Life is full of tough choices. For instance: are you a burger person, or a hot dog person? While I tend to lean burger, there are times when only a hot dog will do: at the baseball game; on a New York City street corner; walking home tipsy as bacon-wrapped sausages perfume the night.
But no occasion is more perfect than the Fourth of July. It’s estimated Americans will eat 150m hot dogs on Independence Day alone, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Boiled or grilled, with mustard or ketchup, sauerkraut or relish – a frank in a bun is the best way to celebrate the holiday.
As with many American traditions, the hot dog’s origins lie in the immigrant story. Most agree it began with the frankfurter, brought by 19th-century Germans along with their love of all things sausage. Today’s supermarket aisles are stuffed with choice, making grocery shopping a daunting task. As a fellow shopper lamented just days ago, while I loaded my arms with cold meat for this contest: “Which damn hot dog do I buy? Nothing’s worse than biting into a bad hot dog.”
Which is why we decided to face down the ultimate challenge: 14 American supermarket varieties pitted side by side, so you can shop with confidence.
The ground rules
In pursuit of authenticity, we opted for a backyard barbecue, cooking on a charcoal grill. The tasting would be blind – judges would try the anonymous hot dog unadorned, and then, if they wished, dress it up with their favorite condiments. Each judge would score the hot dog on a scale of zero to 10, the final score being the average of all scores.
We opted to try 11 meat and three vegetarian/vegan-friendly varieties. And yes, we know processed meat is killing us, but we felt it killed the fun to disallow hot dogs that contain sodium nitrate and other preservatives (still, we do feature plenty of organic options).
The judges
We needed an expert. Luckily, Tim Milojevich, 37, the owner of Barrio restaurant and a longtime San Francisco chef, was on hand to help. Milojevich worked as a professional sausage and pastrami maker for several years, and he knew a hell of a lot more than most of us. Let’s just say he added the word “snap” (the pleasing resistance of a good sausage casing) and “emulsification” (how well the liquids and fat bind to lock in juiciness) to our hot dog vocabulary.
And what’s a cookout without the kids’ opinion? Our neighbors Kaylee, 12, and Genisse, 11, assured me 14 hot dogs was no challenge as they helped lay pickles on the table. Mix in hungry friends and family, and we were good to go.
The results, in the order we tried them
Ball Park beef franks – $4.99 for eight*
This whimsical brand dates back to 1950s Detroit. First off the grill, it didn’t disappoint. “Classic” was a word that came up. Tried plain, it was very salty, making us realize just how much work that bun does. And there was no denying this tasted highly processed, if delicious. “Definitely grocery-store,” commented one eater.
Average score: 7.2
Tim’s score: 7
365 organic uncured grass-fed beef hot dogs – $5.99 for six
Whole Foods’ own-brand, organic grass-fed beef dogs seemed promising, but didn’t quite deliver. “It’s OK,” said Kaylee, looking a little let down. “Do we have any more of the first one?” Most agreed that this had a milder, less smoky flavor but was lacking in juiciness, and that the casing had an odd way of separating from the meat itself.
Average score: 4.87
Tim’s score: 3
Oscar Mayer classic beef uncured franks – $4.99 for 10
Would this classic deliver? One taster definitely thought so. “10 out of 10. Beefy smoky flavor, and juice that seems like broth!” There were definitely a lot of sevens and eights here, with Tim dubbing it “our juiciest so far”. The only downside: it felt a bit too skinny. “Leaves me wanting a bigger mouthful,” said one.
Average score: 7.2
Tim’s score: 7.5
Tofurky original sausage beer brats – $4.39 for four
I hoped our veggie options might fool judges in a blind tasting, but as soon as I began cutting into these hefty brats my hopes were dashed. They overcooked quickly, and the outer casing was tough while the inner flesh was distinctly bread-y. “Bland and bad texture” was the general consensus. “No snap,” Tim lamented.
Average score: 1.75
Tim’s score: 1.5
Nathan’s Famous skinless beef franks – $5.99 for eight
This Coney Island stalwart claims to be the world’s most famous hot dog. But when it came to taste, it slightly split the room. While I found it delightfully greasy and meaty, with a good, crispable skin, Tim described it as “more water than meat”. The expert was in the minority, though, with most deeming this a solid option.
Average score: 7.1
Tim’s score: 4 (...)
Caspers Famous hot dogs – $7.99 for six
Wellshire Premium all-natural uncured beef franks – $7.99 for eight
This won the New York Times’ hot dog taste test, and it definitely found some fans here. The beefy-ness was there, as was the right amount of salt. One taster mistook it for her favorite hot dog, Hebrew National, which we viewed as a compliment. Tim called it “meaty and well balanced”, awarding it a score to tie Oscar Mayer for his highest of the night.
Average score: 7.4
Tim’s score: 7.5
But no occasion is more perfect than the Fourth of July. It’s estimated Americans will eat 150m hot dogs on Independence Day alone, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Boiled or grilled, with mustard or ketchup, sauerkraut or relish – a frank in a bun is the best way to celebrate the holiday.
As with many American traditions, the hot dog’s origins lie in the immigrant story. Most agree it began with the frankfurter, brought by 19th-century Germans along with their love of all things sausage. Today’s supermarket aisles are stuffed with choice, making grocery shopping a daunting task. As a fellow shopper lamented just days ago, while I loaded my arms with cold meat for this contest: “Which damn hot dog do I buy? Nothing’s worse than biting into a bad hot dog.”Which is why we decided to face down the ultimate challenge: 14 American supermarket varieties pitted side by side, so you can shop with confidence.
The ground rules
In pursuit of authenticity, we opted for a backyard barbecue, cooking on a charcoal grill. The tasting would be blind – judges would try the anonymous hot dog unadorned, and then, if they wished, dress it up with their favorite condiments. Each judge would score the hot dog on a scale of zero to 10, the final score being the average of all scores.
