John

That's hard to answer. I would like a hot dog to contain decent cuts of quality beef and/or beef and pork. You're not going to get a quality frank from cheap scraps of meat mixed with a lot of cereal and filler. There are many factors here. The meat, the recipe, the spicing, even the water. Newark, N.J. where Best Provisions is located, is known for the quality of their water. The plant manager there told me that it is one reason why their hot dogs are so good. He also told me that Hebrew National moved their production facility a few years back in part due to concerns about the water. Anheuser Busch opened their second brewery in Newark because of the water source.

I posted about this on a few other sites as well as here. It was pointed out to me that I made a generalization about Kobe beef dogs based on only sampling one. This is true, but I will say that Kings has a very good reputation and I'm sure their product is from a reputable supplier. I've also heard the same criticism from people whose opinions I respect. Years ago Usinger's was chosen by the Olympic Comitee and the people at Certified Angus Beef as the best beef dog in the country. They were asked to make a frank with their (Usinger's) recipe, but with Angus beef to be sold at the Olympics. Usinger's made this frank available through their website. I bought it and compared it with their regular beef frank. Both were the same size and made to the same recipe. They tasted EXACTLY the same. I was told that the angus frank was a little juicier but I would have been hard pressed to tell. A selling point of kobe/wagyu beef is that it is tender and has a higher fat content. Makers of hamburgers and hot dogs are putting the beef through a grinder to make it more tender plus they can adjust the level of fat thereby rendering the point moot. The recipe and spicing are more important than the grade of beef used.

I've always been curious about Kobe beef dogs; how they would taste and whether or not I would like them any better than a regular beef dog. But not so curious that I would travel to New York to sample one. Or pay the inflated price. Once I paid $15.00 for a pound of Lobel's franks. This was about 8 years ago. They cost so much because the beef used is prime. A very good dog, but not a standout. In fact, I compared it next to a Niman Ranch ($8.99 per lb) and a Nathan's natural casing frank. My preference was 1) Nathan's 2) Lobel's 3) Niman Ranch. The 2 pricier dogs were good, but not worth the price. I figured the same would be true of a Kobe beef dog. I've read opinions ranging from "the best dog I've ever had" to "overated" and "nothing special". Some have said that the dog was mushy, perhaps due to the use of high quality beef that has a higher marbling/fat content. Still, I wanted to sample one for myself. I found a restaurant about 4 or 5 miles from home that offers one for about $20.00. I had been holding off but finally decided that it would be worth the high price just to satisfy my curiosity. I planned to go soon. Yesterday I happenned to be in a King's supermarket when I came across a package in the deli section containing 2 Kobe Beef hot dogs. The cost was $7.99 per pound. The total weight for 2 dogs was .65 lbs and the cost was $5.19. That translates to about $2.60 for a fat dog slightly bigger than a 4 to a lb. I scoffed them up. I prepared one last night. I happenned to have an 8 to a lb natural casing Best frank left in the freezer that I defrosted for the sake of comparison. Both dogs were simmerred in hot (not boiling) water and heated on low heat in a skillet. The Kobe beef frank had a tough casing that was definitely from a hog or pig intestine. Usually thicker dogs like this need a tougher casing while smaller dogs (like the Best) use a sheep or lamb casing. I've had hog casings before, but the one on the Kobe frank was much too tough. I actually would have preferred a skinless dog to one with a casing this tough. And I am a big fan of dogs with a casing. The dog had a decent consistency. It wasn't mushy as some have described a Kobe dog. Then again there is more than one company that makes these type of dogs. There was no info on the label except the price, weight, that it was a Kobe beef frank and that it came from King's. As for flavor, it was ok, but very average. Although not kosher, it was quite salty like a kosher dog. Because of the size, it looked like a knockwurst or "special". Tasted like a straightforward salty beef dog with little complexity. Medium to slightly higher than average spice level for an Eastern U.S. Beef dog. The Best's dog was much better. Better casing, better size, better flavor,and a better, more complex spicing. It tasted even better than it usually does because it was compared to a dog that wasn't nearly as good. In my opinion Kobe dogs are overated and not worth the high price. At least the Kobe dog I had. The spicing and recipe is more important than the meat mixture, although good beef dogs do use quality cuts of beef. Best uses a mix of choice and lean beef. Sabrett, Hebrew National, Usinger's, Boars Head, and others also use quality beef. I had the second dog just before posting here. I simmerred it in water again, but this time I put it on the grill in the yard. It tasted the same as last night. These dogs are fairly juicy, and while I think they are nothing special, they're ok and some may like them.

