🌭 Upstate New York's Hot Dog Highway: The White Hots Feud

Syracuse, NY - I-90 through Upstate New York is a food lover's dream, but it’s also a regional minefield. As you drive from Buffalo to Albany, you cross into a turf war defined by encased meat: The White Hots Feud. This is the battle for the I-90 hot dog crown, pitting Rochester's bizarre, beloved creation against the traditional red-casing dogs of Buffalo and the rest of the region.

The conflict isn't just about flavor; it's about identity, tradition, and chemistry.

What is a White Hot? The Chemical Argument

The "White Hot" is a regional specialty, almost exclusively found around Rochester, NY. It's an unsmoked, uncured pork, beef, and veal sausage. Crucially, it contains no curing agents or nitrates (which create the red/pink color in most hot dogs), which gives it its distinct, pale, "white" appearance. It's served on a grilled bun, usually with mustard and relish. Ketchup is, as always, an abomination.

The primary White Hot purveyor is Zweigle's, and to Rochester natives, it’s a non-negotiable part of their food DNA. They argue the lack of curing agents allows the natural, subtle spice blend to shine, offering a more sophisticated flavor than the standard hot dog.

The Texture and Flavor Profile

White Hot defenders praise its delicate, veal-forward flavor and the "snappy" texture achieved through the natural casing. They claim the Red Hot is too generic, too heavily smoked, and too salty.

Image Placeholder: A dramatic, brightly lit shot of a grill with a row of pale, white sausages next to a few classic, deep-red hot dogs, sizzling over the flame.

The Beef (Or Lack Thereof): Buffalo's Scorn

Outside of Rochester, particularly in Buffalo and Syracuse, the White Hot is viewed with suspicion, if not outright contempt. Buffalo natives, fierce defenders of their classic, vibrant red hot dogs (often the heavier, German-style "tubesteak"), view the White Hot as anemic and frankly, unfinished.

"It looks like an unappetizing tube of fat," says Bill Carson, a Buffalo native and food blogger. "A hot dog is supposed to snap, it's supposed to have color, and it's supposed to be spicy. Rochester is trying to turn a perfectly good summer food into a bland winter sausage. It's the ghost of a hot dog."

The Red Hot crowd values the smoky, salty punch of the traditional hot dog—the high heat, the char, and the familiar snap of the casing. To them, the White Hot is a philosophical failure.

A Matter of Upstate Identity

The White Hot is more than just a sausage; it's a symbol of Rochester's quiet, distinct regionalism—a city that often feels overlooked between Buffalo and Syracuse. They want their food to be unique, even if it looks unconventional. It's their stake in the regional food map.

The conflict comes to a head in the center of the state, where I-90 travelers must choose. Do you pull off for the tried-and-true red snap of tradition, or do you take the culinary risk on the mysterious, pale White Hot? The choice dictates where you stop, and more importantly, where your loyalties lie.

🔥 Where do you stop on I-90 in Upstate NY: Red Hot or White Hot? Does color matter in a hot dog?