Favorite Hot Dog Sausage Brand

paqman

What’s your favorite hot dog sausage brand?

I recently discovered the Hofmann brand while travelling to Syracuse and I think that’s my new favourite.  I’m curious about your preference.

I’m pretty sure they would be even better with MSG!

johnmitchell

^^I totally agree, I have a pack in my fridge, I steam them in a colander, then have in a good bun with whole grain mustard😋😋

TechsasJim

H‑E‑B down here makes darn good ones.  

fishlessman

1/4 pound pearls

OhioEgger

Johnsonville brats are my standard.

Legume

1988 Dodger Dog, wrapped in foil, sitting in the fridge.

- @lkapigian

Botch

Hebrews or Nathans are as fahncy as I can find locally, don't have a preference.  
 
A new hot dog place opened at the base of the hill where I live (walking distance) called J Dawgs.  I gave them a few weeks to go thru the new place growing pains, and gave them a try.  
Choice of two franks, beef or polish.  Choice of six (six!) condiments (but no chili, nor cheese).  Fries.  Fountain drinks (no iced tea).  That's it.  I won't be back, and give them 4 months.    

Jstroke

Either, Beans or Rices—-Red Snappers, red natural casing hotdogs made in Maine.

fishlessman

Jstroke said:

Either, Beans or Rices—-Red Snappers, red natural casing hotdogs made in Maine.

I can't do those reds😁

lkapigian

Legume said:

1988 Dodger Dog, wrapped in foil, sitting in the fridge.

- @lkapigian

Lol

CornfedMA

Kayem beef franks. The linked kind from the deli, not the packaged crap. Great snap from the casings when you take a bite! 

Ragingirishman2

I usually just do the Costco all beef hot dog. 

RRP

Over the years I have tried many brands of natural casing franks. Finally 8 years ago I stumbled on Wimmer's brand and I have never purchased any other brand since! They ARE terrific!!!
https://www.wimmersmeats.com/

SGH

@RRP
Ron this hotdog thread got me to thinking. Years ago I worked in Illinois when they built the Prairie State powerhouse. Not to far down the road in the town (if memory serves) of either Lively Gove or Oakdale was a family owned meat market named Wallers. The old man raised his own beef on the family farm. The place was a big step back in time to how things use to be. Long story short he made hotdog weenies there on a chain. They were honestly some of the best hotdogs I ever ate. Just curious you being from Illinois have you ever tried the weenies from Wallers? 

RRP

SGH said:

@RRP
Ron this hotdog thread got me to thinking. Years ago I worked in Illinois when they built the Prairie State powerhouse. Not to far down the road in the town (if memory serves) of either Lively Gove or Oakdale was a family owned meat market named Wallers. The old man raised his own beef on the family farm. The place was a big step back in time to how things use to be. Long story short he made hotdog weenies there on a chain. They were honestly some of the best hotdogs I ever ate. Just curious you being from Illinois have you ever tried the weenies from Wallers? 

Here's a link - but would be quite a drive for me to make for some dogs!
https://www.loc8nearme.com/illinois/oakdale/wallers-market/2394609/

Legume

Take the Vette, Ron.

alaskanassasin

I’ve never had fresh tube steak.

SGH

RRP said:

Here's a link - but would be quite a drive for me to make for some dogs!
https://www.loc8nearme.com/illinois/oakdale/wallers-market/2394609/

Ron I wasn’t sure how close you was. I just knew you was in Illinois. Thought I would ask though. 

SGH

Legume said:

Take the Vette, Ron.

Or even better, the private jet 🛩️ 

RRP

SGH said:

Legume said:

Take the Vette, Ron.

Or even better, the private jet 🛩️ 

Sold the jet…too slow! Bought a rocket which is still in the body shop getting a custom paint job. Then off to the sign shop for R R P in big letters so you will see me coming, Scottie!

Dobie

QDude

RRP said:

Over the years I have tried many brands of natural casing franks. Finally 8 years ago I stumbled on Wimmer's brand and I have never purchased any other brand since! They ARE terrific!!!
https://www.wimmersmeats.com/

Totally agree!

