John

I was reading an article about a hot dog restaurant in Texas that sampled frankfurters from all over the country for 2 months before settling on an all beef dog "imported" from New Jersey. The name of this restaurant is the Duke of Dogs. The article didn't include which N.J. dog was used, so I called the restaurant out of curiosity. I was told the frank is called Andrako's. It is from a small family owned business which specializes in franks and sausage. Has anyone heard of this company? All I know is that it is located in Florence, N.J. which is in the southern part. I tried calling information, but got nothing. There is a Florence in Burlington and Camden County. Does anyone have an address or phone # ?

Out of the hundreds of beers that I tried, 2 stand out as exceptionally lousy. Busch Light (just about any light beer qualifies as lousy; particularly Coors Light because all my relatives drink it) and a beer put out by Schmidt's of Philadelphia called Schmidt's Bavarian. As college students at Glassboro State College in the late 70's we drank a lot of this because it was even cheaper than the regular Schmidt's. We used to call it Barbarian. Eventually, we got so sick of it, that it turned us off to shitty beer forever. We began drinking Grolsch and later graduated to microbrews when they started popping up in the 80's.

Try Antone's in Cranford. They have at least 45 beers on tap; most in the state. Good atmosphere; neighborhood bar. Good food also.

Thanks for the input! I can't wait to make one.

A favorite lunheonette of mine is Syd's in the Millburn Mall in Union, N.J. This place is known for hot dogs, but everything served there is great. They make a fantastic reuben. I only had one for the first time about a year or 2 ago. I tasted my wife's (I had the hot dog platter). Now I get one occassionally. I've tried them at a few places, but Syd's makes the best one I've had, and this includes Katz's deli. I know it is made with corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on rye. I found out today that Syd's uses corned beef from Best Provisions; same place that supplies them with their hot dogs. I want to make one at home. My question is, how do you cook the corned beef? Is it boiled? When it is cooked, is the cheese melted in the microwave? I would appreciate any info on how these sandwiches are made. I can get the corned beef at Best's sliced thin. But I need to know how to make one. The only thing I can cook are hot dogs. Thanks.

Steven, Thanks for the link. I actually found it earlier doing a search. It also included the name of the excellent mustard used there (Block and Guggenheim). I agree with you about this place being about the condiments. I do plan to try the New Englander if I return. This was my third stop of the day and I wanted to just taste the dog with mustard. This is usually how I like my dogs anyway. I usually keep Rutt's relish and the Hot Grill's chili sauce at home. I only like the relish on a milder beef/pork dog. I don't think it goes well with a spicy beef dog. The chili sauce works well with either. I agree with you regarding the dog having to be a little less aggressively spiced in order to blend in with the condiments. The dog at the Hot Grill is made by Sabrett (50% beef 50% pork) and is perfect in complimenting the chili sauce. I do, however, enjoy this chili with a spicy, flavorfull Black Bear frank also. The two popular places in Union (my hometown) are a study in contrasts. Syd's is a kosher style all beef dog (5 to a lb) simmered then charbroiled. Truly one of the finest dogs anywhere. Flavorfull without being overly spicy. The Galloping Hill Inn is in the Conn. style. In fact, the dog used is from Conn. (Grote & Weigle). It is pork and beef and subtle in spicing like the Super Duper weenie dog. But it is tasty. And very good. This dog, along with Thumann's and a German style deli frank near me are the best dogs of this style. I think Gary would 've done better by using the Grote & Weigel dog. Just a matter of taste. I spoke with Grote & Weigel's distributor. Although they supply many of the Texas Weiner places in N.J. (the style of Texas Weiner that grills and doesn't deep fry) the dog used at Galloping Hill Inn is a different product. It has a collagen casing and is made from a different recipe. The guy said that the GHI is the only place that buys this dog, although they will sell to anyone who requests it (even me). I feel that this dog typifies the Conn. style dog better than anything. I reccomend trying this place along with Syd's and, of course, Rutt's Hut.

