Hot Dogs

[SobaAddict70]

But do they plump when you cook 'em?

Soba

[jhlurie]

But do they plump when you cook 'em?

Soba

Does Ballpark actually think people are idiotic enough to actually believe that line? I mean... that it's some kind of inherent sign of quality that their dogs swell up?

[jbonne]

Does Ballpark actually think people are idiotic enough to actually believe that line?  I mean... that it's some kind of inherent sign of quality that their dogs swell up?

one presumably apocryphal theory i heard last week is that the plumping up is in fact due to an extra amount of beef lungs in Ballpark's franks. when the capillaries heat up, air expands, &c.

like i said, presumably apocryphal. but made me smile anyway.

[stephenc]

My favorite are the Medford franks that can only be bought at Yoccos in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

[bigbear]

We recently bought Papaya King dogs at Fairway in Plainview New York. We were really impresssed. Can I get any opinion on their retail product?

The next time that I go to Fairway, I'll make it a point to buy some PK dogs. Thanks for the tip. Now, if I can just cook them without making them burn in hell.

[Enzian]

The best dogs I've been able to purchase locally are Pearls. Unfortunately, availability has been hit-or-miss, with the emphasis on miss, lately. Matter of fact, I don't think I've been able to find a single package of Pearls so far this summer!

I just did a quick search, and I guess they're a New England (Boston) brand, that has yet to crack into the NY market. They've yet to break into the Cape Cod market - which is decidedly less competitive - so maybe the folks at Pearl should set thier sights a little lower.

[Jason Perlow]

Here's an interesting article about and roundup of Kosher dogs someone just sent me from the Jewish newspaper, The Forward:

http://forward.com/main/article.php?ref=goodman200407211053

http://forward.com/main/article.php?ref=goodman200407211056 (roundup)

[Gifted Gourmet]

Frankly, forgive the poor pun please, Jason, your reviews had more depth and insight and many more variables upon which you conducted your July 4th "survey" ... but this is a good beginning for the Forward .. thanks for passing it on!

[Jason Perlow]

Frankly, forgive the poor pun please, Jason, your reviews had more depth and insight and many more variables upon which you conducted your July 4th "survey" ... but this is a good beginning for the Forward .. thanks for passing it on!

Well, we tried to conduct the roundup in the style of what PC Magazine used to do with technology roundups, or similarily Consumer Reports. I would have liked to have seen more quantitative data with Forward's article, but in the end its all about whether or not you liked or enjoyed a particular dog.

[flip6577]

I know some of you might be jealous to learn that there is a Usinger's retail shop not too far from my house. YEAH CHICAGOLAND

Although I do appreciate the products offered by Usinger's, I just found out that my favorite sausage company, Bobak's, just opened a store/restaurant a mere 5 minutes from my front door. YUM!!!

Flip

ps: I know that the Usinger's place is a franchise, so maybe one of you guys could open one in your neck of the woods.

[JumpinJude]

I had my first Zweigle four years ago when I moved to Western NY, and I am a big fan... I prefer reds to whites, but both are good groceries!

[pennbrew]

I've read through this thread and feel I must chime in. Apparently my views are *very* contrarian to the NY/NJ-centric hotdog opinions expressed here.

It must be my German nature, but to me the all-beef dog is the aberration. An all pork or pork & beef dog is my first choice. To me an all-beef dog is too dense and heavy tasting.

Of course, natural casing, but:

They should not be fried or grilled!!

A properly cooked frank is simmered (not boiled!) until it reaches the right temperature. Boiling will overheat the dog and cause the casing to break, likewise grilling or frying will rupture the casing. Once the casing is broken the "snap" is gone.

Then it is eaten by hand with a roll (semmel) on the side and a dab of mustard to dip into.

Heresy, I know, but I gotta call 'em like I taste 'em.

Union Pork Store german-style dogs are about the closest you can get to a proper German wiener. Of course I usually eat a few cold in the car, so I have to buy enough to make sure I'll still have some when I get home!!

