John

Well, that's too bad. You don't know what you are missing. All this talk about what they make hot dogs from is largely myth and old wives tales. I suspect that your uncle was trying to have some fun at your expense. Then again, you mentioned that he worked for Oscar Mayer. I've had these hot dogs, and I can believe anything about what might be in them. Sort of reminds me about the often repeated myth concerning Bock beer, and how it's made once a year from the slime that accumulates at the bottom of the tanks when it's time for the brewery to clean them out. Totally false, but believed by many. Seriously, most commercial frankfurters are made of decent cuts of beef/ and or pork, veal, and other meats. Manufacturers are required by law to list the ingredients on the package. Any undesirable parts of the cow or pig such as lips, hearts, etc., must be labelled "variety meats" or "mechanically separated parts". If you see this on the label, then know that you aren't getting the highest quality. But this is the very small minority. Quality franks today have kosher beef (Kosher franks) choice angus beef (Usinger's), even prime beef (Lobel's franks). Others, like Sabrett and Best's use choice beef. German style franks like the kind you get in butcher shops such as the aforementioned Liehs and Steigerwald use good quality beef, pork, and veal. And no preservatives at all. Better quality than a lot of the meat you may eat at home. I'd give hot dogs another try. There are a lot of great ones out there. And now they are available online, as you can read about the many people on this forum who send away for them.

I'm eagerly awaiting your future tastings. Let me suggest a frank for either pork based (German style; actually beef, pork, and veal) or mail order. It's from Liehs and Steigerwald, a German sausage maker in Syracuse. Someone told me about the high quality of these franks. And they were tied for first with Schaller & Weber in the Rosengarten tasting. I've been meaning to order them for awhile. When I finally got around to it, the website was changed. I contacted the person who told me about these dogs and was given the new website http;//www.liehsandsteigerwald.com. They will ship as little as one hot dog. I ordered a pound and sampled them last week. They are about 5 to a lb with natural casing. Thick, juicy, and tasty. Better than any German butcher shop dog that I've sampled including the 4 in Union, Pulaski in Linden, and Schaller & Weber. These dogs have a nice spicing, and are very juicy. As good a dog in this style as I've had. The only dog I like as much (and slightly better) is Thumann's griller. The Liehs and Steigerwald dog is as fresh as there is. If you order some, serve within a few days and freeze the rest. They contain no preservatives. Based on your review and the review from Rosengarten, I bought a pack of Boar's Head. I haven't had them in awhile. I think I like them more than Best's, Sabrett , and Nathan's. Just a perfect spicing, casing and taste for this type of dog, which is New York/Chicago kosher style all beef. This dog, I think, best typifies this style. I still consider Usinger's my favorite beef dog, but it is not a perfect example of the style in that it is shorter and thicker, has a smokier taste which is not common in beef dogs (more typical of the beef/pork) and contains esoteric spices like cloves, nutmeg, black pepper (I think) and others whereas with a dog truer to style, garlic and paprika predominate. But the hell with being true to style. If something tastes good, eat it. That said, I thing the Liehs and Steigerwald dog is more in the German butcher style than Thumann's. It contains some veal (which Thumann's does not) and has a different spicing. It contains a spice called mace which I detect in many German butcher dogs. At any rate, I'm looking forward to your future tasting which I hope will be soon, and recommend that you include Thumann's, Liehs and Steigerwald, and maybe Schickhaus when you evaluate pork dogs, and Usinger's when you do premium/mail order.

The guys selling the gyros were Italian. Maybe that had something to do with it. But they were all the way down the end of the street; off the beaten path. It could be that they wanted to offer something different. Most everyone was offering the same sausage and pepper sandwiches, pizza, pasta, etc. There are some restaurants that aren't Italian that just happen to be located in Union Center where the festival is held. One year I remember Lutz's Pork store set up a grill outside their store. They grilled up some franks, bratwurst, and other fine German sausages. Sold a lot of stuff too.

