I’m putting together a list of the various ways people eat hotdogs throughout the country, and knowing that Cleveland is home to ball park mustard, I figured your “signature” way would be built around this century-old icon, however, when you Google “Cleveland-style hot dog,” the whole page is nothing but Polish Boys (which, don’t get me wrong, sounds good, but it’s just a bit outside the scope of this project).

After digging through countless threads, interviews, and top ten lists – none of which even gave a single recommendation of what pairs well with the unique topping, I finally found two recipes listed on page 2 of Bertman’s entrée recipes, which listed:

– The Bertman Classic (diced onions, and ketchup/relish if desired)

– The Bertman Rally Drum Cheese Dogs (hot dog chili, cheddar, sliced onions, and olive oil toasted buns)

However, I don’t think I’ve ever seen chili even offered at Progressive Field as a topping option, and Relish is still restricted to racing for the farm club, so I am skeptical of these recipes that are buried behind a thanksgiving turkey, leek mustard pie, and chicken sausage-Apple salad with caraway vinaigrette.

Because of this, I figured I’d come to the people that know it best and ask y’all directly:

Is there a quintessential way to eat a hotdog with ball park mustard?

Are onions actually the traditional pairing? Should the Bertman’s fly solo? I know there are plenty of ways that you can eat it, but is there a way that’s more right than the others?

Also, congrats on extending Ramírez!

26 comments

  3. Am I the only one who just calls it stadium mustard? (No matter where I am – stadium mustard means Cleveland stadium mustard)

  6. I always eat mine with either just Bertmans or add kraut to it. They no longer have diced onions at the ballpark either :/

  7. Just Bertman’s is perfect, the only way to add onions is if they are coming out of a metal box with a crank handle. Just kidding, diced onions works well with the mustard.

  11. Relish

    Can we please get it on the main concourse this summer?

    Kinda funny that it’s exclusive to club level. But annoying.

  15. Just Bertmans. No dog no brat no onions no relish. Just Bertmans.

    In all seriousness (and it is very serious) bratwurst with Bertmans and onions.

  16. >Is there a quintessential way to eat a hotdog with ball park mustard?

    presumably through the mouth or i guess the ass

  18. Bertman’s, onions, and maybe sauerkraut if it’s readily available. I like it on the hotdog, don’t get me wrong–but I’m not going way out of my way to get it. Unlike the mustard where I bring packets to sporting events at places that don’t carry it.

  19. I remember the days when the ballpark had diced onions machines. Stadium mustard and onions.

    Outside the ballpark. Stadium mustard and steamed onions.

  20. I believe that woman was my downstairs neighbor/landlord in a 2 family house in the early 80’s. She was the scion of the Berkman’s mustard empire.

  22. Ketchup.

    And yes, I ordered a hotdog with only ketchup in Chicago because they didn’t have stadium mustard available.

  23. No, there is no quintessential Cleveland way to eat a hot dog. We’re independent thinkers here, and we don’t crap on others about how they eat their food. “Build your own” if you insist on categorizing it.

  24. No onion – straight bertmans. Personally speaking though sauerkraut and bertmans or any other brown mustard really with kraut. I also add a little ketchup to the holy combo when I’m having a brat or even better a hot Italian sausage.

    It’s a remote memory but I sort of remember the vendors frying up some kraut (HEAVEN) that you could add to a dog or sausage instead of peppers and onions. Then in later seasons they would give you a sealed packet of kraut if you asked for it.

    This is making me hungry.

Leave a Reply