Dirty Water Dogs

[John]

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.

[tommy]

there's that truck in north newark, or something, near bloomfield, right on bloomfield ave i think. granted i've only hit it at about 2 am, but everyone that i mention it to seems to know the place, and there's always a line (after midnight at least). i think they're boiled.

[Holly Moore]

I'm with John in that I prefer grilling (deep fat frying too) over boiling/steaming. for be the key to a good dirty water dog is the steamed bun. It should be fresh and puffy. Some places just use buns out of the box. Others leave the buns in the steaming bin too long and they either get mushy or hard.

My favorite comes from the Hot Dog Truck at 24th and Passyunk in Philadelphia.

[richl2214]

Tommy I think you are talking about J.J.'s near Branch Brook park on Bloomfield Ave.

[adegiulio]

Hot Dog Hut under Rt 23 in Wayne boils them. I like a boiled dog, but nothing beats grilling to me...

[John]

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.

[tommy]

Tommy I think you are talking about J.J.'s near Branch Brook park on Bloomfield Ave.

that sounds about right. i seem to remember a park being right there, but i can't be sure. it's right down the street, i think, from that old-school place with the chicken savoy.

as far as grilled vs. boiled, they're just so different and both have their charms. dirty water implies water though. in NYC, very few hot dog stands have a grill. most are water. but, in the last 2 years or so, i've come to prefer grilled as well, and seek those out. in NJ i almost always stick to deep fried.

[NJ2FLA]

I might have to chime in on this. John, I never got the chili at JJ's - I do know they offer HOT works or SWEET works. I never knew what that meant. I usually get 3 and 2 of which with mustard and onions and one with mustard and kraut. I wash it down with a Chocolate Cow.

I remember that their used to be Tony's truck that I think would park right in front of JJ's truck but I haven't seen him in years. Did he move to another location? I know at 2:00 AM, JJ's is the only one there.

Down in FL we have the girls with the dirt water dog carts selling in their bikini's. Does anyone really care what the dog tastes like?

[John]

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.