The Food of Globe Life Park: The Dilly Dog

Crazy food is the kind of gimmick I always fall for.  Whether it be Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos or their failed Breakfast  Waffle Taco or Fried (enter anything you see at the State Fair each fall here), I’m all about trying it.  Ballpark food is no exception.  I’ve attempted the hallowed Boomstick on my own and got about halfway through before beginning to question all of my life choices.  No matter how odd, I’m always down to at least try because, why not?

The Rangers seem to announce a new set of menu items each and every year but the new lineup for this year caught my eye more than usual.  I am an absolute sucker for sweet stuff so the 7th Inning Cinammon Roll definitely is on my to-do list but it could wait because I know there’s no way it’s going to be bad.  The item I knew I had to try as soon as possible this season: the Dilly Dog.

 

MLB team the Texas Rangers released the Dilly Dog as part of their new Stadium menu. The Dilly Dog is a hotdog inside a pickle then deep-fried in batter. On Opening weekend it sold 2,500 of them.
Could you see this making a start in other sports? #MLB #nba #nrl #afl #NFL pic.twitter.com/rMPxFXbxkv

— Sports Freakshow (@aussiebeastmode) April 5, 2018

I’ll spare you the description because anyone who’s reading this has heard it so far.  What drew me to this item was the equation is presents.  Corn dog + Pickle = Good, right?  I love pickles and everyone freaks out about getting a corn dog every year when it’s time for the State Fair.  What could go wrong?

Speaking of the fair, the Dilly Dog is sold at the “State Fare” food stand behind section 41, which is just a few steps right of the first base entrance of Globe Life Park, and an additional stand behind section 9 on the third base side was added after it sold so well Opening Weekend.  Pre-game, the line was decent. I look up to the menu board and the cost is a hefty $10.  By comparison, a regular foot-long corn dog with a generous serving of potato chips is $10.50.  So this is no cheap decision.  You’re making a financial commitment to give this thing a try.

Upon receiving my Dilly Dog, there was an immediate “Hmmmm…” moment since it looked very little like the pleasantly presented promotional pictures I’ve seen on Twitter these last few weeks.  Before calling it a lost cause, I shrugged it off since all the burgers I enjoy at restaurants never, ever look like what you see in commercials, either.

The Dilly Dog before… pic.twitter.com/53ew7sIrnp

— Dylan Duell (@DylanDuell) April 9, 2018

By the way, I was sharing it with my daughter so that explains the poor decision to just put a puddle of ketchup in the corner of the basket so that an entire side would be drenched in it… she’s eight so she has time to learn the right way to dress food with condiments.

Now to actually eat it…

The first bite where you get an actual presence of all three components, the hot dog, enormous dill pickle and corn batter, is pretty solid.  The pickle doesn’t taste so much as an intense, sour dill pickle as much as it does just a quiet relish.  Unfortunately, this harmony doesn’t last long because the uneven assembly of batter begins to fall off the moist pickle.  Pretty soon your Dilly Dog begins to look a little like…

And after several bites… pic.twitter.com/gBuqe9jvBD

— Dylan Duell (@DylanDuell) April 9, 2018

Maybe the Rangers should use this as their promotional picture for the Dilly Dog.

I don’t even know what that white stuff is on the pickle and on the inside of the batter.  Batter that didn’t finish cooking?  Whatever it is, doesn’t look great.

Looks are different from taste, however.  Whenever you’re just left with a pickle sliding off a hot dog on a stick, it isn’t the worst thing in the world.  It doesn’t exactly leave you wanting to run back for more though.

My final take?  It’s a must-try because why not, right?  Maybe the cooks working the stand will make yours with a bit more care and you won’t get the mess that I did.  Also, definitely go get it pregame if you actually care about the game.  When I walked by the “State Fare” stand in the 6th inning of Sunday’s game, the line was at least one hundred deep and my guess is that would take anywhere from thirty to forty five minutes to get through.

Grade: C+
Very poor presentation, but a solid taste that will make you understand the idea.  Worth splitting with someone at least once since they go for $10 a pop.