Well, I finally made it into Conn. to sample a few of their hot dogs. I believe that New Jersey has the best and biggest variety of hot dogs anywhere. I have heard that Conn. has many good places also. Holly, Steven Shaw, the Sterns, my nephew David, and others have given good reviews to Conn. dog houses. My nephew has even told me that Rawley's is the best dog in the Eastern U.S. Not that he's tasted all that many, but he did say he liked it better than Rutt's Hut. Seeing that both of these places deep fry their dogs (Rawley's also grills them for a little while afterwards) and are both beef/pork; I expected them to be somewhat similar; at least in style. I've been wanting to try Super Duper Weenie and Swanky Frank's also. Both of these places were listed in Gourmet Magazine as being one of the ten best places in the country to get a dog. Swanky's was rated 3, Rutt's 6, and SDW 9. I don't give all that much credence to these lists; but I have heard a lot of discussion about these places and wanted to try them for myself. By the way; the number 1 dog on this list is Walter's in Mamaroneck, N.Y. I have heard from a few people that this dog is greatly overrated. It is very pale in color, and is made with 1/3 pork, 1/3 beef, and 1/3 veal. I will get to this place soon and report back. Anyway, my first stop was Swanky Frank's. Let me say that the three places I went to today plus the one place in Jersey are all reviewed on Holly Eats, plus Steven adds his comments on the thread titled "The Hot Dog I made for myself". Remember that taste is subjective, and these are just my opinions. Plus, I feel that comparing different styles of dogs are like comparing apples and oranges. Some like spicy, all beef dogs; others like milder, sweeter tasting pork and beef dogs (some are 60% pork; even going up to 80% like Thumann's). And the 3 Conn. places are reviewed on Roadfood. The product at Swanky's is a deep fried all beef Hummels brand dog. Served on a soft, chewy roll that was steamed or otherwise heated. A good, beef dog. A nice spicy, tangy flavor. The dog reminded me a little of the one served at Frank & Fries in N.J. because of it's tanginess. It had a natural casing and was pretty good. I prefer the beef dogs at Syd's (charbroiled) Boulevard Drinks (grilled Sabrett) and Father & Son (grilled Grote & Weigel) over this one. Next was Rawley's. I had been looking forward to going here for awhile; and if I had to pick just one place to sample; this would be the one. The dog used here was a Rosseler pork/beef frank that was deep fried and then finished off on a grill. I found out that the place that supplied Rawley's with hot dogs went out of business. They are being produced by someone else in another state. I asked the kid at the counter about that and he said that the dogs "are still pretty good" which leads me to believe that they might not be the same ones that were tasted by some of you reading this. Well, let me say that the dog was pretty good, but in my opinion, nothing special. I had all the dogs today with just mustard, so that I could taste the dog better. This one was plump, taut, with a good casing and a slight tanginess. In no way does it compare to Rutt's Hut. Not even close. I believe this one would be better with the bacon bits and house relish that they have. My last stop was Super Duper Weenie. I had the basic dog with just mustard, but was given some relish in a container to take home. The sweet relish was slightly sweet, with a good peppery taste. I don't like relish in general. But I would have this on a hot dog. And of course, as I have mentioned in other posts, Rutt's Hut's relish is the best condiment I have ever had. It is so different than any relish I've ever had that I see it as something altogether different. As for the dog, it was a quality beef and pork dog reminiscent of the German Style dogs available at some of the German butchers in my hometown of Union. This dog was split down the middle and served with mustard in between. The mustard was excellent. I forget the brand name, but would remember if it was named. There was 2 names to this mustard. Something and something. The dog was above average, but not as tasty as a Thumann's, Schickhaus, or Grote and Weigle dog (made in Conn. also). All in all, I liked these dogs. I think I liked the all beef Swanky Frank and the Super Duper Weenie a little better than the Rawley's dog. All had just mustard. The rolls were high quality and fresh. A lot of the enjoyment was in finally trying these dogs for myself after hearing and reading about them. I conclude that they are worth travelling a little ways for. But I still prefer the dogs in Jersey. On the way home, I stopped at the Galloping Hill Inn down the street from me. They are one of the more popular dogs in Jersey. A beef and pork dog made by Grote & Weigle of Conn. Served on a harder football shaped bun. The best dog of the day. And right down the street. Just don't get one with chili.

