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Hamdog

The uneasy union of a split beef patty and a central frankfurter in a patented T-shaped bun.

Flag of AustraliaOrigin: Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Hamdog illustrated hot dog icon

Origin region: Perth, Western Australia, Australia

The anatomy

Vessel
T-shaped combination sesame bun
Sausage
Full-length red frankfurter
Region
Western Australia
Ingredients

The Hamdog is what happens when someone decides that choosing between a hamburger and a hotdog is too much mental labor. Invented in Western Australia, this hybrid relies on a custom, T-shaped bun designed to hold a beef patty split in half with a full frankfurter running down the center. It has traditional toppings from both camps, giving you an awkward but functional backyard barbecue mashup. Cook the meats, melt the cheese over the split patties, and assemble inside the custom bread.

Method

  1. 1Prepare a soft yeast dough and shape it into a T-shape with a central channel and two round outer wings.
  2. 2Bake the custom bun at 190C (375F) until golden brown.
  3. 3Grill one standard beef patty and slice it in half into two semi-circles.
  4. 4Grill or boil one full-length frankfurter until hot.
  5. 5Place a slice of cheddar cheese over each warm patty half to melt.
  6. 6Slice the T-shaped bun horizontally.
  7. 7Lay the cheese-covered patty halves onto the outer wings of the bottom bun.
  8. 8Nestle the frankfurter down the center channel between the patty halves.
  9. 9Top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and raw onion.
  10. 10Drizzle with tomato sauce, mustard, and mayonnaise before closing.

Sources

Controversies

The widespread claim that Australian entrepreneur Mark Murray patented the Hamdog recipe and food combination.

Our take: You cannot patent putting a sausage next to a chopped steak. Murray patented the aesthetic shape of his T-shaped bread bun, which is a solid bit of design work but does not stop you from putting a frankfurter between two burger patties on a normal plate.

The regional dispute over whether the Australian version or the deep-fried Georgia version is the authentic Hamdog.

Our take: The Australian version is a neat exercise in baking geometry. The American version is a deep-fried meat cylinder wrapped in bacon and drowned in chili. Both are valid expressions of cookout laziness, but the Australian version has the actual legal paperwork for the name.

The public health outcry labeling the Hamdog an active danger to public health.

Our take: A medical professional publicly warned against eating the deep-fried variant even once. This is fair advice, but we suspect anyone ordering a bacon-wrapped, deep-fried meat log covered in chili and a runny egg is already aware they are not eating a salad.