NJ Hot Dogs

[Jon Marcus x]

I saw on TV that there's a place in NJ that deep fried its hot dogs. What is the name? I also remember a NJ friend boasting that NJ has many great hot dogs. Some names of places would be appreciated.

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Jon Marcus

jonathan-marcus@excite.com

[Rosie x]

Rut's Hut has deep fried hot dogs. People also love the hotdogs at Syd's in Millburn.

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Rosie

[Holly Moore x]

The Eating Jersey Dogs section of HollyEats.Com has pic's of Rutt's ugly, wrinkled and incredibly delicious dog and a bunch of other Jersey Dog Houses.

http://www.hollyeats.com/Jersey%20Dogs.htm

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Holly Moore

http://www.HollyEats.Com

[Tommy x]

Johnny and Hanges in Fairlawn also deep fries hot dogs.  for my dollar though, Rutt's Hut in clifton is still king.  and they have beer.

(Edited by Tommy x at 6:12 am on Aug. 5, 2001)

[Fat Guy]

People always swear by Callahan's in Fort Lee.  This is confused by the fact that Callahan's tried to enfranchise itself years ago and it sucked, so the original owner of the first one bought 'em all back and shut most of them down.  Anyway, the dogs there are pretty good.  Huge suckers too.

(Edited by jhlurie at 8:09 pm on July 27, 2001)

[John]

I love hot dogs and trying the many places in N.J. I was lucky enough to be picked to go on the Star Ledger's Munchmobile hot dog trip. We reviewed hot dog carts and trucks. These places offer boiled hot dogs, which more or less taste the same, although some are fresher than others, and each place offers their own homemade chili and toppings.

                My favorite hot dog places:

Syds in the Millburn Mall in Union. A spicy, natural casing charbroiled dog. Big, and expensive, but arguably the best hot dog in the state. Comparable to Papaya King and Katz's in New York City.

Jerry's in Elizabeth. Uses Best brand frank, as does Syd's. This one is smaller, and only ũ.50 Boiled, then grilled for extra crunchiness. Best dirty water dog.

Old Heidelberg in Keansburg. Grilled, all beef dog; I think it is a Nathan's

Rutt's Hutt Clifton. Deep fried beef and pork hot dog. Thumann's brand made specially for deep frying. The same are used at Eagan's, Libby's Callahan's and Hirams.

Max's Long Branch, Windmill, Long Branch, and Galloping Hill Inn, Union. All are tasty, beef and pork dogs cooked on a griddle. Tasty, without being spicy like the all beef hot dogs are.

         For hot dogs to cook at home, none are better than Usinger's Angus Franks. These are made in Wisconsin and can be ordered online. These franks won a nationwide taste test and were/will be served at the Olympic games. For German style beef and pork hot dogs, Schmidt's in Clark and the Union Pork Store in Union make the freshest and tastiest. If you need addresses to any of these places, contact me

[Holly Moore]

Agree re Usingers.  I recently flew in a carton of both their 4/lb and 8/lb certified Angus skinless frankss.  Also a carton of their fresh brats.  Have been sharing them around and all agree they are a great dog.  Not just for home use though.  Word has it there may be a vending truck opening in Philadelphia selling the Usinger dogs.

With Rutt's you mentioned dogs made specifically for frying.  Any idea what the difference is?

Quote: from John on 11:36 am on Aug. 5, 2001

For hot dogs to cook at home, none are better than Usinger's Angus Franks. These are made in Wisconsin and can be ordered online.

[John]

Holly,

         Regarding the Thumann's franks, there is a difference between the franks they sell in the store for grilling, and the ones they send to the hot dog restaurants for deep frying. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but the ones for deep frying contain semolina and another ingredient that the other one does not have. The deep fried ones also plump more when you cook them. I have a deep fryer and have cooked both types. I have access to the deep fried ones because I know a distributor who delivers Thumann's products to a pizzeria that I frequent. You can buy them to take home at Rutt's Hutt, but you will have to pay about ŭ.oo per lb wheras they are sold at 2.99 per lb by the distributor.

As for the Usinger franks, the only place I know of that sells them is F&B in Manhatten. This is a gourmet European fast food place. It only serves the beef and pork frank, and fries it rather than grill or charbroil. Better off cooking it at home. Interesting that a place in Philly might be serving them

[ELA]

Callahan's in Fort Lee. 'Nuff said. LOL.

Seroiusly, Rutts, and J&H are up there too.

Eric

[RockADS21]

Rutts has to take top billing for sure...just something amazing about two of those dogs and a gravy covered french fries. However, if you want truly great dogs off the truck, there can be no comparison to the legendary Tony's on the corner of Park and Lake street in Newark.

[MsSumida]

Best Hotdogs from Newark...say no more

BTW-they are at Syd's

[John]

Another excellent place is Father & Son in Linden. An old style luncheonette that serves all beef (Grote & Weigle) hot dogs slow cooked on a griddle. They also have a very spicy chili that is famous around Union County.

[Rosie]

John--Are you the famous "hotdog John?"  Welcome. We're glad to have a hot dog expert here! Have you tried Petridis on Broadway in Bayonne?

[John]

Rosie,

          I'm the John who posted above and on the other hot dog related posts. The same guy who went on this year's Munchmobile trip. There was another guy called Hotdog John who went in 98 and posted occassionally on the Munchmobile forum. Haven't heard from him in 2 years. I've never been to Petridis in Bayonne. Is it a wagon or a store? How are their dogs cooked?

