This Summer Make Sure You Have The Right Mustard For Your Hot Dog

Some things just seem perfectly matched — like summer days and hot dogs, for instance. Whether you're having a backyard cookout, or enjoying a baseball game live at the ballpark, nothing hits the seasonal spot quite like a grilled hot dog. This undeniable life truth was confirmed via a press release last summer in a survey from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, which showed 73% of Americans believe hot dogs are an essential part of any summer cookout, and another 68% think mustard is the preferred hot dog condiment. So the NHDSC definitely knows a thing or two about perfect pairings. As a matter of fact, they may have just set a new record for them.

The first perfect new pairing occurred when the NHDSC teamed up with the National Mustard Museum (NMM). Per another press release, the two iconic institutions came together with a purpose, which was to discover the perfect mustard topping, not only for hot dogs, but also for a host of other summer-friendly sausages. To that end, the NHDSC brought together 10 top chefs at a top secret location and provided them with dozens of high-quality sausage links and condiments (the latter courtesy of the NMM). The results were shockingly conclusive. There is no longer any doubt, for instance, that knackwurst and Dijon mustard go together perfectly, as do bratwurst and sweet mild mustard, and bologna with honey mustard.

But which mustard, you might ask, goes best with the all-American hot dog?

Just like a baseball umpire makes a ruling on a balls and strikes call, the NHDSC's team of chefs have made a ruling on the perfect mustard for your frankfurter ... and your wiener. What? You didn't know there was a difference between frankfurters and wieners? According to The Daily Meal, the differences are both geographic and food-based. The former hails from the German city of Frankfurt (duh! and is traditionally made from pork (beef in the U.S.), while the latter originated in Vienna and is mostly a blend of pork and beef.

Both, as it turns out, pair perfectly with yellow mustard. Per the NHDSC's chefs, frankfurters go well with several mustard types, including deli brown and whole grain. But none hit the spot quite like classic yellow mustard; And the same ruling held true for wieners.

"Mustard and sausages are about as classic a combo as peanut butter and jelly, cheese and crackers, or limes and coconuts," notes Eric Mittenthal, the NHDSC's president. "There's a reason why mustard was voted America's No. 1 condiment on hot dogs and sausages."

All that's left now is to put this knowledge to work. According to a press release, some 150 million hot dogs are consumed each year during the 4th of July holiday. Don't you want to do your part?