Hot dogs

[Johnny L.A.]

... Armor hot dogs
What kind of kid eats Armor hot dogs?
Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks
Tough kids, sissy kids, even kids with chicken pox love
Hot dogs
Armor hot dogs
The dogs kids love to bite!

(I can't remember when the last time, if ever, I had a an Armor brand hot dog. But I still remember the '70s jingle.)

In L.A. I could go to Ralph's supermarket and buy their 'Private Select' (store brand) Old Fashioned Franks. They were in the casing so you got the snap when you bit them, and just a bit of 'zing'. Can't get 'em up here. I usually get Hebrew National. (Heh. Remembering the Uncle Sam commercial now. 'We answer to an even Higher Authority.') Tasty, but not as good as Ralph's. Then there's Ball Park Franks ('They plump when you cook them.') Oscar Mayer makes hot dogs. Can't remember the last time I had one. Pretty unremarkable IIRC. I've hated Farmer John hot dogs since I was a kid. To me they just tasted bad. (I like their breakfast sausage, though. They're unavailable up here.)

Locally we have Hempler's and Bar-S. I think I tried the Bar-S and was glad to be rid of them. Hempler's didn't thrill me, though they are thought of as a good brand. Or maybe it was a different sausage I ate (Polish, or something).

So here are the questions: What 'national brand' of hot dog (i.e., a brand you can get in just about any supermarket, even if it's regional like Farmer John, as long as it's widely available) do you like, and why? Do you like all-beef, pork, or chicken? How do you like them cooked?

I prefer all-beef hot dogs. Grilled hot dogs are the best, but I'm not that particular. At home I'm likely to just toss a dog in the microwave. 'Roller dogs' (as I call them, as they are cooked on those roller machines at convenience stores) seem to be the most available, and they're not bad. Not as good as grilled of course, but better than boiled. 'Boiled? ' Yeah, that's what I had when I was a kid. Boiled Oscar Mayer or (ick) Farmer John. I do not prefer boiled dogs. OTOH, I've had some good 'street dogs' from steam carts. And I can't resist Wienerschnitzel Chili Cheese Dogs.

Let's not get into how to dress a dog. No need for bloodshed in this thread. Just what brand do you like, what meat(s), and how do you like them cooked. Catsup vs. mustard vs. mayo vs. relish vs. whatever has been done to death.

K-A-R-L-S Disco Wiener Haven...

[Lute Skywatcher]

Nitpick: it's "Armour". My dad worked for their pharmaceutical branch.

Answering the question: I prefer bratwurst (two packs of Johnsonville - one cheese and one New Orleans-style - are in the freezer right now). Usually nuke 'em but some go on the grille when the weather's nice.

[Johnny L.A.]

I stand corrected.

[Swords to Plowshares]

Quarter pound German frankfurters. I forget the brand.

[pulykamell]

Locally, Vienna Beef all beef hot dogs are my pick, in the natural casings. I don't like hot dogs that are skinless, which is most of them these days. Even the Vienna beefs you pick up at the store are normally skinless, unfortunately. I deal. Of national brands, I like Hebrew National. However, if I visit a hot dog stand and they have skinless dogs, that will likely be my last visit there for hot dogs. The juicy snap of the casing is one of the great joys of eating a good sausage.

Also, the local Polish delis make their own hot dogs and frankfurters. My favorite of these are the veal franks. Pork dogs are good, too, but this is the one sausage I prefer all-beef or all-veal.

[silenus]

We alternate between Shofar and Ballpark Beef. Depends on who is doing the shopping and what we are going to be doing with them. For just general "I feel like a hot dog" Ballpark is the brand of choice. If I'm cooking I will probably fire up the gas grill. If the wife is cooking she'll likely fry them in a skillet with a little butter.

Farmer John dogs are only good 1) as DodgerDogs, 2) grilled, & 3) at Dodger Stadium.

[bump]

I'm partial to Hebrew National hot dogs when I'm buying the hot dogs.