Hi Donna MarieNJ, This year's Tour will be Saturday, September 26th. The cost has not been determined yet, but in the past it has been $20.00 to $25.00 for the bus and refreshments on the bus. You pay for what you eat at each stop. I'm working on the itinerary currently, and it will be a good mix of places as in the past. Each year we meet in the parking lot of the Galloping Hill Inn in Union right off exit 138 of the Garden State Parkway. We are not collecting money yet, but you can reserve a spot on the bus. Last year we had 2 buses, but this year we will limit it to one. There will be a waiting list so reserve your spot early. Once we finalize everything, we ask for a check or money order by a certain date. If we don't receive it, we go to the waiting list. To reserve your spot, e-mail my friend Benzee who will handling the travel arrangements. benzee95@hotmail.com.

Even though it's only March, it's never too early to start thinking about the Annual New Jersey Hot Dog Tour. This year's, our sixth, will be held on Saturday, September 26th. I have a few good things planned that I hope come off. One stop that was planned was Amazing Hot Dog in Bound Brook. We had been to their Verona location in 2006. It proved a popular stop. Was looking forward to visiting their Bound Brook location which was bigger and better. Unfortunately, they closed yesterday. This is the place to post if you want to attend. Also post your comments and suggestions as to where you want to go. This is your Tour and I want to include places that you would like to visit. As always, Benzee will handle the travel arrangements. This year we will have only one bus, so reserve your place early.

Tomorrow, Saturday March 14th will be the last day for Amazing Hot Dog in Bound Brook. I had heard through the grapevine that they would be closing soon. I stopped in today and found out that they will be closed for good after tomorrow. Word had gotten out locally as the place was very busy, which is unusual for late afternoon after the lunch rush, as well it being a Friday during Lent when observant Catholics don't eat meat. I got a chance to speak to Matt who confirmed that tomorrow will be the last day. I am saddened that yet another great hot dog restaurant will be leaving us. In the last couple of years we have lost Syd's, all 3 Callahan's locations, Irvington's Jimmy Buff's, Eagan's, my favorite Connecticut place, Rosco's Big Dog, and now Amazing Hot Dog. I'm happy that I was able to enjoy one last delicious dog today. Although I'm not big on condiments, Amazing had the best homemade toppings in the business. One of the 5 best chilis I've had and one of the very best, if not the best french fries. Not to mention the best deep fried dog. The quarter pounder was consistently hot, fresh, and juicy. I had my final dog with some spicy brown mustard and a birch beer. It was voted best deep fried dog by the Munchmobile Team (of which I was a member and voted it #1) and best hot dog in N.J. by New Jersey Monthly magazine the last 2 years. Matt and Eric put a lot of time, energy, and love into Amazing Hot Dog. It will be missed. Matt had a chance to say that now he will have a lot of free time to join us on some of our hot dog tastings. I wish him well. I suggest you head up to Amazing Hot Dog tommorow for a last dog or 2. And those fries. But go early. They may close early if they run out of hot dogs.

