered in a seasoned, savory broth (the famous "dirty water") until plump and juicy, then tucked into soft buns with mustard, warm sauerkraut, and a sweet-and-tangy onion sauce. The onion sauce is the real star, slowly cooked down with ketchup, vinegar, and warm spices for that classic pushcart flavor. It's the perfect easy crowd-pleaser for game day, a backyard get-together, or a fun weeknight dinner. Make a batch of six and bring the taste of the city home.
Total Time
40 minutes
40 min
Prep Time
5 minutes
5 min
Cook Time
35 minutes
35 min
Total Time
40 minutes
40 min
Prep Time
5 minutes
5 min
Cook Time
35 minutes
35 min
Ingredients
for 6 servings
Onion Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
- 2 worcestershire sauces
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¾ cup water
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Dirty Water
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf
For Assembly
- 6 all-beef hot dogs
- 6 hot dog buns
- spicy brown mustard, for serving
- 1 cup sauerkraut, warmed
Preparation
- Make the onion sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté for 8–10 minutes, until soft and translucent, stirring often so they don't burn.
- Add the Worcestershire, vinegar, ketchup, water, sugar, salt, and garlic powder to the saucepan, and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by about half and the sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
- Make the dirty water: In a large pot, combine the beef broth, water, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Add the hot dogs to the simmering dirty water, and cook for 8–10 minutes, until heated through and plump. Keep the dogs warm in the water over low heat until ready to serve.
- Assemble the hot dogs: Using tongs, remove a hot dog from the water, and place it in a soft bun. Top with mustard, a spoonful of warm sauerkraut, and a generous spoonful of the onion sauce. Repeat with the remaining hot dogs and toppings.
- Enjoy!
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