I like them 3 ways: mustard & relish, sauerkraut & mustard (and sometimes grilled onions), and Coney island style (in particular James Coney Island in Houston)- mustard, chili, hot sauce, cheese and onions if I'm in the mood.

I make my own bratwurst, so I don't have much of an opinion about commercial brands.

[pulykamell]

Yeah, I roll my own bratwurst, too. I haven't really been able to find one exactly to my tastes, so had to experiment a bit to find what I like. However, Usinger's from Milwaukee does a decent job.

[AuntiePam]

Oscar Meyer beef -- we can't get the really good stuff around here.

But I don't care, because my friend makes the BEST hot dog relish ever. Sometimes I eat a hot dog just to have an excuse to eat the relish. She could quit her job and make a living selling it, it's that good.

[zoid]

Originally Posted by pulykamell

Locally, Vienna Beef all beef hot dogs are my pick, in the natural casings. I don't like hot dogs that are skinless, which is most of them these days. Even the Vienna beefs you pick up at the store are normally skinless, unfortunately. I deal. Of national brands, I like Hebrew National. However, if I visit a hot dog stand and they have skinless dogs, that will likely be my last visit there for hot dogs. The juicy snap of the casing is one of the great joys of eating a good sausage.

Also, the local Polish delis make their own hot dogs and frankfurters. My favorite of these are the veal franks. Pork dogs are good, too, but this is the one sausage I prefer all-beef or all-veal.

This - a 1000 times this.

Armour is a plauge on humanity as are Ballpark and Oscar Meyer.

[Shark Sandwich]

I'm a hot dog fanatic. I'd eat 'em every day if I could. My father is from Winona, Minnesota, and whenever he goes up there to visit family, he always goes to the same butcher shop that's been there since he was a kid and buys 15lbs of their hot dogs. When he gets back to Florida he divvies them up between my siblings and I. They're all connected together in a wonderfully delicious meat-chain, and they're made with natural casings that give you that great SNAP! when you bite into them. They're garlicky, peppery heaven. And oddly enough, though I really enjoy a good grilled dog, we've found these are much better boiled than grilled.

Mustard, relish, and chopped onions if you please.

"Nobody, I mean NOBODY puts ketchup on a hot dog." - Harry Callahan

[Chefguy]

It's been so long since I had any national brand hotdog, I can't offer an opinion on them. Here in Portland, we have honest-to-og German meat markets, including Otto's Sausage Kitchen, about a half mile from here. They always have a grill set up outside the storefront and there's a line to get their dogs. Oh, and you can mail order from them.

There was a hot dog cart here in the 'hood for awhile that had a killer jalapeno dog, served with pico, avocados and sour cream/guacamole sauce. I curse the day they dragged anchor. I guess business wasn't that good.

[Johnny L.A.]

Originally Posted by Johnny L.A.

Let's not get into how to dress a dog.

Originally Posted by Shark Sandwich

"Nobody, I mean NOBODY puts ketchup on a hot dog." - Harry Callahan

I'd like to keep the condiment arguments out of the thread.

[pulykamell]

Originally Posted by Johnny L.A.

I'd like to keep the condiment arguments out of the thread.

What argument? I just see a statement of fact there.

[needscoffee]

Johnny, have you ever tried any of the homemade dogs at Bavarian Meats at Pike Place Market? Or does the siren call of Uli's lure you away from their door?

[Johnny L.A.]

I never think of them. They're tucked away somewhere, and I only find the shop accidentally. I'll have to give them a try, though. Uli doesn't make hot dogs. (If he did, they'd probably be pork.)

I'll bet a BM BM would be sausage-shaped.

[Chefguy]

Originally Posted by Johnny L.A.

I never think of them. They're tucked away somewhere, and I only find the shop accidentally. I'll have to give them a try, though. Uli doesn't make hot dogs. (If he did, they'd probably be pork.)

I'll bet a BM BM would be sausage-shaped.

