WEIGH IN: GRILLED OR BOILED?

Sabrett's ranging from size 10 to 13 per pound I like in hot water or
steamed,the 8 or 9 to a pound seem to taste best either grilled or deep fried.Nathan's the same way they serve them in their stores,slow
cooked on a flat grill,the same for Golden D brand even though it's a
cheaper dog the flavor is pretty good when they are slow cooked and the casing is nice and crisp.Best's brand from Newark,Nj,seem to be the most versatile,wether you barbecue,boil,broil or fry the taste to me is always good.Thumann's are great either deep fried or grilled.

All beef - stemed or simmered (boiling is too violent for an emulsified beauty like a hot dog!)
Pork/beef - grill (griddle) or deep fry

Either can be "Weber" grilled.

The real key to an awesome dog experience lies in the toasty-buttery griddled New England style bun!

quote:

Originally posted by big g in joisey

Sabrett's ranging from size 10 to 13 per pound I like in hot water or
steamed,the 8 or 9 to a pound seem to taste best either grilled or deep fried.Nathan's the same way they serve them in their stores,slow
cooked on a flat grill,the same for Golden D brand even though it's a
cheaper dog the flavor is pretty good when they are slow cooked and the casing is nice and crisp.Best's brand from Newark,Nj,seem to be the most versatile,wether you barbecue,boil,broil or fry the taste to me is always good.Thumann's are great either deep fried or grilled.

The casing on the Sabretts gets loose/mushy the bigger they get. I try to get smaller than 8 to a lb if I can. These dogs are good in water (simmerred, not boiled) and very good on a flat griddle. For some reason they're not as good on the backyard grill. I had a taste test with Best and Sabrett cooked on the grill. Both were the same size and had natural casing. Nobody knew which was which when they sampled them. All six people who participated picked Best. I agree, Best's taste great no matter how you cook them. Thumann's taste best on the griddle and ok on the backyard grill. Also good deep fried, but I would go with their special dogs for deep frying if you can get them. One way I would not cook these dogs is in water. A milder beef/pork dog tastes really bland cooked this way.

Usinger's is another dog that tastes great boiled, (actually simmerred in water after the heat is turned off) grilled or griddled. It's fascinating to me how the way a dog is cooked affects it's flavor.

I recently took a Best's, Sabrett, and Usinger's and threw them in the oven. All three were great, but I liked Usinger's, Sabrett, and Best's in that order. Best's is a little milder than the other 2. I repeated the comparison the following week, but put all 3 dogs in water. Again, I preferred them in the same order.

Lastly, I cooked all three on the backyard grill. This time I liked Best the best, followed by Usinger's, and then Sabrett. For whatever reason, Sabrett doesn't taste as good on the grill and Best's is definitely better; at least in my opinion.

In the past I also deep fried all 3 for Italian Hot Dogs. Maybe it's because 90% of the Italian Hot Dog joints use Best, but I preferred them for Italian Hot Dogs to the other 2.

I don't know why my preferences change due to style of cooking, but I have heard people say that Sabrett's are made for cooking in water. I don't know if that's true or not or how a dog is made for one type of cooking as opposed to another, except in the case of the Thumann's deep fry dogs which have 2 extra ingredients that aid in frying and help the dogs withstand the high heat of the cooking oil.

John,

We boil our Vienna Beef dogs and Polish in Lake Michigan water. We have customers who can actually identify our water source from the taste of the product. Hard to believe, but the "customer is always right" and in this case it's true. There are many areas in Wisconsin using well water, which does have an effect on the taste of food and tapped beverages.

Wow, that's interesting. Have you ever tried boiling your dogs in beer? I know a lot of people do this with brats. I've been meaning to, but I've never gotten around to it. Also seems like a waste of a perfectly good beer.

Never boiled a dog in beer and never will. Beer boiled brats are a Wisconsin tradition.

Just had some Nathans grilled on a flat grill with some kraut ,(as I watched my tape of "a hot dog program "for the 50th time!) Yummy.I like Sabretts better boiled,grew up eating them that way,never tried them grilled.Boars head,Thumanns,and Hebrew National I like better grilled.I was visiting a new hotdog truck last year ,and the woman wasn't doing too well.The spot had a good traffic flow and parking,but she was at the top of a hill,on a curve and people were just not stopping.Anyway I would stop a couple of times a week,and the Sabretts she sold were boiled,and were extremely mushy.I finally told her not wanting to hurt her feelings,and she told me she did keep the Sabretts that she didn't sell that were sitting in the water all day and put them out again the next day,big no no .I think that was also a part of her problem as far as how busy she was,needless to say she is not there anymore.We're setting up our Waymatic concession trailer with a
36" cecilware gas grill,and two gas fryers,and will be grilling our dogs,will be selling hamburgers,cheeseburgers,sausage and peppers and fresh cut twice fried fries,can't wait to start!!!!

