✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with step photos
These copycat Lum's hot dogs simmer in a beer, onion and caraway broth, then go into soft steamed buns. It's a retro diner favorite that takes about 25 minutes.
How Do You Make Lum’s Beer-Steamed Hot Dogs? (Quick Answer)
Simmer one 12-ounce can of lager with 2 cups of water, a sliced onion, a teaspoon of caraway seeds, garlic powder and a little sugar for 10 minutes. Add 8 all-beef hot dogs and keep it at a gentle simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until they reach 165°F. Steam the buns over the pot for a minute, then top with mustard, the soft onions and sauerkraut.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Keep the broth at a lazy simmer, not a boil. Gentle heat plumps the hot dogs; hard boiling splits them open and washes out the flavor.
Why You'll Love These Hot Dogs
- A lost chain's signature the beer-steamed dog Lum's was known for.
- Juicy and plump a gentle simmer keeps them snappy, not split.
- Soft steamed buns warmed right over the same pot.
- One pot broth, hot dogs, onions and buns all in one place.
- Party friendly keep the dogs warm in the broth for an hour.
What Was Lum’s?
Lum's began in 1956, when the Perlman brothers bought a little hot dog stand in Miami Beach. Its signature was a hot dog steamed in beer, and by the early seventies there were about 400 Lum's around the country.
There's no official recipe out there, so this is how I make mine: a light beer broth with onion and caraway, a gentle simmer and steamed buns. Simple, cheap and very good.
Can you still eat there? No. Lum's faded in the early 1980s, and the last one standing, in Bellevue, Nebraska, closed in 2017. The beer-steamed hot dog lives on in home kitchens.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Beer: a mild lager or pilsner. Non-alcoholic beer works for a family version.
- Caraway seeds: the rye-bread flavor that makes this taste like a deli. Skip them if you really don't like caraway.
- Hot dogs: all-beef franks hold up best to simmering.
- Buns: soft, plain hot dog buns that steam well.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Mostly water, a little beer. Copycat accounts say the original was a beer broth, not straight beer. One can plus two cups of water gives you flavor without bitterness.
- Pick a mild lager. Hoppy IPAs turn bitter when they simmer. A plain lager or pilsner is what you want.
- Never boil hard. A rolling boil splits the hot dogs. I keep the broth barely trembling.
- Steam the buns last. Thirty seconds to a minute is plenty. Any longer and they turn gummy.
- Save the onions. The soft broth onions are the best topping on the board. Fish them out with a fork.
- Alcohol note. This contains beer. Simmering cooks off some of the alcohol, not all of it, so it's for adults of legal drinking age. For kids, I use non-alcoholic beer and it tastes nearly the same.
- Hold for a party. Keep the hot dogs in the broth on the lowest heat for up to an hour. Add a splash of water if it reduces.
Lum’s Beer-Steamed Hot Dogs
8
hot dogs5
minutes20
minutes310
kcal25
minutesCopycat-style Lum’s hot dogs: all-beef franks simmered gently in a beer broth with onion, caraway, garlic and a little sugar, served on buns steamed over the pot with mustard, the soft broth onions and sauerkraut. Contains alcohol; use non-alcoholic beer for kids. Makes 8.
Ingredients
- For the Beer Broth
1 12-oz can lager beer (or non-alcoholic beer)
2 cups water
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
- For the Hot Dogs
8 all-beef hot dogs
8 soft hot dog buns
- To Serve
to taste yellow mustard
1 cup sauerkraut, drained (optional)
Directions
- Make the Broth
- Add the beer, water, sliced onion, caraway seeds, garlic powder and sugar to a wide saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft.
- Steam the Hot Dogs
- Turn the heat down so the broth barely bubbles. Add the hot dogs and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until hot all the way through (165°F). Don’t let it boil hard, or the hot dogs split.
- If using sauerkraut, warm it in a small pan with a ladle of the broth.
- Set the buns in a steamer basket over the pot, cover, and steam for 30 to 60 seconds, until soft and warm.
- Build
- Tuck a hot dog into each bun. Add mustard, a spoon of the soft broth onions and sauerkraut if you like. Serve right away.
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Steamed vs Boiled vs Grilled Hot Dogs
Three ways to cook a hot dog.
| Beer steamed | Boiled | Grilled | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Malty, onion, caraway | Plain | Smoky, charred |
| Texture | Plump and juicy | Can go waterlogged | Snappy, a little dry |
| Bun | Steamed over the pot | Usually cold | Toasted |
| Best for | Parties, game day | Speed | Cookouts |
Storage
Cool leftover hot dogs in a little broth and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the broth at a gentle simmer until they reach 165°F. Buns are best steamed fresh.
More Hot Dog Ideas
Short on time? My air fryer hot dogs take 10 minutes, and I've got a guide to baking hot dogs in the oven for a crowd. For more retro restaurant food, see my Howard Johnson's style fried clam strips and the full list of discontinued fast food items.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Lum's known for?
Lum's was a restaurant chain that started as a Miami Beach hot dog stand in 1956. It was famous for hot dogs steamed in beer, and later for the Ollieburger. This is my copycat-style version of the hot dog.
Is there still a Lum's restaurant?
No. The chain shrank in the early 1980s, and the very last Lum's, in Bellevue, Nebraska, closed in 2017. Making them at home is the way to taste one now.
Does the alcohol cook out of beer-steamed hot dogs?
Some of it does, but not all. Simmering for 20 minutes leaves a small amount. Serve the beer version to adults of legal drinking age, and use non-alcoholic beer for kids.
What beer is best for steaming hot dogs?
A mild lager or pilsner. Hoppy beers like IPAs turn bitter when they simmer. Non-alcoholic lager works well too.
Can I make these on the grill?
Yes. Simmer them in the broth first, then give them a minute on a hot grill for char marks. Brush the buns with a little butter and toast them on the grill instead of steaming.
How long can the hot dogs sit in the broth?
Up to about an hour on the lowest heat, which is great for parties. Keep them at 140°F or hotter, and add a splash of water if the broth reduces.