I think if I was going to go all the way to Seattle, I'd head for Salumi rather than look for a hot dog.

[Johnny L.A.]

Well, I go to Seattle three days a week.

[salinqmind]

Hebrew National (though awfully salty) and in a pinch, Sabrette's. (We have locally made franks and coneys (a white sausage that looks like a hot dog but has different seasonings) with the natural casings, and really, there's no comparison. I have the occasional daydream where I enter a hot-dog eating contest and so have permission to just go wild...)

[Proudest Monkey]

I bought hot dogs today for supper tonight. I buy either Hebrew National or Nathan's for home cooking. We get a lot of our meat from a local farm (pasture raised/humane treatment of animals, environmentally sustainable, blah, blah, blah) but their hot dogs are too dry and sausagey for those times when I want a nice weiner.

When I was a kid, I understood that chicken came from chickens, hamburg and pot roast and steak came from cows, pork chops and ham and bacon came from pigs, but I always asked my dad where hot dogs came from. His stock answer was "sweepings from the meat room floor" which I figured was another one of his teasing Dad remarks. Then I grew up and realized he wasn't that far off the mark.

Still love me some hot dogs though! I prefer them with mustard, dill relish, onions and a little dribble of ketchup to provide a little sweet in contrast to all that savory flavor.

[Khadaji]

I can't recall the last time I had a hot dog.

I think I have a box of the ones that plump when you cook them in my fridge, but they are so old I should probably throw them out. Literally years old.

[pulykamell]

Originally Posted by zoid

Armour is a plauge on humanity as are Ballpark and Oscar Meyer.

I've never had Armour, but Oscar Meyer and Ballpark hot dogs are just weird to me. They don't even taste like what I consider to be hot dogs and have this odd, squishy texture.

This is not to say that I don't occasionally buy that type of hot dog--I do because they often go on sale for $1/package (usually, it's the Scott Petersens that go on sale for that price, but it's fine, as I prefer them to Oscar Meyer, anyway) and I can find creative things to do with them (usually, just chop them up and use them as an additional protein in scrambled eggs. Or, don't laugh, as the meat in kimchi stew.) I just don't really enjoy them eaten as an actual hot dog.

[sitchensis]

I don’t buy Hebrew National because the commercials keep trying to tell me that the front shoulder is the best meat. I admit it’s a pretty stupid reason, the front shoulder meat they use is probably as good as or better than the hind quarter meat used in non-kosher dogs. It just seems like an insult to my intelligence. I can see using the kosher practices to advertise quality control or cleanliness, but to say, we only use the front end because it’s better meat. Nah

Now as I grow older if I’m putting something in a bun it’s usually a Johnsonville hot Italian sausage.

The low fat Ballpark Franks + a half can of Nalley turkey chili makes for a quick low calorie meal that feels like cheating, tons of sodium but that’s the case of all prepared foods.

[Drain Bead]

Applegate Farms makes an organic all-beef dog that's pretty damned good. If you don't care about that, Hebrew National or Nathan's are both good.

[pulykamell]

Originally Posted by sitchensis

I don’t buy Hebrew National because the commercials keep trying to tell me that the front shoulder is the best meat. I admit it’s a pretty stupid reason, the front shoulder meat they use is probably as good as or better than the hind quarter meat used in non-kosher dogs.

There is a marked difference between front quarter (chuck) and hind quarter (round.) Personally, if I'm making beef sausage, I will always go for chuck over round, because it's better suited for sausage making, in my opinion. The hind quarter requires extra fat to be added, and I don't think it's as flavorful as the front. Pork is similar.

I'm not familiar with the commercials (I don't think I've ever seen a Hebrew National commercial), but their claim of "best" can certainly be defended, although it's all relative, so essentially it doesn't mean much.

[JohnT]

Sticking to hot dogs (yes, I prefer brats as well), I'm fine with plain ol' Ball Park or Oscar Meyer hot dogs.

I pan fry the things, putting them in a hot skillet, dumping a small amount of water to add steam, and then crisping the skin after the water burns off. They're delicious that way, imho.

