WASHINGTON — In light of July’s National Hot Dog Month and Independence Day, the North American Meat Institute’s National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) partnered with the National Mustard Museum to create a “Sausage and Mustard Pairing Guide.” The resource was created by 10 culinary chefs who matched 17 sausage types with 17 mustard variations.

NHDSC said July 4 is the day Americans consume the most hot dogs of the year, with an estimated 150 million hot dogs eaten. The association hoped the pairing guide would help consumers “get the most out of each bite.”

“Mustard and sausages are about as classic a combo as peanut butter and jelly, cheese and crackers, or limes and coconuts,” said Eric Mittenthal, president of the NHDSC. “There’s a reason why mustard was voted America’s #1 condiment on hot dogs and sausages.”

Pairings include beef frankfurters with yellow mustard, Cajun brats with sweet maple mustard and bockwurst with horseradish, to name a few.

“The natural pungency of mustard seed combined with the acidic bite of its vinegar base is the perfect offset to the savory richness of meats, from roasts to all cured meats,” said Barry Levenson, founder and curator of the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wis. “It is no surprise that the rise of French’s Mustard in the early 1900’s paralleled the explosive growth of hot dogs in America – no surprise to the German immigrants who in fact started many of our country’s mustard and sausage companies, many thriving to this day.”

NHDSC also announced the return of the Hot Dog Ambassador contest, where hot dog aficionados compete for the title. The winner will receive a $100 gift card and hot-dog themed merchandise. To compete, participants need to post a photo, video or combination of the two with the hashtag: #HotDogAmbassador2022 and a convincing caption of why they deserve the title.