Hot dogs. In fact, their popularity has been growing. Consumption is up 2% over last year. I think there are 2 main reasons. One being the economy. Hot Dogs are relatively inexpensive and recession proof according to many. Another reason is the growing trend toward higher quality artisinal sausages. This sort of mirrors the micro brewery or craft brewing movement. Beer (and frankfurters) are made with higher quality ingredients in small batches with no fillers or cheaper ingredients. There are areas in the country where high quality frankfurters are the norm as opposed to other regions where cheap generic hot dogs are used and topped with a bunch of things that mask the flavor of the frank. Here the focus is on the condiments rather than the high quality meat itself. New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Chicago, and Detroit are areas where high quality franks are common. Also other states that have old fashioned European style butcher shops. In Jersey, there are small butcher shops making superior frankfurters. Places like Lutz's Pork Store, Union Pork Store, Kocher's Continental Prvisions, and Gaiser's make franks from whole cuts of beef and pork rather than trimmings. They do not employ a technique called vacuum chopping that sucks air out of the meat mixture. These hot dogs are tender, juicy, and loosely packed. Delicious with a great texture and as fresh as can be, these dogs taste great with just a smear of mustard. Thumann's (New Jersey), Hartmann's (Rochester), Hofmann's (Syracuse), Sahlen's (Buffalo), Zweigle's (Rochester) are examples of slightly larger commercial meat producers that make quality German style frankfurters. Best Provisions (Newark, N.J., Boars Head, and Usinger's (Milwaukee) are three examples of companies that make exceptional beef frankfurters in the Kosher or Jewish style. These franks are all made with fine ingredients according to traditional Old World recipes and are as good or better than what you would find in Europe. The tired old description of hot dogs as lips and a$$e$ is an old wives tale for the most part. Companies are required by law to list ingredients. If you see the term "variety meats", then you are getting lips, snouts, and other undesirable parts of the animal. But this is the exception rather than the rule. A quality wiener handmade from superior meat in small batches is a real treat. For those of you living in the North East where Wegman's supermarkets can be found have a great product in Hartmann's wieners. As good a frank as I've had. http://www.hartmannssausage.com.

Irving's in Livingston has the absolute best pastrami I've ever tasted, and that includes Katz's.

Recently a guy who attended one of the New Jersey Hot Dog Tours posted on another forum about hot dogs that are available at Wegman's. I live in New Jersey, but there are several Wegman's supermarkets throughout the state. Wegman's is an upstate New York (Rochester maybe?) supermarket chain. It's the only place I know of in N.J. where you can get such New York brands as Zweigle's, Hofmann's, and Sahlen's. Each store is different, so what is available at one may not be available at another. I would call ahead of time. I was asked by this guy my opinion of Hofmann's and Hartmann's. I never had a Hartmann's, so I couldn't comment on them. Hofmann's is good, but a little mild, Zweigle's (red and white hots) are very good, and Sahlen's are my favorite of the three. A quality beef and pork dog with a nice flavor and subtle underlying peppery taste. These dogs are great on the backyard grill. They are served at the popular Ted's chain near Buffalo. A family member also opened a restaurant in Tempe Arizona. These dogs taste great with Ted's Texas sauce (a type of relish) or alone with just mustard. Depending on your personal taste and spice preference, you might like these dogs better than the other fine German style franks. I would put this dog as a favorite beef/pork dog along with Thumann's and Kocher's Continental Provisions in Ridgefield Park, N.J. They are only available in the summer months at the Bridgewater Wegman's. My friend posted after trying the Hartmann's. He said that they were delicious and comparable to Thumann's. They were described as smokey. Well, I made the trip to Bridgewater to pick up a package. I was also able to get the guy at the deli counter to sell me a single Thumann's for the sake of comparison. At Bridgewater the franks are sold in packages. At Woodbridge, you can get what they sell there in packages, but they also sell Thumann's, Hofmann's German franks, and Hofmann's Coney's loose behind the deli counter, so you can get as little as one. When I got home I prepared a Thumann's and a Hartmann's, I'm cutting back on my food intake (I'm doing real well) so I enjoy a dog or two about once every two weeks. Being lazy and feeling a bit under the weather, I heated the dogs in water and then put them in my cast iron skillet rather than going down the basement and dragging out my griddle. The Hartmann's wiener is a natural casing beef and pork dog that comes 6 to a lb. Thumann's is the same. Hartmann's also makes a 4 to a lb dog that they call a frankfurter. Well, the Hartmann's were delicious as described and also had a nice smokey flavor. The taste reminded me a little of kabanosy, a flavorful German/Polish sausage that is like a thick slim jim, only made with quality beef and pork, and in my opinion best enjoyed cold. For years it's been my opinion that Thumann's griller is the best (at least my personal favorite) German style beef and pork dog. I'm a little biased as this dog is made in my home state of New Jersey. But the Hartmann's wiener was as good, if not better. Based on my friend's recommendation and the description on the website; http://www.hartmannssausage.com., I expected to like this dog. But I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I'll have to repeat this tasting again using my griddle to see if I get the same results. I may have enjoyed these dogs as much as I did since it's been about two weeks since my last dog. Which is a long time for me. I don't remember ever hearing of Hartmann's before this past week, which is surprisng given how good these dogs were. Well worth checking out. A little expensive at $7.49 a pound, but worth it. These dogs are made from quality ingredients, no fillers or msg, and naturally smoked in a smokehouse.