How long did you microwave? Did you wrap the dog in a napkin? I'm assuming this was a Black Bear. Have you tasted it side by side with another brand?

Then there is deep frying, which is a whole other issue.

Interesting. Glad you had good results. I don't understand the science behind these cooking methods; but a lot of places that I go to cook their dogs all different ways. And, as i mentioned before, even they don't know why they do it sometimes. Syd's simmers then charbroils their dog. When I asked the owner why he did it this way rather than just charbroil them, he told me that the previous owners cooked them this way and he didn't want to change a thing when he took over. I don't prefer boiled dogs either, although a decent beef dog isn't bad in a pinch if that's your only choice. One thing that's nasty is a pork and beef dog boiled. Or steamed. That's what you get at Hot Dog Johnny's. The actual dog served is pretty good; second in my opinion to Thumann's for a pork and beef dog. See the Hot Dog Johnny's thread. But the dog is good grilled, griddled, fried or simmered and grilled. Not boiled. The cooking method makes all the difference. I would never have a Thumann's boiled. These German style dogs are bland when boiled and beef dogs only a little better. You know the difference between a boiled Sabrett at a pushcart and a grilled Sabrett at Gray's Papaya. What's interesting is that the people at Usinger's (Wisconsin) serve their dogs boiled in the employee cafeteria and actually reccomend this way of cooking when you buy from them. Ditto for Chicago and Vienna Beef. Their reasoning is like you said. The product is already cooked; they just need to be heated. But we know that certain cooking methods produce different tastes. I've simmered and then grilled (on a griddle and charcoal grill) and one other benefit is that it saves a little time. Plus it makes sense that the dogs would cook more evenly. I've also simmered the dogs and put them in a frying pan for a minute or 2. It is like a boiled dog, but with more flavor and snap. Jerry's and George's (original owners of these places were brothers) in Elizabeth cook their dogs this way. Both are very popular. Many times if I'm just hanging out watching tv and having some beer; I'll just throw some dogs on the griddle and cook them for awhile. The casing usually keeps in the juices and prevents the dog from getting dried out. If, you're in Jersey, you gotta try Syd's (simmered and charbroiled). I've gotten these dogs (long 5 to a lb) from Best's and cooked them this way and they taste identical to Syd's. And with a big savings. Syd's is great (one of my top 5 or so dogs) but they charge $3.00 a dog. But yet they are always crowded. They also make a terrific reuben.

I cook hot dogs all different ways; mostly though, I cook them on a griddle. Awhile back, someone from Usinger's said that you should just boil the smaller wieners and either boil or grill the bigger franks (with the tougher hog casing) The reason for this is so that the flavorfull juices do not escape. I replied (via e-mail) that the dogs are more flavorfull grilled. They told me to be more carefull grilling anything with a sheep casing. I think it would be helpfull to bring a pot of water to a boil. Then turn off the water and place the franks in the pot and cover it. Let simmer (not boil) for about 8-10 minutes and then throw the dogs on the griddle. They will be cooked more evenly from the inside (from simmering) and will get that good grilled taste w/o letting the juices escape. Then if you still like the smaller dogs better; it will probably be because of the amount of meat to casing ratio rather than the dogs not being cooked long enough. As I said, the Schickhaus franks I cooked (1/4 lb with casing) took forever. The hot dog places throw theirs on the griddle and let cook for a few hours on low heat. Father & Son does this and they only use 8 to a lb. Max's also cooks theirs for a long time. I usually don't have the patience; but I have cooked some for a long time. The casing does keep in the juices and gives the casing a nice charred, slightly burnt crunch. Syd's, which uses a long 5 to a lb frank boils theirs, and then finishes them off on a charcoal grill. Many consider this the best all beef dog in Jersey. Jerry's simmers theirs, and throws them on a steel griddle (actually a small steel box) for only a few minutes. The result is a dirty water dog with extra crunchiness. Also a favorite of many. Oh, and Freud was a weenie.