We opted to try 11 meat and three vegetarian/vegan-friendly varieties. And yes, we know processed meat is killing us, but we felt it killed the fun to disallow hot dogs that contain sodium nitrate and other preservatives (still, we do feature plenty of organic options).
The judges
We needed an expert. Luckily, Tim Milojevich, 37, the owner of Barrio restaurant and a longtime San Francisco chef, was on hand to help. Milojevich worked as a professional sausage and pastrami maker for several years, and he knew a hell of a lot more than most of us. Let’s just say he added the word “snap” (the pleasing resistance of a good sausage casing) and “emulsification” (how well the liquids and fat bind to lock in juiciness) to our hot dog vocabulary.
And what’s a cookout without the kids’ opinion? Our neighbors Kaylee, 12, and Genisse, 11, assured me 14 hot dogs was no challenge as they helped lay pickles on the table. Mix in hungry friends and family, and we were good to go.
The results, in the order we tried them
Ball Park beef franks – $4.99 for eight*
This whimsical brand dates back to 1950s Detroit. First off the grill, it didn’t disappoint. “Classic” was a word that came up. Tried plain, it was very salty, making us realize just how much work that bun does. And there was no denying this tasted highly processed, if delicious. “Definitely grocery-store,” commented one eater.
Average score: 7.2
Tim’s score: 7
365 organic uncured grass-fed beef hot dogs – $5.99 for six
Whole Foods’ own-brand, organic grass-fed beef dogs seemed promising, but didn’t quite deliver. “It’s OK,” said Kaylee, looking a little let down. “Do we have any more of the first one?” Most agreed that this had a milder, less smoky flavor but was lacking in juiciness, and that the casing had an odd way of separating from the meat itself.
Average score: 4.87
Tim’s score: 3
Trader Joe’s all natural uncured all beef hot dogs – $5.49 for eight
The checkout lady at Trader Joe’s assured me we were in for a treat, and the spice mix – mustard, pepper, nutmeg, allspice and paprika – promised big flavor. She was right: this was a pretty darn tasty dog, plump and with a pleasant hint of sweetness. “Almost too sweet,” noted Tim, who gave it high marks for “emulsification”, that sought-after juicy texture.
Average score: 7.4
Tim’s score: 7
The checkout lady at Trader Joe’s assured me we were in for a treat, and the spice mix – mustard, pepper, nutmeg, allspice and paprika – promised big flavor. She was right: this was a pretty darn tasty dog, plump and with a pleasant hint of sweetness. “Almost too sweet,” noted Tim, who gave it high marks for “emulsification”, that sought-after juicy texture.
Average score: 7.4
Tim’s score: 7
Oscar Mayer classic beef uncured franks – $4.99 for 10
Would this classic deliver? One taster definitely thought so. “10 out of 10. Beefy smoky flavor, and juice that seems like broth!” There were definitely a lot of sevens and eights here, with Tim dubbing it “our juiciest so far”. The only downside: it felt a bit too skinny. “Leaves me wanting a bigger mouthful,” said one.
Average score: 7.2
Tim’s score: 7.5
Tofurky original sausage beer brats – $4.39 for four
I hoped our veggie options might fool judges in a blind tasting, but as soon as I began cutting into these hefty brats my hopes were dashed. They overcooked quickly, and the outer casing was tough while the inner flesh was distinctly bread-y. “Bland and bad texture” was the general consensus. “No snap,” Tim lamented.
Average score: 1.75
Tim’s score: 1.5
Nathan’s Famous skinless beef franks – $5.99 for eight
This Coney Island stalwart claims to be the world’s most famous hot dog. But when it came to taste, it slightly split the room. While I found it delightfully greasy and meaty, with a good, crispable skin, Tim described it as “more water than meat”. The expert was in the minority, though, with most deeming this a solid option.
Average score: 7.1
Tim’s score: 4 (...)
Caspers Famous hot dogs – $7.99 for six
This was our only pork-beef mix of the night, and people could taste the difference. “Pork rules!” crowed a happy taster. The combo was a winner with the kids, who scored it 100 out of 10. But for our sharp-palated chef, it was nothing special. “Non-assertive and mild. Not memorable” was Tim’s verdict, leaving this somewhere in the middle.
Average score: 7.1
Tim’s score: 4.5
Field Roast frankfurters (vegetarian) – $5.69 for six
This was the top veggie dog of the night. One taster appreciated the carrot-y undertones, while I picked up notes of sweet potato. But while zesty seasonings helped things along, we were still left craving something juicier, and, well, meatier. It seems the greasy, salty, trashy world of hot dogs may be one realm where veggies can’t compete.
Average score: 3.1
Tim’s score: 2.5
Tim’s score: 4.5
Field Roast frankfurters (vegetarian) – $5.69 for six
This was the top veggie dog of the night. One taster appreciated the carrot-y undertones, while I picked up notes of sweet potato. But while zesty seasonings helped things along, we were still left craving something juicier, and, well, meatier. It seems the greasy, salty, trashy world of hot dogs may be one realm where veggies can’t compete.
Average score: 3.1
Tim’s score: 2.5
Wellshire Premium all-natural uncured beef franks – $7.99 for eight
This won the New York Times’ hot dog taste test, and it definitely found some fans here. The beefy-ness was there, as was the right amount of salt. One taster mistook it for her favorite hot dog, Hebrew National, which we viewed as a compliment. Tim called it “meaty and well balanced”, awarding it a score to tie Oscar Mayer for his highest of the night.
Average score: 7.4
Tim’s score: 7.5
by Charlotte Simmonds, The Guardian | Read more:
Image: Talia Herman for The Guardian