I just had a gyro for the first time this past Saturday night at the Italian Festival in Union. I don't know how it compares to any others, but I loved it. My wife had one with chicken, mine was with lamb. I asked about the white sauce before I ate mine. I don't like anything reeking of onions or garlic. It looked like a ranch dressing, but I was told it is a sort of cucmber dressing called Tzatziki. Very good with a flavor of dill also. I asked about where I can get it. It's available at any Greek specialty store. There's one in Kenilworth called the Greek Store. I'll be getting some soon to make my own gyros. According to some info on the web, it does have yogurt as a base.

Hot Dogs

Holly, One place that comes to mind is Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City, a few minutes away from the airport. Take rt 1 north over the Pulaski Skyway. When you come over the bridge, look for the first exit (not sure what it says, I only know it by sight). At the bottom of the ramp, go about halfway around the circle and get off on Tonnele Ave. This street runs parallel to Kennedy Blvd. Make a right off Tonnele Ave. Go a few blocks and look for Kennedy Blvd. Make a right on Kennedy Blvd and go a little ways (a mile or less). Boulevard Drinks is on the right hand side. It's tough to park there. Either park in a garage on the right before Boulevard Drinks, or make a right at the end of the street (BD is on the corner) and look for a spot there. This is a small place that's been around forever and one of the more popular hot dog spots in North Jersey. Serving a small griddled Sabrett in the style of Papaya King. They have a hot chili sauce that is about as hot or a little hotter (Spicy hot) as Father & Son. You are close to the places in Elizabeth and Union, but you've been to them before. On the other side of Newark are the hot dog trucks on Bloomfield Ave. and Dickiee Dees Italian Hot Dogs. I really don't know how to get you there from the airport though.

Tony's moved to Lake and Park. If you're on Bloomfield Ave. with JJ's on the left, make a right at the next street, which is Park Ave. Tony's is a few blocks down.

Tommy, The truck on Bloomfield Ave. is JJ's. I've been there before, most recently last week. I went to Newark to sample a dog from Tony's which is within walking distance from JJ's. Known for hot onions (which I don't eat) Tony's also uses a dog called Golden D which I haven't sampled until I went. This dog is made in Brooklyn and is a cheaper, less flavorful dog than Sabrett. Nothing special at all. I guess most people wouldn't notice the flavor of the dog buried under the hot onions. Also near Branch Brook Park is Chris's Red Hots. They serve a boiled, skinless Sabrett which, of course, lacks the snap of a natural casing dog. JJ's serves a boiled (11 to a pound) natural casing Sabrett. It's the best of the 3 mentioned, but ideally, I prefer a bigger dog. Dees in Roselle Park has a 10 to a lb Sabrett. The casing is very tight and tough on any dog smaller than 10 to a lb. JJ's is open very late and caters to the college crowd (Rutgers is nearby). Most of the carts serve boiled Sabretts as I've mentioned, and most of these are tiny with natural casing, so they are pretty much the same. Some serve hotter, fresher dogs (Dees), but what sets each apart are the toppings. Tony's is popular for hot onions, JJ's is popular for hot chili. In fact, this is the hottest, spiciest chili I've had on a hot dog. Spicier even than Father & Son and Boulevard Drinks. You can't eat it without having a drink nearby. Plus JJ's is popular with the late night crowd as they are open to 2 or 3 in the morning. They sell tee shirts that have a big hot dog on them with the saying "Eat Me" on them. Right down the street is Dickie Dees, a pizzeria known for making a decent Italian Hot Dog. And Calandras, one of the best bakeries anywhere.

