Tantalizing Thursday-A Nod to the Martinsville Hot Dog

Welcome to Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™Chatter.

NASCAR left California for its southern roots, a return to Martinsville Speedway in Virginia for short track racing.

An historic track, NASCAR has been racing at Martinsville since 1948. Among its many claims to fame, this track boasts the world famous Martinsville Hot Dog.

Sadly, the only way to taste this delicacy is by attending the track, something I highly recommend you do. The actual recipe is a secret. But to keep the menu in check with our NASCAR venue this week, I had to offer a recipe for scrumptious hot dogs in the Martinsville style!

We know the hot dog is a red one, the color so vibrant it holds one in a trance for several long seconds. The enticing smell breaks the hypnotic state as one inhales the odors of chili, onions, mustard, and a vinegar-based slaw. The concoction is steamed inside a bun and nestled in a waxed paper to corral all of the ingredients.

The public will probably never know the “secret ingredients”, but we will soldier on by creating our own version of the Martinsville Hot Dog.

First, find the reddest hot dogs available for purchase – the Red 40 makes them superiorly red.

Next, slather the dog in a simple and delicious chili. Here’s a recipe I found online that has ties to Martinsville I believe.

Rumley’s Hot Dog Chili
Recipe found at http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/recipes.cfm?ID=247
Contributed by: Bobby Smith
Bobby Smith worked with Taylor Rumley, developer of this recipe, for over 27 years.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 2 tablespoons Paprika
• 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
• Salt to taste

Directions:

Cover the beef with water and work the water into the meat as if you were going to make meatloaf; not too much water or the chili will be too thin. After the meat cooks in the water 45 minutes to an hour, add 2 tablespoons of chili powder and 2 tablespoons of paprika. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring often. Let it sit for a couple of hours so meat will absorb the flavor of the spices. Add salt to taste. If, after tasting, you prefer a spicier flavor, add more of the two spices. "There was never any tomato paste or sauce in Mr. Rumley's hot-dog chili," Smith said.


Next a vinegar-based slaw is a must-have. I found this simple version.

Hot Dog Slaw
Recipe found at http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1943,152167-234201,00.html

Ingredients:

4 lbs. cabbage
2 onions
1 1/4 c. vinegar
2 1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. mustard
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper

Directions:

Grate cabbage and onions. Mix all ingredients together. Makes about 1 gallon.


Next procure a fabulous soft hot dog roll/bun that you can nestle the ingredients into, including raw onions and yellow mustard.

Finally, try wrapping the whole deal in waxed paper and microwaving it for a few seconds to get the steamed sensation.

This may not be the EXACT Martinsville Hot Dog, but it is darn close. Next time, get your tickets and down a few REAL Martinsville Hot Dogs. Until then, these will do quite nicely!

As I am wont to do weekly, I have included a dessert recipe I stumbled across while researching the Martinsville Hot Dog. I’m not sure this is entirely native to the Martinsville region of Virginia, but it was included in the Martinsville Bulletin!

Glazed Donut Bread Pudding
Recipe found at http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/recipes.cfm?ID=62
Recipe submitted by: Ryan Wood

Ingredients:

• 9 glazed donuts, day old
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. salt
• 12 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 tsp. nutmeg
• 3 cups whole milk

Directions:

Cut donuts into bite-size pieces and arrange in a buttered 13 X 9 baking (glass) dish. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over donuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Remove plastic wrap. Place baking dish in a larger dish with 1 to 2 inches of water and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 70 minutes or until center springs back to touch.
Serve warm.

Whiskey glaze
Stirring constantly, combine 3/4 cups each brown sugar and butter in small saucepan on low heat. Add one shot of whiskey (or more). Continue stirring until all ingredients come to a simmer. Drizzle over bread pudding.

I hope you have an opportunity to prepare these Martinsville favorites. The Martinsville Hot Dog is a time-honored classic to indulge and the Glazed Donut Bread Pudding is a wonderful thing to try with your day-old Krispy Kreme, Dunkin’ Donuts, or store-bought bakery donuts lying around. Yeah, they don’t lay around my house, either, they get eaten quickly, but you can buy some, hide them for a day, and then make this recipe!

Either way, enjoy the race!

Join me back here tomorrow for the week ending and ever popular Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter!