Parade Magazine:The Sterns on The Best Hotdogs in America

http://www.parade.com/food/slideshows/best-hot-dogs-in-america.html
 
Nice artice in the 5/30/10 issue of the sunday supliment, PARADE Magazine. Not really a "Best Dog" article, but a review of the many types of served hotdogs around America......The actuall sunday artice had a phto of Jimmy Buff and his creation.....still my favorite way to eat a dog...although I'd gladly have one of each
    The above link contains most of the article's content in slide format.....what do you think???? John Fox,could you list your favorites from that list in descending order? Just curious....what do the rest of you think about the types mentioned...any missing?
     By the way thanks to The Sterns for a nice article

I just noticed the link in the food digest section..but most of our regular's didn't leave comments...perhaps they'll do so here.

I think someone needs a trip to Charlie's Pool Room.

BTW, Aren't we due for a "Mealie Meet-Up"?

always left out of hot dog surveys are the quirky casper dogs available in berkeley / oakland ca....they have plenty of snap , good toppings , and interesting little hot dog stores...how they have survived in the land of whole foods /granola since 1934 is a testament to their goodness-see link
http://www.caspershotdogs.com/
    

Best Texas Hots are at Rudy's in Oswego NY& on Lake Ontario...no one holds a candle!

Great article.
Chili dogs are my favorite!

leethebard


http://www.parade.com/food/slideshows/best-hot-dogs-in-america.html
 
Nice artice in the 5/30/10 issue of the sunday supliment, PARADE Magazine. Not really a "Best Dog" article, but a review of the many types of served hotdogs around America......The actuall sunday artice had a phto of Jimmy Buff and his creation.....still my favorite way to eat a dog...although I'd gladly have one of each
    The above link contains most of the article's content in slide format.....what do you think???? John Fox,could you list your favorites from that list in descending order? Just curious....what do the rest of you think about the types mentioned...any missing?
     By the way thanks to The Sterns for a nice article

It's hard to do a definitive list of the best hot dogs in America simply because it would be impossible to try all of them. I think the brand of dog and how it's prepared is more important than what you put on it, although I love the Jersey style Texas Weiner, the unique relish at Rutt's Hut, and the ingredients that make up the sandwich known as the Newark style Italian Hot Dog. I love both main types of dogs; German style beef/pork and kosher style all beef. A great natural casing beef dog from Usinger's in Milwaukee or Best's from New Jersey would be at the top of my list. So would a simple natural casing Thumann's beef/pork dog.
 
As for this list, there are 16 types of dogs mentioned. I'll eliminate the dogs I don't care for. Barbecue, loose meat, Sonoran, Dew Drop, and Flo Dog. The Flo Dog to me is the most overrated dog I've eaten. I don't like the combinations of toppings here and the Flo's dog is just a bland steamed dog.
 
I've never had a N.Y. System dog. I've heard that this is a dog you may have to acquire a taste for because the chili is different. Don't know if I'd like it. Same for the half smoke, which I've heard is more of a spicy sausage.
 
Dogs that I like, but aren't among my favorite types would be the Coney, Dixie, Chicago style dog, and the White Hot, which is really more of a bockwurst than a hot dog.
 
I hear that everything from Otto's is good, but I've never eaten any of their products.
 
As for what remains, my favorites in this order are: 1) The Italian Hot Dog 2) Ted's 3) the Ripper at Rutt's Hut 4) The Jersey Texas Weiner.
 
A great dirty water dog (Jerry's and Dees in N.J.) is absent from the list as well as a great grilled beef dog such as Usinger's, the Syd's dog at Jimmy Buff's, or the Sabrett dogs at such places as Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City, Papaya King, Gray's, and Katz's in NYC. And of course, Nathan's.

I would put the grilled hot dogs at the top of my list with the Chicago dogs second.   But I do like Flo's.  I do agree that the hot dog they use (Old Neighborhood) is on the bland side but I like the hot sauce, celery salt, and diced onions on the dog.  The tastes compliment each other for me, though I do not get the mayo.  Tried that once and did not care for it.  In the past they used to use a Schultz brand hot dog which had more snap and more flavor.  But when Schultz was bought out, Flo's switched to Old Neighborhood.

Funny thing, I don't really have an affinity for the New Jersey Italian hot dog.  It tastes fine, but the potatoes, onions, and peppers just overpower the hot dog inside.  I prefer it with a sausage inside instead as it has a stronger flavor profile.  I would head to Rutt's Hut instead.

The NY System hot dogs in Rhode Island are similar to the mini-hot dogs in Troy, New York (Famous Lunch, Charlies).

Wasn't Flo's called something else at one point?  I never had their dog but I do like the Old Neighborhood natural casing dogs.

None of those dogs do it for me, in any way at all. Cole slaw? BBQ sauce? Chili? Loose meats? Potatos? I don't understand.

Give me a nice boars head beef hotdog in natural casing with spicy brown mustard and a little COLD COLD COLD sauerkraut, or maybe a dog with lots of diced onions and pickles and tomatoes. or just mustard and relish. Or a Vienna beef hotdog.

The Western New York dog is closest to what I like. But come on, next we'll have hot dogs in ho hos.

Hot Dog King


Great article.
Chili dogs are my favorite!

AMEN!

I liked the article, it simply showed that there are a lot of regional hotdog styles, and folks in those regions are very loyal to those styles. I also believe that there are sub-styles within some styles. Take for instance the "Texas Hotdog/Hot Wiener". The style served in the Mid-Hudson Valley is much different than those in Southern NY and Northern NJ.  Dallas Hot Wiener's in Kingston NY is my favorite. I live in Austin TX area now and there is no such thing as a Texas Hot Wiener so I had to come up with a recipe on my own.