These dogs, usually served from a roadside truck or cart, are not my favorite type of dog, as I prefer them grilled. But I have sampled my fair share of them over the years. A good one has to be all beef (dogs with pork in them taste bland boiled or steamed; must be grilled or fried) with a decent spicing and served hot. With a casing. Most of these places serve Sabrett, which are spicy/garlicky and boil up well. One thing that I don't like about these dogs are that they are very skinny. Pencil thin in fact. Many come 11 or 12 to a pound which are too small in my opinion. I recently came across a hot dog cart in Sayreville. There is no name on it, but it's called Nagle's after the owner, Tom Nagle. Located on the Main St. extension in Sayreville, it is easily identified by the Hatfield umbrella. Hatfield produces a beef, pork, and turkey dog that while bland and ordinary in my opinion, is popular in West Jersey and Pa. The dog is made in Pa. and it's popularity reflects regional tastes. The dog served at Nagle's is an all beef kosher style dog made specifically to compete with Sabrett. It is made from black angus beef, and was only introduced within the last year. It has enough spice for an all beef dog, but what sets it apart from Sabrett and most others is it's rich beefy taste. Certainly different (and better) than the usual dirty water dogs at nearby Mr. Dees and Bears, both in Sayreville. Worth trying, and Tom Nagle is a very friendly guy who took a risk and switched brands after more than 20 years with the same dog (Sabrett). Try one next time you're in Sayreville and tell him you were sent by a satisfied customer.

Last Friday I had to take my daughter back to school (UConn) and although I would have liked to hit a few hot dog places, I couldn't because of all the work we had to do moving her in. I was able to go to the new Capitol Lunch in Storrs. Their original location is New Britain and they recently opened this one. They serve a Rosol's brand beef and pork dog that they griddle and serve with French's yellow mustard (I prefer spicy brown deli mustard). Decent dog, but nothing out of the ordinary. The other Conn. places I've been to are better. But they have a good peppery relish, a good beef based chili sauce (or Cappy sauce as it is called) and a very good chili with peppers and beans. All at a reasonable $1.70 including toppings.

Nice Story. Never heard of Us Foods, so I don't have an idea of what this dog may taste like. I'm near Wayne twice a year for a beer festival, so next time I might check it out. Most Pa. or West Jersey dogs are a milder beef and pork blend (Hatfield, Kunzler, Berk's) than what we're used to in North East Jersey.

I called Syd's and there will be no problem with the bridge construction. We will be coming from Vauxhall Rd. and will be turning into the parking lot before the bridge. Glad you can make it Rockhopper.

I will be running a hot dog crawl Saturday, Sept. 4th for anyone who will be interested. The idea actually originated on another food site when an ex-Jerseyan now living in Florida expressed a desire to have a few dogs with me upon returning to Jersey to visit. More people wanted in, and before you knew it, the idea for a hot dog tour or hot dog crawl was born. So far about 15-20 people are interested in going. We will be meeting at the Galloping Hill Inn in Union at 11:30. Very easy to get to. Exit 138 off the Garden State Parkway, make a right off the exit (doesn't matter if you will be coming from the north or south) and the Galloping Hill Inn is between 1/2 mile to a mile on the left hand side. Go past it and make a left onto Salem Rd. and a quick left into the parking lot. They share a pretty big parking lot with a banquet hall, so there will be ample room to accomodate us. It turns out that 3 of the 5 planned places just happen to be within a few miles of each other so the travelling will be easy. We can carpool also. The other 2 places are about 15 miles up the Parkway and within a few miles of each other. Then it's back to The Galloping Hill and whoever wants to hit a few more places can, since there are a few within a couple of miles. Those who want to leave early can opt out after the first 3. First will be the Galloping Hill Inn which serves my favorite grilled German style dog. Just an excellent blend of beef and pork served on a good sturdy bun. One of the more popular places in the state and named by New Jersey Monthly a few years ago as the best dog inJersey. Certainly one of my top 2 or 3 favorites in its style. Next will be Syd's a few miles away. They serve a delicious charbroiled all beef kosher style (Best's) dog that is my favorite of it's type. I like it more than Papaya King and Katz's in New York. Named best hot dog in Jersey in the original Munchmobile series where they reviewed 12 of the most popular hot dog eateries in Jersey. Third stop will be Charlies Famous Italian Hot Dogs. Located about 2 miles away from the Galloping Hill Inn and conveniently near the Parkway for stops 4 and 5. Charlies serves in my opinion, the best Italian style hot dog. There is Charlies, Tommy's in Elizabeth, then everyone else. Fourth stop, The Hot Grill in Clifton. Less than 20 minutes away, they serve what I consider the best, or at least one of the best Texas Weiners in N.J. It's my favorite chili or "all the way" sauce out of the ones I've sampled. Fifth stop, Rutt's Hut. Probably the most well know hot dog place in Jersey. Great tasting deep fried dogs with their unique and tasty relish. Afterwards, it's back to Union and the Galloping Hill Inn. Anyone that's up for a short 3 mile trek into Elizabeth can sample Tommy's Italian Hot Dogs and Jerry's Famous Frankfurters (my wife's favorite) right next to each other. Also closeby is Father & Son. There's also a Windmill in nearby Westfield. If interested post here or e-mail me so I can get an idea of how many people are coming. It is Labor Day Weekend if that makes a difference. Also, the Galloping Hill Inn, Rutt's, and the Hot Grill serve up dogs immediately, and would have no problem serving a large number of people at one time. We could get an idea of how many we wanted and call ahead at Syd's and Charlies. It should make for a fun day. I'm also looking at doing a followup trip to Connecticut.