I never, ever, ever boil a hot dog or cook it in the microwave. They're just horrible when prepared like that.

[TriPolar]

We get Boar's Head brands around here. Sometimes the natural casing all beef dogs are available. I like the snap too, and definitely prefer all beef. Sabrett and Hebrew National are pretty good too. If chili isn't available, I go with mustard and relish.

[EvilTOJ]

The best hotdogs, without a doubt, are the cheese filled Oscar Mayer wieners. They're so expensive though ($4 a package! It's highway robbery!) I only buy them once in awhile. Otherwise I usually buy the 98¢ a package brand, whatever that happens to be.

Look, before you get all indignant, hot dogs are a childhood comfort food for me so I like them that way, OK? ok. Hot dog buns are the only white bread I eat too, I can't stand wheat hot dog buns.

[panache45]

Originally Posted by salinqmind

Hebrew National (though awfully salty) . . .

The low-fat variety are less salty, and in my opinion taste better.

[WhyNot]

Back in my former life, I worked at a Photon (motto: We're not Lazer Tag) and we had the most wonderful cheap ass institutional hot dogs ever at our concessions counter. "Snap", with the zing and saltiness and enough actual flavor that you really didn't need condiments. I have no idea what they were, sadly. Sold in a plain brown cardboard box with a nondescript white label with black printing I don't recall, a clear plastic bag inside holding prob'ly a hundred dogs. I still dream of those hot dogs.

Vienna Beef with the casing comes closest. Hebrew Nationals and Nathan's are quite good, too. But they're all pretty expensive, so our go-to dogs are the beef ones from Aldi, which aren't great, but not terrible, either. Better than Oscar-Meyer, anyhow.

[cckerberos]

All-beef Hebrew Nationals are what I eat in the US. The only kind I can buy here are Bryan's pork hot dogs. I don't think I'd ever heard of an all-pork hot dog before I saw those.

My mother always boiled them. I'm lazy (and don't have a pot big enough now) so I microwave them. I'm not sure what you're getting to in the OP but I don't remember boiled hot dogs tasting any worse than zapped ones.

I won't comment on condiments but will note that New England-style hot dog rolls are definitely preferable.

[BigT]

I actually prefer turkey-dogs when you get them from the store. But the best hotdogs I've ever had actually just came from a gas station. (Not the same one that had the best burgers). It was like a weird combination of bratwurst and hot dog. Plump enough to be a brat, made like a hot dog, and somewhere in between with spices.

Unfortunately, someone drove their car into that station, and the owners, rather than rebuild, converted it into a card only pump and automatic carwash. Oddly enough, a cigar shop bought the building and did repair it, but went out of business soon afterwards.

[Johnny L.A.]

Boar's Head is available near where I work. I'll have to try their dogs.

[BrotherCadfael]

I usually get kosher dogs of one brand or another - they tend to taste better, probably because they are made with better-quality ingredients.

Also, natural casings. Natural casings all the way.

Just don't think about them too hard.

[jasg]

Originally Posted by Chefguy

I think if I was going to go all the way to Seattle, I'd head for Salumi rather than look for a hot dog.

Agreed - Salumi is fantastic... but if I ever visit Pittsburgh, I'll head straight for the "Dirty O" to see if my memories from CMU days are correct.

[Motorgirl]

Originally Posted by panache45

The low-fat variety are less salty, and in my opinion taste better.

I agree, though I much prefer the Reduced Fat ones to the Low Fat ones.

Hebrew National is my favorite national brand. I like their firmness and saltiness. The farm share I get sometimes includes hot dogs (it's a meat share not a produce share, so that's not weird). Great flavor and texture, but I am having a hard time getting used to the natural casings.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Proudest Monkey

...but I always asked my dad where hot dogs came from. His stock answer was "sweepings from the meat room floor.

What are hot dogs made from? Every part of the pig except the oink.

