What Do Michiganders Think About “Michigan Sauce?”

The origin of "Michigan Sauce" has been around since the late 20s and mid-30s but what do Michiganders think of it on their hot dogs?

Origins of "Michigan Sauce"

The "Michigan Hot Dog" also known as the "Michigan" is a steamed all-beef hot dog on a steamed bun topped with a meaty sauce called "Michigan Sauce."

The "Michigan Sauce" ingredients vary depending on who makes it. Some Michigan sauces are tomato-based and may contain brown sugar, a blend of spices, and vinegar. Others may contain no tomato and are seasoning-based with hamburger topped with onions and yellow mustard over the top once placed on the hot dog.

The origins of Michigan Sauce vary with George Todoroff from Jackson Michigan who created the original in 1914 bud did so when he opened his first Coney Island in Brooklynn, New York. The others were from Eula and Garth Otis, who opened the first Michigan Hot Dot and Sandwich Shop in Plattsburgh, New York in 1927. Eula said she learned how to make the sauce when living in Detroit from Greek immigrants who sold meat-topped hot dogs.

Read More: What Type of Dog Is Illegal to Possess In Michigan?

Vollwerth's has been making sausage in Michigan's Upper Peninsula since 1915. It's not clear when Vollwerth's started making Michigan Sauce but you can buy it in a can here with the Michigan Sauce label.

What Do Michiganders Think of Michigan Sauce?

A poster on the Michigan Reddit page, "technicalityNDBO", asked for Michigander's thoughts on Vollwerth's Michigan Sauce, and here's what they had to say.

According to the posters above, not everyone is familiar with Michigan Sauce and some pointed out how it was made famous in New York and Pennsylvania before it caught on in the U.P.

Posters continue to suggest other sauces or mention they have never heard of it.

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It looks like "Michigan Sauce" is more of an Upper Peninsula thing than the Lower because people are still suggesting other sauces or saying they have never heard of it. I will be traveling to the U.P. soon and will get me a can of Michigan Sauce to find out for myself.