Steven, good luck trying to contact Dietz and Watson by e-mail. They never responded to me. I did get someone on the phone (they have an 800 number on their website) and it took me awhile to get him to speak about their franks. Maybe he thought I was a competitor. You may want to call instead.

I've never tasted a bull dog frank.

I've noticed that when using a griddle; it does take a lot longer to cook a 1/4 lb dog. I found this out by cooking a Schickhaus (1/4 lb natural casing) with a few smaller dogs. Even though they all looked "done" the Schickhaus didn't taste as flavorfull as they did when I got them at Max's (same dog, same size). Next time, I left them on the griddle for a lot longer; till the skin was almost burnt, and it tasted a lot better. This frank is used a lot at the various boardwalks down the shore and is a favorite of a lot of people. It was made by Grote & Weigle of Conn until 1990. They switched manufacturers; and earlier this year switched back to Grote & Weigle. This brand is in the deli section. Harder to find than Thumann's. For a beef and pork dog, I prefer Thumann's, a local butcher dog, and then Schickhaus. But it has to be well done.

Thanks for the post. You just saved me from buying a 3 lb package. That's the only size package available at my local Shop rite. I suspected that the 1/4 lbsize might be too big. Five or 6 to a lb and thinner in diameter might be better. Let us know how the Black Bear measures up to other quality beef dogs if you happen to do a comparison. When I did; I found the Black Bear to be tastier with a wider range of flavors.

I like 8 to a lb for cooking at home. But 6's and 5's are good also, just as long as they are not too thick. Usinger's Angus franks came 4 to a lb and were short and fat. A great dog; but I'm glad they came out with a 7 or 8 to a lb. No difference in actual taste; but I enjoy the smaller ones. I like the 5 to a lb Best natural casing dog served at Syd's. Not quite a footlong; but the dog hangs over the end of the bun without being too long. They also sell 2 different 6's. One a normal size; the other is an actual footlong; longer than the 5's sold at Syd's, but real thin. Diameter is important; I don't like anything too thick or thin. Anything between 5 and 8 to a lb.

I read somewhere that servers intentionally wait until your mouth is full to ask if everything is ok. It might've even been on egullet. Ever since, I've been waiting for it to happen again. I'm torn between making them wait until I've swallowed my food, or grossing them out by answering with a mouthfull of food. Do you think they do this on purpose? I'm beginning to think they do. I hear of it frequently.

I love that dining area. Only ate there once or twice though. Looking to go back soon. Nice atmosphere, and the bar area seems like a great place to have a few beers and dogs. My son and I had some time to kill one Sunday recently so we headed up to Rutt's with the intention of doing just that. The guy behind the bar refused to let us sit there because my son isn't old enough to drink. I said that he would just have soda, but he still refused; even though the bar was less than half filled. Eagan's in North Arlington was a great place to go for a deep fried dog and some beer. Small take out area in the front with an eating area, and a lovely little bar/restaurant in the back. I used to have a few beers in the bar followed by hot dogs, cole slaw and fantastic gravy fries. The owners were given a ridiculous amount of money to sell the place. It is now a Rite Aid. Like we really need another one. Them and CVS are a sure sign that we are indeed in the end times. The damn Rite Aid also sits on the spot of the former Jahn's ice cream parlor and restaurant (like Friendly's only better) in Union, and the famous Parsonage Diner in Edison. I will never set foot in Rite Aid as long as I live.