Hey Festival Food,
When you do your Hamburgers or Dogs, Are you cooking them on demand? or do you cook off some dogs and hold them in a warming area? I have not really persued Hmbgrs yet. But having a concession stand I get requests for catering my products at events. But they want hamburgers. I talked to a caterer(sp) on sat and he said to cook them off at home on a gas grill then put them in plastic bags and freeze them until day of gig, then Nuke them or Grill them day of gig, then put a beef bullion cube in water, and put hot dogs on top of water, not in water and this will keep them natural and not like shoe leather. What do you do. Also back to dogs, reusing them the next, I don't. Fresh everyday. Where I keep my trailer, I usually give my old foods them every day. Buns that have been around too long goes to two swans, where I set up.

Festivalfood,

There are some secrets to twice frying. Since you have 2 fryers, the first pass should be about 350 degrees, which will cook the potato through and make it light and fluffy. The second pass, right before you serve the product, should be done at 375-385 degrees. This will give your potato it's final browning. Russ Parsons wrote "How to Read a French Fry." It's a great guide to cooking and worth the $14.00. There's good profit to be made in selling fries.

Cowboy bob,I will be cooking them and holding them on top of doubled over aluminum foil(hotdogs),that will be located on top of the grill.The grill has three burners and one burner I will keep at a lower holding temperature and cooking on demand also,depending on the time of the day and volume.As far as the hamburgers,I will be cooking some up in advance of the rush,and hold them in a steam table pan with just enough beef boulion broth to cover them,and cook to order in the slower part of the day.Thanks for the french fry tips Chicagostyledog.I am going to see if the trouble of fresh cut fries is going to be worth it or not.I know the profit is alot higher than buying cases of frozen fries,but I want see if people really like the idea of fresh cut and if it is worth the hassle.A good friend of mine has been in the fair food business for over 15 years and fresh cut fries is his major specialty.Actually my 14' Waymatic trailer That I am setting up for pizza(my 10' trailer will be the hotdog/hamburger/fry trailer),I bought from him,it was one of his fresh cut fry trailers.He actually used beef lard when he first started out and people loved is fries.He uses regular shortening now though.He uses the same technique you described,and swears people can tell and come back every year to the same fairs and festivals to eat his fries.He is my inspiration for going the concession trailer route instead of opening up another restaurant(probably will open up another one in the future though,I am a glutten for punishment!) He works from May to October and makes a very nice living,and takes the rest of the year off,he definately has a true carny mentality,and thinks the rest of the world that works a regular job is from another planet,he has no idea why anyone would do such a thing!Lol!

FF,

Duck fat or goose fat makes for the best tasting fries. Only one problem......it's very, very expensive. The next best is lard.

Boiled, broiled, grilled, gridelled, pan fried or baked(pigs inna blanket) I enjoy dawgs all ways. I can remember years ago after a parade, putting down a dozen boiled dawgs. If ya gonna panfry ya gotta have a castiron frypan!! The Mrs. prefers her dawgs blackend on the grill the crispier the better (bleh) I'm a lil spoiled because the dawgs she gets from work are all beef and plump well weither grilled or boiled and deep fried their HUGE! When it comes to saurkraut.... my moms moms side of the family is polish so its a staple not just for hotdogs. My personal favorite is fried in bacon grease with onions until brown and carmalized, a couple thick slices of buttered dark brown bread and I have a between meals meal!!

Fried in bacon grease!! I can here my arteries closing now,whats for dessert chocolate covered butter sticks!Lol! JUST KIDDING!Fried in bacon grease with onions does sound tasty though!As long as it is a quality dog,I like them all ways.My friend who has been in the fair business a long time does hotdogs too,when he is allowed at certain fairs,and he buys the cheapest ,nastiest,store brand hot dogs he can find.He charges $2.00 for a plain dog and $3.00 with a topping,and his tap soda drink prices are $2.00 for a medium and $3.00 for a large(32oz).So lets see two nasty dogs with kraut and a large drink $9.00 ! He has no conscience! He does make alot of money though.In his defense,some of those fairs are expensive to get into,but atleast he could sell a quality dog.

