What Is A New York System Wiener And What Makes It Different From A Typical Hot Dog?
Wandering the crowded streets of New York City, you'll most likely spot a hot dog cart on every corner. Any hot dog fan worth their salt knows that part of what makes New York City-style hot dogs unique is the "dirty water" method and the other part comes from delicious simplicity. However, if you ask a New Yorker where to find one of these New York System Wieners you've heard so much about, you're going to get some funny looks, since the savory sausage isn't even made in the Empire State!
A New York System Wiener is a type of sausage made from a mix of pork and veal that's been highly popularized in the state of Rhode Island. It's entirely different from the similarly-shaped hot dogs, which are typically made from only pork (or a combination of pork and beef or chicken). "Hot wieners," as they're sometimes called, are served on a steamed bun with mustard, meat sauce, onions, and celery salt in that very specific order– any other way will apparently earn you a red flag. The meat sauce isn't tomato-based, which means the New York System Wieners are definitely not chili hot dogs and instead more of a grease-based concoction loaded with spicy flavors. The "gaggers" (another affectionate nickname) are never served with ketchup and always served alla arm service, lined up on the cook's forearm as it's loaded with toppings. And no, "wiener" isn't a typo.
How New York System Wieners became synonymous with Rhode Island
New York System Wieners certainly make our list of the 11 foods you have to try if you visit Rhode Island, and have been a staple in the state for over a hundred years. Back in the 1900s, when the New York City hot dog was a novelty concept quickly making its way to fame, the name "New York System" was slapped onto specific dogs to easily distinguish authenticity. The style of preparing the meat took on a life of its own and spread into the Greek community of Providence, Rhode Island. It was during this time that the Stevens family opened Olneyville New York System, which became the hottest spot in town for a belly-buster.
Olneyville New York System is well-known in the Rhode Island community for serving the best New York System Wieners, complete with all the toppings and prepared properly -– on someone's arm. The restaurant earned an American Classics medal from the James Beard Foundation in 2014 for its incredible hot wienies and proudly serves the gaggers to customers from all walks of life until the ripe hour of 3 a.m. on weekends. If you're itching for a New York System Wiener, you'll have to take a trip to the Ocean State and order a few (because it's customary to eat more than one) or try your hand at crafting this hot weenie at home. However, you definitely won't find it on the streets of Manhattan.