I don't know all the details, but Jerry's opened in 1962 or 3. The owners are Greek. Jerry Belibisakis was the original owner. Now run by his son Nick, who I rarely see there. 90% of the time there is an elderly Spanish man working. Very pleasant, but speaks hardly any English. It was impossible getting information from him for a past newspaper article on hot dogs. Jerry's brother opened George's in Elizabeth. Another great hot dog restaurant, George's went out of business a year or 2 ago. Now it's a Subway. Tommy Farrinello opened Tommy's in 1969 about 2 door down from Jerry's. Known for their Italian Sausage sandwiches and Italian Hot Dogs, they also sell regular hot dogs. I don't know if the 2 places consider themselves rivals or what. Many people, myself included, stop at both. For the same meal. Once I walked over to Tommy's to get an Italian Hot Dog after getting a few regular dogs from Jerry's. The guy working there told me that I should've gotten my regular dogs from him too. Both places use the same Best's natural casing 8 to a lb dogs for their regular hot dog. Tommy's boils his. At Jerry's they are boiled then put on a steel griddle for a minute or 2 for extra crunchiness and flavor. Jerry's regular dogs are better than Tommy's. Tommy is not too fond of me. He knows my father from mutual friends, and they sometimes go shooting together. He knows that I prefer Charlies Italian Hot Dogs to his, and it bothers him to no end. I told my dad to tell him that his dogs (for the Italian Hot Dog) are much too small and he is chintzy with the peppers. He really has great potatoes and his sausage sandwich is maybe the best around. And his Italian Hot Dog is second only to Charlies. Shortly after, he began using bigger dogs. But he is kind of expensive; $6.25 for a double.

Jerry's is one of my favorite places to go for a dog also. Closeby and open most of the time, so it's convenient. The dogs are always fresh, hot and tasty. They boil their dogs, then finish them off on a griddle. Basically a dirty water dog with a little extra crunchiness and flavor. My wife's favorite hot dog joint. Jerry's, Syd's, and Father & Son all use Best's natural casing dog's. Syd's uses a 5 count while the other 2 use an 8. Syd's boils then charbroils, Jerry's boils then grills, Father & Son cooks their dogs on a griddle over low heat over a period of time. These places serve the best all beef dogs in Jersey. Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City and the Old Heidelburg in Keansburg are pretty good. As for Hiram's, did you know that they use the same dogs as Rutt's Hut? The Thumann's deep fryers. Hiram's dog is a little wider, but the same recipe. You have to ask for one well done. I just get mine with mustard. A real Jersey roadside joint. Great place to have a few beers and some dogs.

Go to pirylis.com. Then click on pirylis distributors. There is info regarding rentals.

I've been asked to review hot dogs for an upcoming piece to be shown on television. It will be filmed within a few weeks. I'll give the details as to when it will be shown as soon as I know. We'll be going to some of New Jersey's finest hot dog establishments. Sort of like a mini hot dog tour. I hope to include some , if not all of these places on a future hot dog tour.