              I like many of the places here in N.J. I find out the exact brand of hot dogs used and how they are cooked and try to reproduce them in the comfort of my home. It's pretty easy and fun too. I have a griddle, deep fryer, charcoal grill, and of course, a pot to boil in. I get the footlong (5 to a lb) Best dogs with natural casing used at Syd's and charbroil them at home. I get the special Thumann's franks for deep frying from a Thumann's distributor and deep fry them well done like Rutt's Hutt. I also use the skinless Best dogs for Italian Hot Dogs. I like to use my griddle  to cook Usinger's all beef dogs from Wisconsin, and the deli franks sold at Schmidt's meat market and deli in Clark. These are 2 great hot dogs not widely available. Usinger's can be obtained online.

        Of course, I also like to visit these places too. My family gets on me for eating too many hot dogs, but I walk for a living, and my blood pressure and cholestorol are fine. In light of what is going on in the world today, you might as well enjoy yourself. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

[Rosie]

Petridis is a store on Broadway and I think 25th St. in Bayonne. I eat hot dogs maybe once a year! So--I have only heard that they were very good. I have never had one. Go and come back here and give us a report!  ;)

[Bud From Connecticut]

Having grown up in Fair Lawn, I have tried almost all the places you have named and agree that Rutt's Hut is by far the best. IN Connecticut where I have lived for 30 years, the only thing close is Swanky Franks off exit 16 in Norwalk. Just last year an old Jersey friend introduced me to Libby's, near Paterson Falls. It was a close second to Rutt's, and I had never heard of it.

A quick impression: The new Johnny and Hanges in Fair Lawn is not even close to as good as the old one in Paterson.

Also, are any of you old enough to remember Toby's, on Maclean Boulevard in Paterson?  The original owners sold the place in about 1965, so you'd have to be as old as I am to remember it. It was as good if not better than any of the places that still exist.

[menton1]

Syds in the Millburn Mall in Union. A spicy, natural casing charbroiled dog. Big, and expensive, but arguably the best hot dog in the state. Comparable to Papaya King and Katz's in New York City.

Was passing by this unlikely old shopping strip and saw Syds, so I tried the hot dog. Takes a bit of time, you need to give your order to the waitress, and then it's cooked to order.

Hot dog was very good, but I have this issue: Costs $3.30 (ouch) and then you need to give the waitress a tip. Four bucks for a hot dog? Not worth it. Just 5 minutes away is Charlie's in Kenilworth, with their absolutely enormous Italian Hot Dog loaded with potatoes for 3 bucks, and also 5 minutes is Galloping Hill hot dogs for $2.25. But I guess people pay the price for Syds dogs, but I wouldn't do it again.

[Jason Perlow]

Yeah, but come on... that Syd's hot dog is massive.

[rlibkind]

Ditto what Jason said. Syd's uses a 5-to-the-pound dog from Best, which I think is a great size -- a full quarter pound is too much, and usually too fat in diameter -- but the 3.2-oz. dog, with a long length, is spot on. Especially when accompanied by a kookamonga.

[John]

I've never had a better dog anywhere, but I agree with you regarding the price. What I do is go to Best Provisions and buy the dogs there. I prepare them like Syd's at home (simmerred in water and then charbroiled). Cost me btween 70 and 80 cents.

[titmfatied]

kookamonga.

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What's that???

[NJ2FLA]

There was an article in todays Star Ledgar about the Milburn Mall and Tabachnicks and Sonny Amsters Bakery closing down. It did mention Syd's as well (not closing).

[menton1]

Yeah, but come on... that Syd's hot dog is massive.

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"Massive" conjures up to me a 2 lb hot dog; but Syd's dog is maybe only 20% larger than a Nathan's size dog. Not proportional to the price at all in my opinion.

I think this place has the distinction of being the MOST expensive hot dog in the NY metro.(by far!) With Katz at $2.75, Papaya King at $1.65, and Gray's under a buck, there's just no way this dog merits 4 bucks!!!

And lastly, I want to have my hot dogs at a hot dog stand, not a luncheonette-style place with a waitress. Personal preference. No, Syds won't be seeing me again anytime soon...

[tommy]

"Massive"  conjures up to me a 2 lb hot dog;  but Syd's dog is maybe only 20% larger than a Nathan's size dog.  Not proportional to the price at all in my opinion. 

I think this place has the distinction of being the MOST expensive hot dog in the NY metro.(by far!)  With Katz at $2.75,  Papaya King at $1.65, and Gray's under a buck, there's just no way this dog merits 4 bucks!!! 

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our friends at Amazing Hot Dog serve a quarter pound dog that is over 3 dollars and can reach over 5 dollars depending on the toppings. the down side to my mind is that you can only really eat one. the upside is that it's a 5-8 dollar meal.

[richl2214]

"Massive"  conjures up to me a 2 lb hot dog;  but Syd's dog is maybe only 20% larger than a Nathan's size dog.  Not proportional to the price at all in my opinion. 

I think this place has the distinction of being the MOST expensive hot dog in the NY metro.(by far!)  With Katz at $2.75,  Papaya King at $1.65, and Gray's under a buck, there's just no way this dog merits 4 bucks!!! 

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our friends at Amazing Hot Dog serve a quarter pound dog that is over 3 dollars and can reach over 5 dollars depending on the toppings. the down side to my mind is that you can only really eat one. the upside is that it's a 5-8 dollar meal.

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Tommy, you slacking off?!?