The relish is either slightly cool or room temperature. I'm sure what isn't put out on tables or the counter is refrigerated.

Thanks for clarifying. I've been to Rutt's many times; as for the relish, they leave it at the counter in tin or steel containers for you to put on your dogs.

Andrew, I never said that the decisions made by McDonald's and Coke were government mandates. The decision to ban trans fats in New York was government mandated. Again, I think consumers have a right to eat what they want without government interference. I don't smoke, but I don't agree that it should be banned. People know full well that certain things are not healthy, but they, and not the government should decide. In 80 years I don't know of one person who has gotten sick from eating hot dogs at Rutts or fries prepared in beef tallow. Why ban it now? No one has to eat there if they don't want to. Just let me (and the owners of Rutt's Hut) have the choice, not some beaureaucratic do gooder.

Thanks for the correction.

Well said. Another thing that bugs me is the hysteria concerning trans fats. For years we consumed products containing trans fats. And foods fried in lard or beef tallow. Growing up we ate all sorts of things that today are not considered "good for you." Yet there were so few overweight kids compared to today. That's because we were out playing baseball rather than sitting behind a computer playing video games. I feel that the consumer, not the government, should decide what we eat. I choose to eat what tastes good. Hot dogs or french fries fried in lard or beef tallow. Coke with real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. Many remember years ago when McDonald's fried with beef tallow. The fries tasted better. The last thing we need is intrusive government. Hot dogs are not health food anyway. What's next? Government mandating that all hot dogs be made from poultry rather than beef and pork? Many school districts already have banned hot dogs from the cafeteria. I'm sure glad I grew up when I did.

Batard, Mr. Karagiorgis never responded to me, but I did accept his challenge to come in and look at the packing slips, which he refused to show me. We had sort of a friendly debate for a little while. The mustard is not from Rhode Island. Mr. Karagiorgis claimed that it used to be, but the plant moved, or something similar. I mentioned to him that I saw with my own eyes containers of Gold's Dusseldorf, which he denied and which I assumed that Rutt's still used. He finally showed me the container. It is not Gold's. As I said, I forget the name, but it wasn't Old Granddad's either. I forget what he said about that. Maybe they changed the name as well? Who knows. Many owners of hot dog restaurants (not all) like to claim that they make their own dogs and condiments when this is not true. Others claim that theirs is a proprietary recipe when I've found this to be untrue as well. I can give numerous examples. Take what they say with a grain of salt.

I think the mustard did change. I was debating this on another forum with one of the owners of Rutts Hut. He showed me one of the gallon jars of mustard last time I was there. I forget the brand name (it's one I never heard of), but 4 or 5 years back I asked one of the guys at the counter what brand of mustard they used. He started to tell me but stopped when one of the owners walked by who told me the mustard was homemade. This isn't true. Later I saw the plastic containers. It was Gold's Dusseldorf mustard. I don't know how recently they began to use what they're using now. Perhaps this accounts for the change in the taste of the relish. Another interesting fact. Rutt's Hut fries their hot dogs in beef tallow. They won't tell you this. They say it's vegetable oil. I found out from 2 different sources (who absolutely would know) that beef tallow is used. Which is probably why Rutt's dogs taste better than the other North Jersey places that use the same Thumann's dog made for deep frying. These places include Hiram's, Libby's, Goffle Grill, Johnny & Hanges, Pappy's, the recently closed Hot Dog Heaven, Eagan's (closed a few years ago) and quite a few others.