I've been to JJ's a few times. It is right down the street from Calandra's bakery. This place is so popular because it's open almost 24 hours and frequented by hungry college kids. The dogs are small Sabretts (11 to a lb). The skin is really tough on the 11's for some reason. The 10's are better; not to mention bigger. What's distinctive about JJ's is that they have the spiciest chili. Even spicier than Boulevard Drinks and Father & Son. Too spicy for me. You can't eat the chili with out having something to drink. This is the place for the spiciest hot onions and chili combo you'll find.

How did you steal mustard and relish from Rutt's? They keep it right at the counter where you pay. Unless you are talking about the inside dining area? This reminds me of a friend who worked in a diner. She told me stories about the elderly coming in and asking for packets of ketchup. She asked them why they would request packets when there was a bottle on every table. The reason is that it's harder to steal a whole bottle. Another friend of mine had a nut for an uncle. He would go into a diner and have coffee and talk to all the waitresses. He would go home, change clothes, and come back a few hours later asking the waitresses if his twin was there earlier. Then he would tell them that his brother forgot his medicine and would have a seizure if he didn't get it soon. He would act frantic and tell everyone to keep an eye out for his brother. Then he would go home, change, and come back as his brother and watch everyone go crazy trying to get him to take his medicine. Another thing he would do is go into a diner dressed as a bus driver and ask the waitress if they could accomodate a bus load of senior citizens. One waitress quit on the spot! Steven, I recently spoke with someone who works at Best in Newark, and he too, heard about Sabrett supplying these places. Like the Sabrett distributor and the person in charge of private label told me, it is simply too much trouble for a company to make many different recipes in large quantities; especially when they use natural casing. Different sizes are no problem; it's just the differring types. And I also recall someone from Jersey City telling me that one of the owners at Boulevard Drinks (a hot dog joint in Jersey City that cooks Sabrett's on a griddle and proudly advertises that they use Sabrett) told him that his franks are the same exact ones used at Papaya King. He knew this because he was told by someone from Sabrett. As you can imagine, I was angry that I paid double the amount for 5 lbs of Papaya King dogs when buying them at Papaya King rather than Sabrett. But I was glad in another sense to make this discovery. As I said before, and since we are talking about Supermarket brands, all you have to do to enjoy the same frank as those served at Papaya King is to find some Sabrett with natural casing (10 to a lb) . These may not be available at a supermarket, but rather a distributor (there are many). But many supermarkets sell the natural casing 8 to a lb which is the one used by Katz's Deli. Just cook them on a griddle and you got a Katz's hot dog. I believe you can buy as little as a lb at Katz's. Compare them with the Sabrett's and I believe you will see they are the same. Let me know the results of any taste comparisons you do. I think you'll see a big difference between Black Bear and these other brands.

I try not to buy too many hot dogs. On occasion (about twice in the last year) I had to buy 5lbs at once. This is because I was getting them from a distributor. I got the special Thumann's for deep frying that are used at Rutt's, Libby's, Goffle Grill, and Hiram's. I deep fry em to my taste (well done) and top em with relish purchased at Rutt's. I've found that they stay good for a few months in the freezer. The guy at Thumann's told me they can last a long time; but I've heard from Usinger's and others that you should only freeze franks for a month or 2 at the most before the flavor starts to deteriorate. And by all means, make sure they are frozen before the expiration date on the package. I've also purchased the Grote & Weigle beef franks used at Father & Son Luncheonette from their Jersey distributor. And last year I bought five lbs of Papaya King franks for $37.50 before discovering that they are actually Sabrett (see previous threads)> Before opening a package of dogs; regardless of quantity, it is best to keep them in the fridge until you use them for the first time, or the expiration date pops up; whichever comes first. Assuming you use them shortly after purchasing them, I recomend wrapping the unused dogs in some kind of wrap and then putting them in a freezer bag. This works for me. I usually just buy by the pound, or even by the single dog if I'm getting them at a deli. I refrigerate, and use what I need and freeze the rest. I eat hot dogs at home once or twice a week. I eat them out maybe once or twice a month on average. My family still thinks that's too much; but tough. I usually tell my wife that she should be lucky that I'm running to Rutt's Hut or Syd's, or Tommy's, or wherever, rather than to the local bar like many of my friends. This usually silences her. Plus it helps to have a daughter who works at an Italian Hot Dog restaurant. Whenever my wife doesn't feel like cooking, I pick up the phone and have an Italian Hot Dog. Or Cheesteak, or chicken, or even a salad. I had some Schickhaus in the freezer for a little over 3 months, and they lost their flavor. My kids only eat Best; so I keep these on hand at all times. I like to go to their factory (4 1/2 miles away) to get them w/natural casing. There is a 2lb minimum. You used to be able to buy as little as a lb loose; but 2 or 3 years ago (maybe more) the gov't forced them to sell only in cryovac packages because a few people died of lysteria after eating Sabrett hot dogs. Available in 2, 3 or 5 lbs. I'll try anything, but I usually have only a few lbs at home at a time. Usually Black Bear, Best and Thumann's (the pork/beef ones for grilling).

