Hot Dogs Of The Week: Plattsburgh, NY Michigans

By Hawk Krall at Serious Eats



New York state's Michigan "Red Hots" are one of the most fascinating hot dog varieties that I've come across so far. The history of the Michigan Hot Dog is a jumble of legends, a culinary anthropologist's dream. Also known as "Texas Red Hots" but found in the North County region of New York state. The original sauce recipe supposedly came from a Detroit woman who moved to Plattsburgh, hence the name "Michigan" and is slightly similar to Detroit Coney sauce.

But locals will stress that Michigans have nothing to do with Detroit. The flavors are also similar to the Greek sauce of the Texas Weiner/Texas Hot stands than line the eastern edge of New York state—likely another influence on the creation of the "Michigan."

Throw in local Tobin's or Glazier "red skin" franks—bright red natural casing dogs not too different from Maine's Red Snappers — and buns that are similar to New England rolls but longer and sturdier, originally made by the now defunct Bouyea-Fasset bakery—and you have one of the most unique hot dogs in the country.

The sauce is thick and has a little bit of the Greek flavor (cumin? cinnamon?) found in similar sauces, without being overpowering. The raw onions are roughly chopped. You can get them "with," "without," or "buried" (under the frank). A thin line of yellow mustard is the standard condiment, some enjoy a few drops of hot sauce, but ketchup is never even suggested. The paper boat and sturdy roll help to hold it all together. Some places even let the rolls sit and "toughen" for 24 hours before slicing and serving, to better hold in all the sauce.


I was impressed with the great care that was taken to carefully build each dog—something you don't always see at a hot dog joint. To the casual observer, it might "just look like a chili dog." But to hot dog aficionados and North County residents it's a rare gem, worth a long drive just to
Clare & Carl's

taste one. And summer is definitely the time to give them a try since many of the Michigan stands (little more than roadside shacks) are closed for the ice and snow covered winters.

The most plausible story of the birth of the Michigan goes back to the first known Plattsburgh hot dog stand, Garth Otis' Michigan Hot Dog and Sandwich Shop, which opened in 1927. In 1935 Nitzi's (now Mcsweeney's Red Hots) opened, where the owner Jack Rabin got the secret sauce recipe from Eula Otis, Garth's wife. Clare & Carl's opened in 1942, where Eula Otis also worked, and shared a version of her secret recipe that they supposedly use to this day.

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