New York System in Rhode Island

Big cities are often identified by a unique local cuisine. Mention New York and you’ll hear about the pizza. Talk about Philadelphia and you’ll be compelled to discuss how good the cheesesteaks taste. After a quick drive around Providence you’ll notice real quickly that Providence is all about hot wieners.

Also known as New York system wieners, hot wieners are a local favorite
in Rhode Island and you can find them in just about every neighborhood in
Providence. The most famous one of course is Olneyville New York System
Wieners, which was recently featured on Man vs. Food. The dogs have a natural
casing and are made up of beef veal and pork. Spicy brown mustard and top-cut
rolls are standard with the wiener, but what makes this special is the meat sauce.
Depending on the location the sauce can range from dry to wet, gravy like sauce.

Hot Wieners are a staple of after hours eating here in Providence, with most
wiener spots open until 2am on weekends. For the most part these places are
small family-owned restaurants. So what are you going to do if you forget to
catch them before the clock strikes 2:01? You can follow this recipe to make your
own New York systems at home.

6-8 New England Style Hot Dog Rolls
6-8 Deli Wieners or Beef Franks
1 lbs. of 85% lean ground Beef
1 medium-sized Yellow Onion (diced)
1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp. of Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce
Celery Salt
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper

1. Place beef in a large skillet on medium-high until the meat is evenly
brown. Make sure you are grounding the meat as best you can. Once
brown drain the meat and set it aside.

2. Next place you diced onions and vegetable oil in the skillet on medium
high until the onion is light brown. I suggest using a wooden spoon.

3. Now you can throw in your beef, Worcestershire sauce, soy, and spice to
tastes. Mix the ingredients well. Now you can reduce heat to a simmer and
cover. This should simmer for about 20 minutes. Check back every few
minutes and taste it. If the sauce is too dry add a little more vegetable oil, likewise if you think it needs more seasoning.

4. In the mean time you can start on your dogs. Traditionally they are
steamed but you can use any method you like. For whichever method you
chose, make 3 small slits on them so you can tell they are ready.

5. For warm buns, wrap the buns individually in a paper towels and place in
the microwave for 20 seconds.

6. Now its time to put your hot wiener together. Your order of operations is
deli mustard, frank, and finally top with some meat sauce.

~Philip Crean ’13.5

GoLocalProv Names Rod's Grill Wieners as Top Five in RI

GoLocalProv Names Rod's Grill Wieners as Top Five in RI

It is probably safe to say that if you live in Bristol or Warren, you've been to Rod's Grill at least once. Similarly, it's probably also safe to say that most locals think the wieners at Rod's Grill are the best in Rhode Island.
Well, GoLocalProv agrees. On Thursday the site published a list of the top five wiener joints in Rhode Island. Among their top five were Wien-o-Rama in Cranston, the Olneyville New York System in Providence, the Smith Street New York System in Providence, Cosmic Steak and Pizza in Warwick, and of course, Rod's Grill in Warren.
Rod's Grill has lasted through the years as a family-owned business and has received numerous awards, such as the Best Lunch Counter, Best of Rhode Island's Best Wieners in the East Bay, Rhode Island Monthly's Cheap Eats, and recently, was named in Fork in the Rhode's top 10 New York System Wiener Challenge.

The 5 Best Wiener Joints in Rhode Island

Ann & Michael Martini, GoLocalProv Food Editors

Ah, the arguments we know this one will incite. Alas, when we heard recently that local hot wiener joints closed in honor of the death of the patriarch of the Olneyville System wiener family, we knew it was time to round up Rhode Island’s best. As tough as it was to decide, we think we’ve found Rhode Island’s top dogs, or most of them, anyway. Burp.

Olneyville New York System, Providence

They say the art of prepping wieners “up the arm” of the guy assembling them behind the counter began in the 1940s on Coney Island. In that circus-like atmosphere, food vendors would compete for attention and sales. Well, if the art has been perfected anywhere, it’s a this wiener top spot (“It adds flavor,” Ann’s dad always says). Not that they need it. The “sauce” – a tangy concoction of meat and tomatoes and spices that goes on top is the best of the bunch here at this iconic joint. Expect to see anyone from Buddy Cianci to Patrick Kennedy to your local general assemblyman belly up to the counter. Back when Showtime’s “Brotherhood” series used to film here, the cast and crew would almost clean the place out of wieners regularly. Almost. 20 Plainfield St, 621-9500

Wien-o-Rama, Cranston

If there is, in Rhode Island, a haute hot wiener, this is where you find it. Wien-o-Rama has something of a cult following among loyals that includes top local chefs and food lovers who won’t get them anywhere else. We think it has something to do with the dog itself, made from beef and pork, tucked into a steamed bun and topped off with a rich and tasty sauce – meatier than most – mustard and fresh onions. There is something decidedly palate-pleasing about the combination. Prepare to queue up however – the lines here can be long and seating is limited, so it’s best to get these dogs to go. If you must deviate from the menu, the burgers here are quite good too, in a wiener-joint kind of way. 1009 Oaklawn Ave, 943-4990