Earlier in the summer, I bought the Black Bear franks on sale; $1.99 if you have their discount card, $2.99 if not. They did advertise these franks in their circular. Once I recall seeing 3 lbs for $5.99. Last time I went, I assumed they were either on sale (as usual) or sold at a non sale price of $2.99. I wound up paying $4.99, which I found out is the regular price. Still worth it, but they are on sale a lot. Best's franks are on sale a lot at Shop Rite also. This week $1.99. regularly $4.50. And this is for skinless. First time I saw Black Bear, I thought it was a cheap brand. It happenned to be on sale (I didn't know it was the sale price) so I thought it was some off the wall brand since I had never heard of it, and noticed the Moorestown, N.J. address on the label. I figured if it was any good, I would have heard of it before. But, as Steven said, they really don't advertise the brand much. I have heard a few ads recently on radio touting their quality meats "Old World European Style". And I did hear a radio ad 2 weeks ago on a Mets Game advertising the Franks. They mentioned that most Supermarkets offer a generic, ordinary brand of their own, but only Shop Rite offers Black Bear Natural Casing Beef Franks with "an old world flavor from an old German recipe" Something like that. You may hear it if you have the Mets game on in the car. My wife starting buying a lot of Black Bear meats when they were on sale at Shop Rite. They were so good, I started thinking about their franks. I have a roast beef sub once in awhile at the pizzeria near work. They use Thumann's roast beef which I found to be even better than Boar's Head. My wife sometimes gets Thumann's roast beef. One particular time she got the Black Bear on sale. She told me she preferred it to the Thumann's. I had it, and had to admit that it was at least as good and probably better. I'll have to do a side by side comparison soon. Anyway, I figured that Thumann's and Boar's Head make quality meats, and I also like their franks; so maybe Black Bear made a good frank since their other meats are so good. I'm trying to find out more about Black Bear. I've been playing phone tag with someone from their company that I hope to speak with soon. As for Usinger's franks, they were only available through their website until recently. Now they are sold at Foodtown. Their are 2 in North Jersey (Roselle and Colonia). The rest are in Monmouth County.