JohnInCarolina

alaskanassasin said:

I’ve never had fresh tube steak.

No?  You’re missing out.

dannys

Kayem natural casing beef and pork for me.

Langner91

I work for the company that makes about 90% of all of the hot dog processing chains used in this country.  Hot dogs are interesting in that the process involves cooking at low temperatures to maintain the water that is present, and then flash freezing them in brine in order to stop the cooking process and to make the packaging work.

That hot to cold, salt-water-below-freezing exposure is very hard on chains.  Things expand and shrink at different rates and cause chain to come apart.

Anyway, I have seen them all.  Most brands of commercially available are made by one of the "big guys" like Oscar, Bar-S, Hillshire, Ball-Park, etc.  Almost all of the smaller brands are made in the same factories.  Just different recipes.

After seeing how the sausage is literally made, I only buy/eat one store-bought hot dog.  Costco Dinner Frank, all-beef.  Unless it is an independent butcher shop, I stick with them. 

Dedicated equipment, high quality ingredients, and good process control.  Excellent sanitation.

Thank me later.

MasterC

Hebrew nationals are excellent 

ColbyLang

Langner91 said:

I work for the company that makes about 90% of all of the hot dog processing chains used in this country.  Hot dogs are interesting in that the process involves cooking at low temperatures to maintain the water that is present, and then flash freezing them in brine in order to stop the cooking process and to make the packaging work.

That hot to cold, salt-water-below-freezing exposure is very hard on chains.  Things expand and shrink at different rates and cause chain to come apart.

Anyway, I have seen them all.  Most brands of commercially available are made by one of the "big guys" like Oscar, Bar-S, Hillshire, Ball-Park, etc.  Almost all of the smaller brands are made in the same factories.  Just different recipes.

After seeing how the sausage is literally made, I only buy/eat one store-bought hot dog.  Costco Dinner Frank, all-beef.  Unless it is an independent butcher shop, I stick with them. 

Dedicated equipment, high quality ingredients, and good process control.  Excellent sanitation.

Thank me later.

You don’t wanna know how the hotdogs are made!!!!! Lol, thanks for the tip

fishlessman

gelatine is made from the stuff that does not make the cut for hotdogs.

fishlessman

Langner91 said:

I work for the company that makes about 90% of all of the hot dog processing chains used in this country.  Hot dogs are interesting in that the process involves cooking at low temperatures to maintain the water that is present, and then flash freezing them in brine in order to stop the cooking process and to make the packaging work.

That hot to cold, salt-water-below-freezing exposure is very hard on chains.  Things expand and shrink at different rates and cause chain to come apart.

Anyway, I have seen them all.  Most brands of commercially available are made by one of the "big guys" like Oscar, Bar-S, Hillshire, Ball-Park, etc.  Almost all of the smaller brands are made in the same factories.  Just different recipes.

After seeing how the sausage is literally made, I only buy/eat one store-bought hot dog.  Costco Dinner Frank, all-beef.  Unless it is an independent butcher shop, I stick with them. 

Dedicated equipment, high quality ingredients, and good process control.  Excellent sanitation.

Thank me later.

tyson destroyed most of the new england brands buying them out, changing the recipes, quality, plant etc.  essem and jordans are no longer the same hot dog they once were.  still have kayem and pearls though kayems are very mild. pearls stayed small and put out good quality

dbCooper

RRP said:

Over the years I have tried many brands of natural casing franks. Finally 8 years ago I stumbled on Wimmer's brand and I have never purchased any other brand since! They ARE terrific!!!
https://www.wimmersmeats.com/

@RRP - The Wimmer's umbrella has the Fairbury brand under it.  If available in your area give the Tomboy's a try.  They were at their best when produced by a independent company in Fairbury, NE.  Still decent after production was relocated due to being acquired by other companies.

My all time fav is Wahoo Weiners.  Some people claim the main reason Letterman headquartered The Late Show in Wahoo for many years was this butcher shop... https://wahoolocker.com/

RRP

Thanks for the suggestion, but our marketplace is dominated by the big chain stores. I found the Wimmers by accident at a grocery store headquartered in Iowa. For a couple years I made an 80 mile trip to stock up on them.