Dietz & Watson, Boar's Head and Thumann's are rivals at the top of the deli-counter heap, no doubt about it. I had heard from another source that ShopRite's Black Bear line is Dietz & Watson under another name. But thus far, I've generally preferred Boar's Head's deli meats to D&W's comparable products -- especially the regular ham; Boar's Head branded is head and shoulders above any other deli ham I've tried. The two purveyors are much closer together on roast beef, I will grant. I have yet to try Boar's Head franks, though. I find D&W's regular beef franks a bit bland for my taste. I tend to prefer bolder dogs, like Nathan's. Vienna Beef IMO is bolder than D&W but not as bold as Nathan's. I do, however, have this vague memory of purchasing some natural-casing premium D&W franks at a deli counter somewhere and finding them quite good indeed. (Edited to add: What is your neck of the woods, John? Most local supermarkets that carry D&W hot dogs carry both their beef and their beef and pork dogs, as well as the "lite" versions of each.) Philadelphians have pretty much made their preferences clear: When the Super Fresh chain, no doubt acting on orders from corporate in Montvale in the "New York" part of New Jersey, replaced Dietz & Watson with Boar's Head as the premium national brand line in its delis (the chain's delis also stock A&P's premium store brand, Master Choice; anyone know who makes it?), customers complained long and loud. Dietz & Watson regained pride of place at Super Fresh after about three months. It is. I misidentified the peppers as pepperoncini in my original post. And there is celery salt on it too. ← Sandy, While taste is subjective, the big three (D&W, Boars Head, and Thumann's) are all known for high quality meats. I agree with you that Nathan's is bolder in terms of spice and flavor, followed by Dietz and Watson and Vienna. All depends on the level of spicing you like. Although it's been some time since I've had a D&W/Black Bear beef frank, I liked to prepare this frank on a griddle as it was tender and juicy. For awhile, it was my favorite beef hot dog. Then either they changed the recipe (as some people I know contend) or my taste changed. But I still consider it a top notch dog. Boars Head natural casing all beef franks are as good as it gets. Nice tough casing and a delicious frank. In my top 3 along with Usinger's and Best's. Boars Head beef and pork dog is ok, but not a standout. In my opinion, the Dietz and Watson beef and pork dog is much better.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 1/13, Good Day New York on Fox 5 will show a live segment from Amazing Hot Dog. Matt will be preparing a New Jersey Breakfast Dog. His other unique creations will also be displayed. The show airs from 7 to 9 AM. Amazing will be featured around 8:40.

About 90% of the time I just have mustard on my hot dog as I prefer enjoying the flavor and snap of a good natural casing hot dog unencumbered. I do like chili occasionally and the unique relish at Rutt's Hut in N.J. Shortly after the Shake Shack opened in New York, I went to try what I was told was an authentic Chicago style hot dog. I had one and a regular Vienna beef dog with mustard. I didn't care for the Chicago style dog. Most places in Chicago don't put cucumbers or lettuce on their dogs. Mine wasn't served hot enough either. I preferred just the plain Vienna dog with mustard. And even that was just fair. Dog wasn't hot, flavor a little mild for a beef dog, and usually I prefer grilling to boiling. A few years ago a guy from Chicago opened a hot dog restaurant selling Chicago style hot dogs, Chicago Italian Beef sandwiches, hamburgers, and barbecue. This place (now gone) was close to me, so I went often. So much so that I aquired a taste for the Chicago hot dog. Still not my favorite style, but I grew to appreciate the mildly spiced Vienna beef frank and how it is a good choice for this type of dog, blending in with the other ingredients. A spicier Sabrett or Nathans would overpower everything else and throw it out of balance. I liked the contrast between hot meat and cool vegetables. Js Beef served a nice sized 6 to a lb Vienna beef frank on a poppy seed bun and topped it with yellow mustard, onions (which I omit), neon green relish, tomato slices, pickle slices, sport peppers, and celery salt. Most of the ingredients were imported from Chicago. Everything was fresh and the dog was served hot. Infinitely better than what I got from the Shake Shack and a cart in South Jersey offering their version of a Chicago style hot dog. The owner of J's even got a letter from the president of Vienna Beef praising his product as an authentic Chicago style hot dog. I haven't been to Blue and Green, but there's no doubt in my mind that they would be capable of serving an authentic Chicago style dog providing that they use the right ingredients and prepare it the proper way. Sandy, for a regular hot dog with just mustard, I prefer Dietz and Watson to Vienna Beef. I think it's a very good hot dog. Their New York style beef frank. This is also served under the name Black Bear. Shop Rite's entire line of Black Bear products is produced by Dietz and Watson. Someone I spoke with who works at Dietz and Watson told me that their franks and those made under the Black Bear name are one and the same. Their meats are comparable to Boars Head and Thumann's in my opinion. And I prefer D&W's roast beef to Boars Head. A few years ago I had an Italian Hot Dog from a place in Trenton called Casino Tony Goes. Unlike most places making an Italian Hot Dog, Casino Tony Goes used a beef and pork dog rather than an all beef dog. All wrong for this type of sandwich as a spicy beef dog goes better with the spices, peppers and onions in an authentic Italian Hot Dog. But the underlying frank was delicious. I asked the brand and found out it was Dietz and Watson beef and pork. Also an excellent dog. Unfortunately, it is hard to find in my neck of the woods, so I haven't had it since.