Smith Street New York System, Providence

What makes a wiener best? Dare we say it might be the freshness of the toppings? Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. But if not, consider this: Olneyville New York System goes through tens of thousands of wieners a month. So on any given day, you can be assured that the dog that you order at this institution will be as tasty as they come. A fresh snap from the wiener itself, lots of sauce and celery salt, mustard, onions. Heartburn follows and is oh, so worth it. One must order them “all the way” here or the counter help will look at you like you’re a Yankee Fan in Red Sox Nation. Don’t know what “all the way” means? You can stop reading now, then. 424 Smith St, 331-5349

Cosmic Steak and Pizza, Warwick

We have been eating the wieners at Cosmic since we were in, ahem, high school. And a visit to this Warwick institution, which has been proudly serving great grub since 1976, on a recent Saturday night shows not much has changed. Teens and families wait patiently at the counter for the plethora of tasty treats on the menu: everything from fresh salads to baked pastas to steak sandwiches to pepperoni pies to hot wieners. And, oh the wieners are top-notch. The buns are always properly steamed-never a tough or waterlogged bun to be had here. The meat sauce is terrific and we always end up with some crispy fries to go along with the tasty wieners. These babies have that “snap” that you look for in a good wiener.1141 Post Rd, 781-5410 www.cosmicri.com

Rod's Grill, Warren

The Rodriguez family has been building hot wieners here using the same recipe for more than 50 years. The grandkids run it now using the same recipes Grandma Rodriguez used. Rod’s is a townie kind of place, a greasy spoon that serves up cheap eats and everybody knows everybody else’s name. We’re talking traditional comfort food here. Large portions to fill the fishermen and other blue collar workers bellies are the norm. The family takes great care to make you feel like you are a long lost relative. We like our wieners here with a little extra mustard and extra meat sauce. Don’t forget to add some fries on the side and a coffee milk never hurt anyone! 6 Washington St, Warren, 245-9405

Rhode Island Food Trail: Stuffies

Rhode Island Food Trail: Stuffies

by Johnette Rodriguez


Although you'll find many versions of stuffed clams around New England, it's only in Li'l Rhody that they're called "stuffies," and there are as many variations of them within the borders of this tiny state as there are delis, pizza shops, grocery stores, seafood shacks, fish markets, and upscale eateries to make them.

As with many other bread-based dishes, stuffies came into existence to stretch budgets and to provide carb-stoking meals for fishermen, farmers, and other long-day laborers. In Rhode Island, stuffies begin with quahogs, the clams in those big shells with the purple markings inside, once polished for wampum by Native Americans.
To make stuffies, you first shuck the quahogs, capture their juice, and add some extra clam juice to moisten the bread cubes or cracker crumbs. Some stuffie cooks add chopped onion, celery, and sweet or hot peppers; some spice the mix like Thanksgiving stuffing; others make a Portuguese stew, complete with chourico. Still others swear that a true stuffie should taste only like chopped quahogs and clam-juice-soaked bread--just add your own hot sauce or lemon juice on top. One old-timer, who once made thousands of stuffies by hand at his Warwick fish market years ago, used to say, "Putting sausage in a stuffie is like putting raisins in meatballs." So there you have it--something for every taste, simple to spicy.

Amaral's Fish and Chips
For your basic stuffie, head to Amaral's. This shop prides itself on letting the seafood shine through: delectable clams seasoned with onion, celery, and spices, crispy on the top from baking in a hot oven. 4 Redmond St., Warren. 401-247-0675; amaralsfishandchips.com

Champlin's Seafood
Besides "basic" stuffies, these folks also offer "casino stuffies" with bacon and "Portuguese stuffies" with chourico and a hint of green pepper. 256 Great Island Road, Narragansett. 401-783-3152; champlins.com

Quito's Restaurant & Bar
Quito's makes its stuffies with an even smokier taste. They're about the same size as Champlin's; the texture's a bit heavier, but they're still quite good. 411 Thames St., Bristol. 401-253-4500, quitosrestaurant.com

Anthony's Seafood
 Anthony's stuffies come in both mild and hot options: roasted peppers in the low-key version, cherry peppers in the spicier one. Both include a bit of chourico and a ton of chopped clams. 963 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown. 401-846-9620, 401-848-5058; anthonysseafood.net

The Commons Lunch
 Commons' stuffies come in heaping portions--a bit spicy, with lots of clams, and both regular sausage and chourico, keeping the dish moist and meaty. 48 Commons, Little Compton. 401-635-4388

Stuffies

Stuffies are stuffed Quohogs. Quohogs are clams. Ergo, stuffies are stuffed clams…and delicious ones at that! Usually well spiced with clams, pepper sauce, lemon, bread crumbs, onions, peppers, then stuffed in a clam shell, baked, and served with lemon and hot pepper sauce.