Steven, I have seen the big-ass ones but have not tried them yet. They were in a 3lb package. I'll wait until I get low on dogs, then I'll try these. I've had the 8 to a lb beef frankfurters and the 8 to a lb frankfurters (beef and pork). The all beef are the ones I prefer and the ones I hope you tried. First time I had them, I thought they were great. But to really get an idea of how good they are, it helps to compare them next to other brands. When you have them alone, the enjoyment may be based on how hungry you are rather than on the overall quality of the frank. I compare them to other brands I've had and are familiar with and see how they match up. I've tasted Black Bear next to Sabrett, Grote & Weigle, Best, Nathan's, Dietz and Watson, and Usinger's. And I prefered the Black Bear. To my surprise. Last time I even liked them better than Usinger's. I had just these 2 to compare. Both very high quality and hard to describe the difference, but Black Bear just has a great, hearty beef flavor without overdoing it on the spices. As I mentioned before, this product is made by Dietz and Watson especially for Shop Rite. The Dietz and Watson New York style beef frank is so similar to Black Bear that when I first had them, and then saw identical ingredients on the label in the exact same order, I figured one was a knockoff of the other. I found out from Shop Rite that they are both made by Dietz and Watson. I prefer the Black Bear. Slightly better flavor. Plus the Dietz and Watson leaves a real lot of grease on the griddle. I don't know why. Black Bear leaves a little also. I would assume that the Black Bear is a special higher quality line of meats. Their roast beef is great, as is everything from them that I've tried. Their North Western Potato Salad has bits of bacon and cheese in it. Even their cole slaw is good. But I digress.

I don't know of any supermarkets that sell Nueske's or Grote & Weigle beef franks. Does anyone know of any in N.J.? I have bought the Grote & Weigle beef franks at their N.J. distributor (5 lb minimum). They are served at Father & Son Luncheonette in Linden. Along with Syd's (Best Brand) and Boulevard Drinks (Sabrett) my favorite places for all beef dogs. All three similar, but Sabrett's is a little spicier, then G&W, then Best's. I've compared these brands alongside Black Bear, and Black Bear wins hands down. All cooked at home on a griddle. Black Bear is spicy, smoky, and very flavorful. My favorite all beef dog along with Usinger's. I've yet to taste Nueske's, Lobel's, or the Fearless Franks from Neiman Ranch. Regarding Hebrew National, I contacted them regarding a natural casing product. They no longer make them (I didn't know if that would be Kosher) but they do make a frank with a collagen casing. These are available primarily at Kosher deli's. They are also available at a place called Jonathan's Deli on rt 110 at the Powder Mill Shopping Center in Morris Plains. Ben's Deli (not sure of location; NYC) has them. The person said that they may be available at Zabar's. Usinger's and many other hot dog makers don't like referring to them as hot dogs. They prefer franks and wieners. The difference is that wieners are thinner and usually not bigger than 8 to a lb. Frankfurters are wider in diameter. Usinger's also differentiates by enclosing the wiener in a softer sheep casing, while the frankfurter is given a thicker hog casing.

Rosie, Hot Dog John was someone else; he posted on the Munchmobile forum a few years ago and never came back. I was "Union Hot Dog Lover", but when the format changed and we needed nicknames, it wouldn't fit. As of a few weeks ago, I changed my name to Hot Dog John and then changed it to just "Hot Dog Lover" so no one would think the previous Hot Dog John was me. He was on the Munchmobile in 98, I was there last summer. Rutt's Hut and the Goffle Grill use the same brand of hot dog which is Thumann's for deep frying (as opposed to the supermarket ones for grilling) They have soy protein and semolina to aid in frying. Eagan's used this dog before they were turned into a Rite Aid (an abomination). Hiram's in Fort Lee uses it as well as Libby's in Paterson. Even though they are the same, I prefer Rutt's because 1) you can get them cooked to different levels of doneness (I prefer well done) 2) they have the best relish in the world 3) you never have to wait because the dogs are already in the oil when you get there; they just pull em out and serve em. The Hot Grill uses a special dog made by Sabrett that is 50% beef and 50% pork. Johnny and Hanges uses an all beef Thumann's dog. And Libby's, as I said uses the Thumann's used at Rutt's and the other places named. Even though I like the dog better at Libby's, I prefer the Texas Weiner at the Hot Grill because of their chili sauce. The best in my opinion. The Hot Grill and Rutt's are well worth the trip. Get the chili at the Hot Grill (it is shipped all over the world) and the relish at Rutt's (also famous and sent to customers in California and even Alaska)