I'm not familiar with that one. My wife is originally from Elizabeth and remembers the place, although she can't think of the name. After awhile, the name changed from what it was known as for many years to City Hall something or other. She doesn't know if it is still there. Since I live close enough by, I'll take a ride soon and find out.

Make no mistake, the dogs listed above are definitely among the best in Jersey, at least in my opinion. Union County, where these dogs come from with the exception of Rutt's Hut, is the hot dog capital of Jersey. Syd's is maybe the best dog in the state. Certainly the best grilled all beef dog. Jerry's and Father & Son use a smaller version of the same dog. Syd's charbroils theirs, Jerry's is boiled then grilled, Father & Son is cooked on a griddle. These three are the best places to go for an all beef dog. Right behind them I would add Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City. They serve a small grilled dog that is exactly what you would get at Papaya King. The beef dogs at the Old Heidelburg deserve an honorable mention. The Galloping Hill Inn is my favorite grilled German style dog. Max's and the Windmill are ok. Charlies Famous Italian Hot Dogs are the best Italian Dog. Tommy's is a very close second. All others are far behind including Jimmy Buff's. Rutt's Hut is Rutt's Hut and belongs on any best of list. Only other dog I would add would be a Texas Weiner. My favorite is the Hot Grill in Clifton.

Tommy, Did you mean the Windmill guy? He is actually one of the owners of the company who happenned to come across the New Jersey hot dog thread. He is trying to expand sales by introducing the brand in supermarkets. The dogs are in Foodtowns down south (manalapan and elsewhere) and soon to be coming to Wegmans. They are also available online at the exorbitant price of $76.95 for 5 lbs. Windmill hot dogs are a beef and pork blend made by Sabrett. These are also the same dogs used at Callahan's and the Hot Grill. A good dog, but I prefer Max's and the Galloping Hill Inn. I don't know why this man said he was sad about my comments about the Windmill. I didn't knock them; I said they are one of the better dogs in their style. But I like Max's a little better. Max's and the Windmill have somewhat of a rivalry as both are less than a mile apart in Long Branch. The guy was nice enough to send me an e-mail thanking me for some information I gave him, as well as sending me some Windmill money. Still, I'm debating whether or not I should tell people on that forum that they can get the same hot dogs from a Sabrett distributor for far less money. Last time I called a distributor a year or 2 ago, you could get 5 lbs of the Windmill hot dogs for $17.50. Sure beats ordering the same amount from the Windmill for $76.95. As for the tour, there are a lot of guys from Connecticut who want to sample Jersey dogs. Originally I suggested one or two guys come down and we would hit a few places. Before you knew it, others started pushing for a hot dog tour. Would be up for a separate one for E-Gullet, or if anyone wants to join this one, feel free.

Coincidentally, there are 2 hot dog runs in the planning stages. One in Jersey, the other in Connecticut. These 2 states, in my opinion, have the best and widest varieties of hot dogs. The idea for this originated on roadfood.com under the New Jersey hot dog thread. A new thread was started entitled Hot Dog Tour. Anyone interested is invited. Check for details and respond either here or there.

Pennbrew, I live in Union and enjoy their hot dogs and brats; especially the brats. I believe that you mentioned them a few times. Do you buy the fresh or cooked version? As for the hot dogs, I cook them on a griddle. The casing doesn't usually break, but if it does, the frank still retains it's snap. Union Pork Store dogs are among the freshest you can buy. They were featured in New Jersey Monthly a few years ago. But they don't taste as good cooked in water. Grilling brings out the flavor. A real good German style dog is Schaller & Weber. Have you had this one? What do you think of Thumann's? To me, this is the best frank on the market that isn't all beef.

