Supermarket or Commercial brand hot dogs

I live in N.J. and enjoy the many hot dog restaurants here and also in New York and Conn. There are a lot of fine posts here about different hot dog joints. I was wondering what people liked to cook at home. For a beef and pork dog, the finest in the country is Thumann's from Carlstadt, N.J. A tasty dog made from quality meats. I've compared Thumann's side by side with other brands, and it is clearly the best. This is the dog for grilling that is sold in the white and blue package. Different than their dog for deep frying that is sold only by distributors to hot dog joints that deep fry their dogs. Not available in stores. Schickhaus is probably the next best around here along with Grote and Weigel.
For a kosher style all beef dog, Best's from Newark, N.J. has a great beef flavor. I like their dog better than Sabrett which is made in N.Y. and big around here. Best's makes a great natural casing dog that is only available at their plant. A big 5 to a lb dog that is sold at Syd's in Union. This is the place to go for the best all beef dog in the east, and perhaps the country. Another great all beef dog is the Usinger's Certified Angus Beef dog. A little spicier than the Best's. I like them equally. Usinger's all beef frank won a taste test some years ago, and was picked by the Certified Angus people and the Olympic Comitee to make franks for the Olympic Games. Many consider this dog to be the best in the country. Made in Milwaukee, their products are available from their website.

I live a mile from the Usinger's headquarters in Milwaukee! It's on a street that still has bricks instead of paved road. Many of Milwaukee's restaurants serve their sausages - often on a "sausage platter" - 3 or 4 different kinds cut in 1-inch chunks, and served with rolls, onions and an assortment of mustards. I really like their beef Frankfurters. You can also get the highly sought-after summer sausage shaped and packaged to look like a Pabst beer bottle via the website.

I'm a fan off Hebrew National dogs, too, although grocery stores around here rarely carry them. In northen Milwaukee suburbs they're easier to find due to the larger Jewish population.

I have found in my many travels that hot dogs are a VERY local commodity. Every one of the dogs mentioned above are not found in my town..Ft. Wayne, IN. I travel to Michigan and am fond of both Koegel and Kowalski. Both are made in Detroit and I have never seen them sold outside of the state of Michigan. I buy the 3 lb. pack and seal and freeze them in small quantities.

I have tried the Hebrew National and really didn't care for them.

Stogie

Kayem Natural dogs are excellent in Boston. I am not sure if it a regional thing or not, but the best hot dog joints use them.

Question for you wiener-freaks? What is the dividing line between a wiener/hot dog/Frank...and a sausage of any type?
Contents? Fine-Coarse Grind? Case? Ethnic Origin?
I won't sleep without knowing the truth!

To me, the difference is in the seasoning ! I like Oscar Meyer all beef franks for hot dogs. I doctor them up with mustard, onions and chili.

Sausages are more spicey to me, maybe with the exception of plain ole smoked sausage. My favorite sausages are the Red Hots links. I cut them in wheels, put them in a cast iron skillet, then put them in the oven an cook them until they are almost crunchy !!

Around here, the best thing in the supermarket is Nathan's.. YUM! (Although I will admit to an affection for Foster Farms Chili Cheese flavored franks)

Michigan best is Koegel's from Flint, Natural casing Viennias
Kowalski's Natural casing is a milder, almost a White Brat in color,
Kowalski's NC Stadium Kielbasa and Holiday Kielbasa are VERY good
Dearborn Sausage is another local Sausage and Hot Dog source, which should not be overlooked,
fill your car truck to take back home

In Louisiana a common sausage and I guess it is classified as a sausage is boudain. It is some type of casing stuffed with rice and cajun stuff. Seems like there is no rhyme or reason what is is stuffed with. I have seen them stuffed with crab, mudbugs, shrimp, port, alligator, beef and God knows what else. Pretty good stuff though. Walmart even sells them and I bought them home made in Houma, LA. People down there seem to eat them for all meals

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I was brought up on good ole Farmer John's Dodger dogs, so they will always mean home to me. But I admit they don't have much "snap" to them. Hebrew National's are reliably good as well. But nothing beats the hot dogs from the German delis.

My favorites (Rochester, NY area) are: Hebrew National kosher hots, Zweigle's red (pop open) and white hots, and Hoffman red and white hots. Nathan's hots are great, but we don't get them in the local groceries and the few Nathan's stands we had closed years ago.

Living in the Chicago area, we have the luxury of being able to buy Vienna, David Berg or Hebrew National. They all make great hot dogs of various sizes, up to the 1/4 lb. hot dog, great for grilling.

Dearfolk,
I am told by a reliable source that Wahoo Weiners from Wahoo, Nebraska are the best imaginable. Obviously, I can't find those - or any similarly esoteric brands hereabouts (Athens, Georgia), but Grote & Weigel products occasionally crop up, as do Hebrew National (Athens has had a Synagogue since 1872: you can even find gefilte fish and matzoh ball soup here!).
If someone will think about starting a thread on local breakfast sausage, I can contribute a gooood local brand to that... but I'll have to go find out where it is made, so I'm not gonna start it now.
Shealy's Bar-B-Q's mustard sauce is wondrous on Hebrew Nationals, by the way.
Always Picking A Weiner, Schnitzelfritz Ort. Carlton.

The Publix supermarkets, which have only moved into the Nashville area in the past year or so, have greatly improved the hot dog selection here. They carry Nathan's, Sabrett's, Hebrew National & Vienna...

hawkeyejohn -


living in chicago and you mention hebrew national? Is that not some sort of sacrilege with Best's Kosher right there?

