San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Hot dogs worthy of celebration
Well, we here at the ExpressNews Taste Team have done our part to help. We recently grilled up 17 brands of dogs, and of those, here are 12 we can recommend.
Bird dog: We sampled several poultry-based hot dogs, and the best of the pack was an easy pick. From the snappy texture to meaty chew to bold seasoning, The Great Organic Uncured Chicken Hot Dog from Applegate Organics flew high above its competitors. $5.99, Whole Foods
Breakfast link: Who says you can’t start the day with a hot dog? And if I’m buying, it’ll be the Uncured Beef Hot Dogs from Nature’s Rancher. These franks are laced with allspice, nutmeg, ginger and honey for a taste reminiscent of a wellseasoned breakfast sausage. $5.99, Whole Foods
But where’s the barbecue? Sure, we’d all rather have a brisket platter. But who’s got time for that when you have to feed an army before the fireworks? We found H-E-B’s Texas Heritage Beef Brisket Hot Dogs to be a tasty compromise. Just slather with your favorite barbecue sauce and serve. $3.49, H-E-B
The classic: There were lots of fancy-pants newcomers in our cook-off, but few of those will hold a shine to Hebrew National Beef Franks if you’re hosting a highfalutin shindig with a brand-conscious crowd. In addition to the immediate name recognition, it doesn’t hurt that these weenies also taste great. $3.72, H-E-B
It’s a snap: If you like a dog that bites back, then look for Dakota Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dogs. These grassfed beef franks grilled up with a terrific snap and and bouncy chew for one of the best textures we tried. $6.79, Central Market
Lightweight: The yoga pants set has good reason to balk at the typical selection of hot dogs, as some can weigh in at 200 or more calories. Fortunately, we found Ball Park’s White Meat Smoked Turkey Franks a reasonably solid performer — and only packing 45 calories per bun-length link. $2.98, H-E-B Lip smacker: There’s a time and a place for lean beef, but the Fourth of July grill ain’t it. We loved the lip smashing sheen of flavorful fat delivered in each bite of Texas Chili
Co.’s Premium Beef Franks. They were among the richest of the bunch in terms of flavor, with a good texture to boot. $3.99, H-E-B
Meat schmeat: Vegetarian hot dogs, we were happy to discover, have come a long way. Field Roast Frankfurters may not have the meaty snap of beef or pork, but the texture and flavor of these wheat gluten- based weenies definitely say hot diggity dog. $4.79, Whole Foods The ideal: There’s a reason Nathan’s Famous has been able to keep its factory doors open for more than 100 years. Of all the franks we tasted, this timeless classic stood out as best all around. $3.67, H-E-B Size matters: If you’re the kind of cook that can’t stand a stingy dog-to-bun ratio, then Beeler’s “Big Dog” Uncured Wieners are the way to go. They’ve got a great porky flavor and stayed extra juicy even when left on the grill a few beers too long. $4.99, Central Market
What I truly wish to be: We understand where the unshakable Wienermobile loyalists are coming from. Oscar Mayer is the flavor of childhood for many of us. But the brand’s upscale Selects Angus Smoked Uncured Beef Franks are a marked improvement on that vintage taste. $4.48, H-E-B Where’s the beef? People like to joke that hot dogs are made from “mystery meat,” but there’s no question what’s packed into the Uncured No Sugar Added Hot Dogs from Pederson’s Natural Farms. There’s a touch of sausagelike seasoning sprinkled in, but the dominating taste here is pure steer. $5.99, Central Market