One of my favorite childhood memories comes from going to town on Saturdays. If your parents worked, you went to town then to do whatever business or shopping was needed. In the day, Lawrenceville, Georgia, was a small country town with almost all of its businesses located near the courthouse square. One of those was Southern 5 & 10. In addition to the usual odds and ends one usually finds in a five and dime, they served one of the finest foods ever, a slaw dog.
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There is no reasonable argument that a hot dog, or even a chili dog, is a native Southern food. One may argue, however, that the best of each will be found in the states where Dog Days turn summers into sweltering streaks of humidity, but try as we may, we can’t claim either. On the other hand, the slaw dog is ours and, while available elsewhere, is at its finest when procured South of the Mason-Dixon line.
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In West Virginia, in the 1920s, as the Great Depression impacted the lives of almost every American, times there were incredibly challenging, and money was scarce. Meat was often relegated to an occasional luxury. Cabbage and wieners were among the few affordable items.
According to the local narrative, the first of these incredible delicacies were served at the Stopette Drive-In, on Route 21, just outside of Charleston, West Virginia. The original slaw dog consisted of a bun, hot dog, chili or chili sauce, mustard, slaw, and onions. The site of the Stopette is today occupied by one of West Virginia’s top-rated hot dog joints, Skeenies Hot Dogs.
The primary ingredient in a perfect slaw dog is, of course, the proper hot dog, grilled or steamed. Ketchup was never an acceptable condiment, and for purists, that belief continues today. Sauer kraut and pickles are also taboo amongst true enthusiasts. There is actually an etiquette for the delicious slaw dog, and it addresses the ketchup question. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council’s Hot Dog Etiquette rules dictate that no one over 18 should ever eat ketchup on a hot dog. They state, “Ketchup is destructive of all that is right and just about a properly assembled hot dog since its sweetness and acidic taste overpowers food and disguises its true flavor.”
The new dining favorite spread quickly across the state. The slaw dog also traveled as West Virginians migrated elsewhere over the years. In 1949, Cocoa, Florida’s Bab’s Drive-In, promoted their specialty, slaw dogs and chili. A 1950 Huntsville, Alabama newspaper ad for Zesto’s introduced the slaw dog, calling it tempting and delicious. They’re even findable on menus in the north and west now.
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Almost every Southern town has a local choice for hot dogs, and most of those offer their version of the slaw dog. In Alabama, Bunyon’s BBQ in Florence is known for its mustard-based slaw. In Atlanta, the Varsity, like Skin’s in Upstate South Carolina, may be best known for their chili dogs, but their slaw dogs have fans from all over as well. Just outside Atlanta, Brandi’s World Famous Hot Dogs packs in the guests daily.