The "francheezie" was a favorite when I was a kid. A francheezie is a jumbo hot dog, split down the middle, filled with American cheese, wrapped with bacon, and deep fried. They're still on the menu of some Chicago and suburban restaurants. Kappy's Restaurant and Pancake House in Morton Grove and Arlington Heights still serves them.
www.americasdog.com/kappysrestaurant/index.html

Grilled. Always. Scorched, crisp, tasty!

I like my dogs Boiled with a Tosted bun.

TD1

I like to steam mine...though I admit that a good grilled hot dog is sooo good; it depends entirely upon my mood. You can also broil, as well, in lieu of grilling - that's what I'm doing as we speak.

Regarding smoking...I used to have a smoker with an offset box (yes - the northern transplan, lawyer had an offset smoker) and I wouldn't fire it up just for hot dogs but after cooking ribs or brisket or whatever, I would cook the hot dogs over direct heat over the hickory or cherry...Wow - absolutely amazing. I found that with direct heat that you still got most of the smoky flavor of the wood without fully smoking the dog - totally a matter of preference though.

Best Wishes

Ryan

Boiled, broiled, fried in cast iron, deep fried, grilled, baked. I like them every way. The flavor between a dirty water dog and a grilled dog are of course up to the indvidual. However I must have ketchup and relish on the dog. If not then saurkraut, mustard for those who feel they have to.

BB

Slow grilled so it's really hot and juicy with a lightly toasted bun please!

SD

slow grilled

quote:

Originally posted by dharma dog

WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE? I MENTIONED I'M TRYING TO START A DOG BUSINESS, AND I'D LIKE TO PEOPLE TO WIGH IN ON THIS.
PERSONALLY I LIKE MY DOGS BOILED AND MY SAUSAGES GRILLED.
I HAVE HEARD OF DEEP FRYING (JEEEZ, MY CHOLESTERAL SPIKES JUST THINKING ABOUT IT), AND COMOBOS OF BOILING AND GRILLING. I LIKE THAT COMBINATION, BUT IT DOES TAKE TIME.
ALSO, CARTS USUALLY COME WITH EITHER BURNERS AND PANS OR GRILLS/BARBECUES. OF COURSE, FOR A PRICE EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

Grilled by choice, boiled if I have no choice.


Dennis in Cary

There are times when you just have to have a dawg.... we always have a supply from the wifes shop in the freezer, I put a little water (1/4 cup) in a heavy frypan, insert the frozen dawgs and cover, when fully thawed and plump I uncover pour off any remaining water and brown up the outside. I guess its kinda boiled/steamed/grilled..

I like 'em both grilled and boiled. If grilled, I like the bun to be grilled too and eat them with relish, onions, ketchup and mustard. If boiled, I like the bun to be soft and if I boil them I usually make chili dogs and have them with mustard and onions.

Andrea

Oh, for Heaven's sakes: GRILLED!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Rustywolf

Oh, for Heaven's sakes: GRILLED!!!!

Grilled as in cooked on a large flat steel surface commonly referred to as a grill but actually a griddle, or grilled on a wire grate over charcoal or gas in what those outside gods country refer to as a barbque?

I prefer both grilled. However a boiled hotdog isn't bad if it's a quality dog. I believe sausages should only be grilled.

quote:

Originally posted by noncentz

Steamed? Anyone for steamed? Is that an option?

Dogs definitely steamed or boiled.
Brats etc. grilled.

STEAMED. not boiled.

Steam heats the dog to 180 degrees slowly. That's different from boiling, but I'm not sure what the technical difference is, but steamed is the way to go, plus a steamed bun.

Personally I get in different moods for different dogs/sausages, and even like different styles of cooking on the same type of sausage. Personbally, I like just about any cooking method, as long as its not a cheap no flavor dog or sausage. Good meat makes good dogs....YUM!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by dharma dog

WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE? I MENTIONED I'M TRYING TO START A DOG BUSINESS, AND I'D LIKE TO PEOPLE TO WIGH IN ON THIS.
PERSONALLY I LIKE MY DOGS BOILED AND MY SAUSAGES GRILLED.
I HAVE HEARD OF DEEP FRYING (JEEEZ, MY CHOLESTERAL SPIKES JUST THINKING ABOUT IT), AND COMOBOS OF BOILING AND GRILLING. I LIKE THAT COMBINATION, BUT IT DOES TAKE TIME.
ALSO, CARTS USUALLY COME WITH EITHER BURNERS AND PANS OR GRILLS/BARBECUES. OF COURSE, FOR A PRICE EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8352

I suggest you see the post about steaming (above), specifically in beer...

Mark