The only places you can find Best's Kosher products (not to be confused with Best's out of Jersey) on the east coast is in the kosher butchers and the wholesale clubs...

Nope, they put out a 1/4 lb dog that is outstanding on the grill.

Boudain with saltines and some tabasco. Now that is some mighty fine eating! Goes good with beer and a game of Bouree!

Ralph's Supermarkets sells a dog in their meat section(not in the deli section) which they bill as "Old Fashioned" style. They are the best I've found in southern Calif. with a satisfying "snap" when you bite into them, similar to a Sabrett's. I highly recommend them!

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

Question for you wiener-freaks? What is the dividing line between a wiener/hot dog/Frank...and a sausage of any type?
Contents? Fine-Coarse Grind? Case? Ethnic Origin?
I won't sleep without knowing the truth!

I always think of hot dogs as being skin-less and weiners as having skins, giving them that lovely snap when you take the first bite.

I volunteered to bring "hot dogs" to a picnic next week. If I can't get up to the butcher shop in Stengleville to get their unusually tasty variety (narrow but unusually long in a natural casing, more coarsely ground than any other I have seen, with a smoky, slightly spicy flavor) I will rely on Usinger's weiners in natural casings. Very, very tasty.

John-You are truly a hot dog crazy man and I mean that in a good way. I purchase Thumans or Schickhaus ( the large ones) when I am grilling. Schickhaus (the large ones) are not that easy to find. Select shoprites and pathmark carries them from time to time. Does Best sell those 5 to lb. dogs to the public? Have you been to their place in Newark? Keep up the good work.

Howard,
I'd have to say that for an all beef dog, Best's 5 count and Usinger's all beef weiner are my 2 favorite all beef dogs. I also like Sabrett and Grote & Weigle all beef. Thumann's is my favorite pork/beef dog. I also like Schickhaus and a few of the German style weiners sold in local German pork stores. Yes, you can get the big 5 to a lb dogs from Best's. They sell them to the public. They are only available at their Newark location or at Syd's in Union. Syd's simmers these dogs in water, then cooks them on high heat on a gas grill. The dogs are very tasty; as good an all beef dog as you will have. They are expensive if you buy the dogs to take home at Syd's; you are better off buying them at Best.

John Fox: Did you ever get to try the Weber brand in the New Haven/Southern CT area? Possibly made in Stratford. They were a cut above Hummels and held in high regard by the region's dog lovers. Problem was it was a small family-run outfit. A few years ago, so the story goes, the owners were ready to retire, couldn't get anyone in the family to take over, and simply let the brand die. If you're familiar with the brand, maybe you can confirm this story.

I drive from DC to New Haven to visit family several times a year. Hot dogs in the DC area are pathetic. So I usually return home with a box of Hummels. I'm intrigued by your recommendations of Thumanns. Where can I buy them in Jersey? If possible, it would be a store close to an exit from either the NJTP or the Garden State.

You SHOULD be able to find them in a store in Westchester in NY..or in The Bronx..yeah,the Bronx...any of the big chains carry them-Shop Rite,A&P,PathMark,youname them...Jump onto the Boston Post Road in Rye,NY...sure to run into supermarket or two there...

JPat,
I don't know about N.Y.; I would take Lou's suggestions. In N.J. Thumann's are available almost anywhere. If you are travelling on the Parkway, there is a Shop Rite right off exit 135 that carries Schickhaus and Thumann's.
I like Hummel's very much. I include them along with Sabrett, Best, Usinger, Grote & Weigel as the best all beef dogs that I've had. Last time I was in Conn, I brought some home. They have a unique tangy flavor that I enjoy.
If you do get to sample Thumann's, let us know what you think. But cook it on a griddle or grill. Slowly and on low heat as this frank has a thin lamb casing. Plus they do not use a technique called vacuum chopping that most hot dog makers do. This technique sucks air out the mixture while cutting the meat and mixing the spices. This makes for a more dense product. Thumann's doesn't do this, so they have a lighter, more porous product which lends itself to faster heating on the grill.

I was in Nashville, Tn and had a wonderful hot dog they said was Smithville brand. Anyone know where I can find them ,maybe online?

Threw some Nathan's on the barbecue this weekend on your recommendation...great snap and flavor.

If you are ever near Sheboygan, WI try Meisfelds Meat Market just off I 43 on the north side (last sheboygan exit going north) they have the best natural casing WEINERS I've ever had!!!!!!!!! Good place for meats of any kind, brats, steaks etc. and another 'Sheboygan Specialty' Resturant Steaks.

I remember as a kid in New England my dad insisted on hot dogs and beans once a week and they HAD to Maple Leaf Brand natural casings---man where they good---moist and meaty grilled or streamed --with green tomatoe picdcalilli and Gouldens spicy brown mustard on grilled top splitit buns---have no idea if they are still made but they were great hotdogs--anyone know if Maple Leaf is still around?

I dont like hummels that much and in CT thyre all over the place. I've had Thumanns and they are very very good. NOt a fan of Sabretts that mcuh. Theres a place in Startford called Millers that makes great hot dogs, im not sure if thats what you were talking about.

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quote:

Originally posted by jasmine_11usa

I was in Nashville, Tn and had a wonderful hot dog they said was Smithville brand. Anyone know where I can find them ,maybe online?

I buy Smithville at Walmart all the time.

They have other great sausages also.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN