Montréal Steamie
Montréal’s classic steamed hot dog in a steamed bun, dressed all the way with mustard, relish, onion and coleslaw.
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total
- 20 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- easy
A steamie gets its name from how it is cooked: both the hot dog and the bun are steamed together rather than boiled or grilled, a method tied to Montréal’s old-school lunch counters and still used at classic spots like Montréal Pool Room today.
Ordering it toute garnie, all-dressed, gets mustard, green relish, chopped onion and a scoop of coleslaw on top. The steaming keeps the bun soft enough to hold that much topping without falling apart, which a toasted bun would struggle to do.
Montréal Steamie is one of the best hot dogs from around the world.
method
Steam the hot dogs in a steamer basket over simmering water for 6 to 8 minutes until plump and hot through.
Steam the buns alongside, stacked in the basket, for 1 to 2 minutes until warm and soft, but not soggy.
Nestle a hot dog into each bun.
For all-dressed, top with a stripe of mustard, a spoon of relish, the chopped onion and a generous scoop of coleslaw.
chef's tips
- Steaming both the dog and the bun together is what gives the steamie its name and its softness; it is worth doing even if it feels like an extra step.
- Keep the coleslaw dressing light so it does not make the bun soggy underneath it.
- Order toute garnie, all-dressed, if you want everything on it, the way most Montréal counters serve it by default.