My son just calls me a weenie. I was contacted by the reporter for this story on Holly's recommendation. He (the reporter) covers Warren County which is in West Jersey. They don't have many restaurants at all, even fast food places like McDonald's. In fact, the most popular restaurant is Hot Dog Johnny's. Originally, the story was going to be on their 60th anniversary. But with the reincarnation of Jim's (now called Jimmy's on the Delaware) and the popularity of hot dog joints in contrast to other types of food, he decided to do an article about hot dogs in West Jersey. We spoke at length about all Jersey hot dogs. Restaurants, brands used, cooking methods, popularity as far as who sells the most dogs, etc. The reporter asked me if I agreed that Hot Dog Johnny's was Jersey's most popular hot dog. I told him no, not even close. Rutt's Hut, Hot Grill, Galloping Hill Inn, and Texas Weiner ll in Green Brook sell more dogs. And there may be others. Remember, he was focusing on West Jersey hot dog joints and their popularity to the exclusion of the rest of the state. He mentioned that West Jersey has a lot less people then North East Jersey, therefore they might have a higher hot dog stand to people ratio, or something to that effect. I said that it could be true, hence his statement that I said rural Warren might have the most impressive array of hot dog stands, per capita, in New Jersey. West Jersey does have a cluster of hot dog places in the Philipsburg-Lopatcong-Alppha area. But they have nowhere near the number and variety of hot dog places that North East Jersey does. I had to be honest about my opinions, and I told him that West Jersey dogs are much less flavorful than elsewhere. Not bad, but nothing that really compares to the better hot dog places in the rest of the state. I picked Toby's Cup as one of my favorites in the Times article because it is somewhat unique and uses a better quality dog (Berk's from Pa.) than the other places reviewed which use a very ordinary Kunzler frank (also from Pa.) Toby's has the onions, pickles, and mustard in the West Jersey-Pa. style, but deep fries the dog. All in all I'd say this dog is the best in West Jersey. Only 80 cents. Sort of a poor mans Rutt's Hut. I couldn't say anything good about Hot Dog Johnny's because it is one of the few places that I went to that I really didn't like. A very bland pork based dog that is steamed or boiled. I've had this dog grilled, and it's ok, but at Johnny's it's just not good. I didn't even finish mine. I gave it to my dog and even he wouldn't eat it. But the place is real popular out there and even among some people I know and work with. A lot of it is the atmosphere and setting along the Pequest River. I totally discount these factors when judging a dog. Charlies Pool Room in Alpha is a Weird, N.J. type of place, but they use the ordinary Kunzler dog. They fry it in an actual frying pan and have a secret recipe Hungarian sauce that is pretty good. I wrote a letter describing this place that is in the current Weird, N.J. Most of the places out west steam their franks or use the roller grill. Beef franks are almost non existent. Eddie's in Philipsburg is the only place I know of that has them. The bottom line is that while hot dogs are very popular in West Jersey, they are very ordinary and do not compare to what the rest of the state offers. I'll try and convince the reporter to try some of the better places next time.

I've been to the Philadelphia Grille about 3 times. In my opinion, the best cheesesteak that I've tried in N.J. Admittedly, I haven't been to Gaetanos or Chick's, which many people including the Star Ledger's Munchmobile team consider the best. You may get an argument from our Philadelphia friends, but even Philadelphia Monthly picked Chick's of Cherry Hill as the best cheesteak . And they tested mostly Philly places. The Philadelphia Grille is certainly the best or one of the best in Union County. The owner is from Jim's in Philly. He uses a very good bread, harder than what is used in Philly. A Philly Cheesesteak traditionalist like Holly would probably dismiss this bread as not authentic, but it was darn good. The Munchmobile liked the bread the best out of all the places sampled. The meat is chopped and very good. It has a pleasing, slightly spicy flavor. I know that this may border on blasphemy, but the one time I ventured into Philly, I had a cheesesteak from Steve's Prince of Steaks. Very good; considered by many as one of the better places in Philly. When I got home, I ran over to the Philadelphia Grille to see how it compared to Steve's. I was surprised to find out that I preferred it to Steve's. Bread was better and the meat tastier. Well worth trying. My only criticism would be that the sandwich was a little smaller than I would have liked.

Wow! That's something. No way was it Dietz and Watson. I know that today, any franks containing lips, sphinters, kidneys, etc. must be labeled variety meats. If you do not see this designation, you can be sure that you're not getting the undesirable parts of the animal.