I work right across the street from David Drake. Although I've never eaten there, everyone that I know who has gives it rave reviews. Since it's a special occasion and a bit of a drive for you, let me suggest that you take a train. The restaurant is right under the train tracks. On a personal note, let me say that I'm not a foodie although I love reading posts here about some of the finer restaurants. My favorite food is hot dogs. I've been to about 200 different establishments that serve them. I also frequent Jersey Diners. For my 40th birthday I went to a small neighberhood restaurant, brought some beer and enjoyed a double Italian Hot Dog, which is unique to a few counties in New Jersey. My 50th birthday will be next year. I plan to do the exact same thing. For me, there is no better combination than a quality beer (Grolsch or Pilsner Urquell goes well) and a Newark Style Italian Hot Dog. Be careful, though. Not everyone has the same taste as me. Pick the wrong restaurant, especially if it's a surprise, and you can get yourself into trouble. A few years ago White Castle had a special promotion for Valentine's Day. Waitress service, menus, fancy set up, reservations, linen napkins, silverware, flowers on the table, etc. I told my wife I was taking her out for dinner, but didn't tell her where. Despite the unique experience, my wife wasn't too pleased. Our marriage almost ended in divorce! She ended up getting sick afterwards. Her friends all thought it was cute and romantic, but I have yet to live it down. Have a nice night whatever you choose.

Grolsch beer from Holland and a homemade Italian Hot Dog. Or, when I'm too lazy to make one, either an Italian Hot Dog (from a place that specializes in them) or a spicier beef dog (as opposed to a milder German pork and beef dog) from Jerry's or Amazing Hot Dog. The balanced, slightly hoppy flavor of Grolsch goes well with the spices in a kosher style beef dog. My favorite indulgence is a quality beer and a quality hot dog.

We had a great time at Amazing Hot Dog yesterday. It's been awhile since I last went (Bound Brook is a little distance for me) and the dogs were outstanding. The transitional period is over and Matt has the place running smoothly. It was crowded shortly after we arrived at noon. Included is the link from Roadfood where our outing is described. We hope to visit a different place every month or every other month. Anyone is invited to join us. http://roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=31393

This Sunday at noon a few fellow hot dog lovers will be meeting at Amazing Hot Dog for lunch. Anyone interested in joining us, please feel free to stop in. A friend of mine, John Sagi, who has his own hot dog website, The Gourmet Chili Dog: http://thegourmetchilidog.com/ will be there. John loves chili dogs and makes chili at home. I've had some of his Coney Island style chili and it is fantastic. One of my three favorite hot dog chilis is at the Coney Island Restaurant in Middletown, N.Y. John's chili tastes exactly like it. He will be bringing several types of chili for us to sample and offer opinions. Matt will be there to sample the chili as well. You can have it on the side or put it on your dog.

Jimmy Buff's:

There is no equivalent in New York (or anywhere else) to the Newark Style Italian Hot Dog invented by Jimmy Buff's in 1932 and only available in a few N.J. counties. New Jersey also has more varieties and styles of hot dogs than New York, although New York is making strides. Crif Dogs is a pretty good knock off of Rutt's Hut. A former owner admitted that Crif's was patterned after Rutt's in order to bring the deep fried hot dog concept to New York. Not only are the dogs deep fried, but they are specially made for deep frying. The Southern part of Jersey also produces some pretty good cheesesteaks according to even Philadelphia cheesesteak afficionados. There is White House subs, which serves a Philadelphia quality steak. Also Chick's deli which was named as best in the area one year by Philadelphia magazine. And Gaetano's. New York, even with Tony Luke's (which I've heard is far inferior to it's Philadelphia namesake) can't come close.