Reading this thread is making me crave a dog (and I just ate dinner).


mmm

[Johnny L.A.]

Nathan's Famous hot dogs pioneer dead at 89

[needscoffee]

Originally Posted by Johnny L.A.

Nathan's Famous hot dogs pioneer dead at 89

Holy cow, what timing. It's like you planned it or something.

[Johnny L.A.]

No I didn't. I've been here. All day.

[Max Torque]

My wife and kid like the cheapest dogs you can find at the market, which is really weird to me.

When I buy for myself, I usually get Oscar Mayer Bun-Length Beef dogs. Good flavor, good texture. I like crispness to the skin, so grilled is best, but when that's not possible, I warm them slowly in a skillet until the skin gets crispy.

Hot dogs are best over fire. When I was a kid, one thing I liked about winter was a return of great hot dogs. We heated our house with a woodstove, so whenever I could, I'd put a hot dog on a roasting stick, wrap my hand in a kitchen towel to shield it from the heat, open the woodstove door, and spit-roast a hot dog over the coals. Magnificent! Just like camping!

[Magiver]

Oscar Meyer beef. I prefer them over many of the fancy brands. If I upgrade it's going to be to a good Italian sausage cooked with green peppers. I don't want if fried, stuffed, burnt or any other trendy way. I always eat 2 at a time, one with mustard and one with mustard,ketchup and pickle relish.

Occasionally I'll make a casserole out of them with instant potatoes (has to be instant) onions and cheese.

[Magiver]

Great, now I have to go out and buy hot dogs. Thanks a lot.

[Lukeinva]

Nathan's are verrry good. The first time I had one was at a rest stop on 95S just outside of NYC. I almost turned around to get another but it would have been almost 20 miles. Some grocery stores sell mini-Nathans (pinky finger size)... they are really good sauteed in a pan with some garlic cloves with mustard for dipping.

Speaking of cooking... try wrapping your hot dog with strip of bacon, score the contraption with a sharp knife and roll it around a hot pan until it is all done.

Bratwurst... in Germany... from a street vendor... cooked over an open flame... served in a broechen so that the brat sticks out 2 inches on both ends, and a good German beer. That's a good bratwurst!

[YogSosoth]

What kind of man wears Armour hot dogs!?

[Darryl Lict]

One of my go to give away meals at Burning Man is Dodger Dogs, just to try to piss off my friends from San Francisco. Other than that, I never cook hot dogs. Any time I'm in Berkeley, I go to Top Dog.

[Wheelz]

Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner
That is what I'd truly like to be
'Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner
Everyone would be in love with me!

These are what I grew up on, so they reliably hit the "comfort food" button even if they aren't the best dogs out there.

It's been a long time since I actually bought hot dogs to cook at home, though. Fortunately, I go to a lot of baseball games.

[DMark]

Hebrew National - the larger four pack version.
A bit pricier than the others, but worth it.
I like to grill them and get them just a tad "burnt".

I sort of like the Smoky Links from Oscar Mayer - but oddly they are rarely found in supermarkets here.

When I lived in NYC, I used to love eating those hot dogs from those carts all over the City - who knows what was in them, but they tasted great...I think New Yorkers called them "dirty dogs" due to the water being somewhat, uh, dirty. Still - you can easily get addicted to them.

[The Man In Black]

Hatfield Beef. Grilled.

When I was a kid, I liked Corn King hot dogs. But I haven't seen them in 15 years or so.

[Rachellelogram]

I love hot dogs! Being near Chicago, I have had some of the best hot dogs in the fucking nation. booyah!

Portillo's hot dogs are the closest to me, and are very good but not the best. They're manufactured by Vienna beef, but it's a special formula/recipe. So you can only taste that Portillo's flavor at Portillo's, you can't buy it anywhere else.

Best hot dogs I've had in the area? Gene's & Jude's, no question. Cash only. They wrap fries up with every dog, they're open balls late on the weekends, and they have lines down the goddamn block. They're so fucking awesome, I can't even describe it.