Edited July 23, 2004 by pennbrew (log)

[pennbrew]

Oh, and I also like the dogs as served in New England. I had a few recently in NH which were (I think) Schonland brand (pronounced Skun-land by the person I asked). Good natural-casing dog.

[jhlurie]

I've read through this thread and feel I must chime in. Apparently my views are *very* contrarian to the NY/NJ-centric hotdog opinions expressed here.

It must be my German nature, but to me the all-beef dog is the aberration. An all pork or pork & beef dog is my first choice. To me an all-beef dog is too dense and heavy tasting.

This is why Jason saved the Pork and partial pork dogs for another roundup.

I do think though that it's a general feeling that pork dogs tend to be a bit blander than beef ones, although an excellent pork dog can be a great experience as far as texture goes.

[John]

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.

[John]

The pork and mail-order dogs such as the Usingers, Niman and Schaller & Weber will be evaluated at some point, probably along with the mail order bratwursts at some later date. It will have to require strategic ordering of the product so that they all arrive basically at the same time, that is within a 2 to 3 day period. Hopefully we can convince some of the suppliers to send us review samples, because it could get very expensive.

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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.

[deltadoc]

My uncle, who worked for Oscar Mayer in Davenport, Iowa, saw me eating a hot dog when I was a kid.

He said "Do you know what they make those from?"

And I said, "No!"

He then proceeded to tell me.

I never ate another hot dog ever.

doc

[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.

[Susan in FL]

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 second that suggestion. I'm one of the many who send away for Usingers. In fact, when a hot dog tastes so good, I don't really care what's in it.

[ronnie_suburban]

In fact, when a hot dog tastes so good, I don't really care what's in it. 

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Absolutely. I think that's true of most foods, for me.

=R=

[deltadoc]

Your points are well taken, and I'm sure there are some really decent hot dogs out there as you've talked about.

As far as my uncle, he was very graphic, and it was the '50's when I am supposing there weren't as many labeling laws in effect, and at least one of the things he told me I found out later might have been absolutely correct.

He said at the end of the day, they are standing in blood, and they throw out a bunch of sawdust to soak it up, then shovel it into the hot dog machine. He said the stuff when ground up was an awful gray color, so they dump in mass quantities of Red Dye.

I thought the saw dust part was a bit much at the time, but have since read that during WWII, the government allowed cellulose, in the form of saw dust, to be added as a filler in bread and other items, and did not have to be labeled.

I don't know if the law exists anymore, but that seemed consistent with what he told me about adding saw dust into the hot dogs.

With that said, I think its time for a mail order hot dog of quality!

Put some of my home made pickle relish, home made mustard, and I suppose it is heresy to put some home made catsup on them too!?

:)

doc

[ronnie_suburban]

Put some of my home made pickle relish, home made mustard, and I suppose it is heresy to put some home made catsup on them too!?

:)

←

LMAO! I always give my wife a hard time about putting ketchup on her dogs. We in Chicago just don't ever go there and she's a Hoosier. But I think that even I could accept home-made ketchup on a hot dog (at least on a trial basis). That's a condiment of a completely different color FWIW, right now, I'd have to say that Nathan's are my favorite.

=R=

[Comfort Me]

Although the discussion is quite learned, and I respect the opionions of the great and gustatory Jason Perlow as those of the Sages of old, I am afraid to inform you that you are all wrong, wrong, wrong.

The ONLY hot dog is the Garlic Frank made by the Romanian Kosher Sausage Co. at 7200 N. Clark St. in Chicago. All others hot dogs are instruments of heresy! And it doesn't matter what you put on it -- onions, kraut, mustard, etc. -- as long as you don't blaspheme and desecrate the Great Sausage with the Demon Catsup.

The place is worth a trip -- regardless of where you are from. And while you are there, their liver and onion sausage is a little bit of heaven. And their Romanian (red) pastrami may be the best in the world. Pastrami King ain't got anything on them!

[Holly Moore]

I suppose it is heresy to put some home made catsup on them too!?

:)

doc

←

Yes, see the rules below:

From the Famous Coney Island in Johnstown PA. Have seen it at other Coney Islands too.

[ronnie_suburban]

Classic, Holly. Thanks for that.

=R=