Looking for Quality Hot Dogs and Sausage Links?

bczoom · Feb 27, 2012

Mild winter = early start on outdoor cooking.

It's February, going on April here. Therefore, time to get ready for outdoor cooking. We do some in the winter but mostly on the gas grill. This means charcoal and wood cooking at least a few times a week.

We're set on hamburger patties but need some good hot dogs and sausage links.

I've always been a fan of Sahlen's hot dogs as they have a nice taste and also not too spicy for the kids. Since they're not sold around here, I'd be picking them up in bulk (large qty but in retail packaging) during my travels.

Before I do this, looking for thoughts on other brands you may recommend.

Our local grocery store makes some pretty decent sausage links but open to recommendations here as well.

Thoughts?

joec · Feb 27, 2012

For hot dogs I'm partial to Hebrew National as being they are kosher I know what is in them. As for sausage we use Johnsonville Brats and Hillshire for other sausage. Italian sausage we buy from Whole Foods or Liquor Barn as they are excellent. I don't eat much in the way of precessed food though so take it for what it is worth.

jimbo · Feb 27, 2012

A restaurant specializing in hot dogs and other sausages just opened up here. They use Vienna Beef from Chicago. Overall, a pretty good dog.

waybomb · Feb 27, 2012

What are you looking for?
Natural hog or sheep casing?
Skinless?
Beef?
Pork, water, beef?
Chicken?
Coarse grind?
Emulsified?
Sweet?
Salty?
Garlic biased?
Clean label? (no phosphates, soy proteins, etc)
Hard wood smoked? Liquid smoke?
Lotsa good stuff out there, depending on what you consider good stuff. Skinless dogs made from mechanically separated chicken and phosphates/soy protein willl run you about 99 cents a pounds.
A premium beef natural casing clean label dog will cost you about $5.00 a pound.

bczoom · Feb 27, 2012

That's a lot of questions Fred...

I am by no means a hot dog connoisseur so I don't know how to properly answer.

Imagine you're having a picnic with extended family (so you have 10-20 guests with varying tastes). What would you serve where your guests range from 5 to 50 years old.

When you say "Skinless dogs made from mechanically separated chicken and phosphates/soy protein willl run you about 99 cents a pounds.", I'm assuming you're referring to the "Ball Park" or similar brand that come in an 8-pack soaking in water. If that's the case, I don't like them.

For the casing, I like something with the texture and your teeth pop through it. If you have to gnaw through it, that's a bit much.

We don't like heavy on spices, particularly salty. Hints of garlic would probably be the limit considering the kids taste buds.

Hard-wood vs. Liquid smoke - I'm assuming that's the process by which the mfgr smokes them. We're OK with Liquid Smoke as we use it in our jerky and similar.

muleman · Feb 27, 2012

The all around best hot dogs are made by Sechrist brothers in Dallastown,Pa. They are right down the street from Rusty. They have won national awards for their dogs. The one drawback is they don't taste near as good after freezing. I will be getting some tomorrow when I am down there. For sausage it is hard to beat the little breakfast links from Gianelli up in Syracuse,NY. Just bought 3 1/2 lbs of them this morning. Now for really great smoked sausage nothing beats my own in natural casing and smoked in a real smokehouse with sassafras or hickory chips. The secret is mixing all the ingredients in with the chunks BEFORE grinding and only grind once.

bczoom · Feb 27, 2012

We make our own breakfast sausage patties. Just not setup to do links of any kind right now.

Bill - do you know if Sechrist Bro's brand are sold at some retail outlet with simple on-and-off from I-76? Mrs. Zoom will be cruising that stretch in the next month or 2 and if it's easy, I may be able to get her to stop and get some.

Thanks for the reminder.
NOTE: I need dogs that can stand being in the freezer (deep-freeze at about -5F).

joec · Feb 27, 2012

I do make a lot of my own sausages also, hence rarely buy them. I don't buy ground beef either as I grind my own also. I started with just a Kitchen Aid blender with the meat grinder sausage stuffing attachments and now have a dedicated tool to do the job on a larger scale. With me it is more about the quality as the most important part of any food.

muleman · Feb 27, 2012

Brian, If she exits at I-83 New Cumberland and takes 83 south 4 miles there is a Giant at the Newberry commons shopping center that should have them. They are great for grilling over a campfire if your kids like stuff like that. I have not had good luck freezing them for extended time and tried several times since we moved north. I will swing in there tomorrow and double check for you. I have a list of items that I get when I go down there. Seltzer lebanon bologna and Martins kettle cooked chips as well as longhorn style cheese. These folks up here don't know what good eating is. Would like to get some real dried beef also.

wanderer · Feb 27, 2012

ambassador makes great ones, and they have that "pop" you spoke.

300 H and H · Feb 27, 2012

In my neck of the woods, Weimer's all beef natural casing linked are as good as I have found. Don't know how big their marketing area is however.

My parents always kept some around for the fireplace at home in the winter times.

Regards, Kirk

JEV · Feb 27, 2012

We are partial to Smith's Hot Dogs from Erie, PA., and also like Nathan's from Sam's Club. Favorite way is steamed.

As far as sausage, we make our own Italian sausage and breakfast sausage whenever I can get pork butts on sale. I like knowing what is in my sausage, and that it is seasoned the way WE like it.

waybomb · Feb 27, 2012

Ok, you definitely want natural casing if you want the snap. Forget skinless and forget collagen.
A beef dog will have a stronger meat flavor than a pork and beef.
Look at the label.
For a beef dog, you want a label that reads beef, water, salt, seasonings. It may also have vinegar, or, sodium dieacetate and lactate(keeps listeria in check)
For pork and beef, substitute "beef,water" with pork water beef.
Natural smoke only!!!!!!!
Your dogs will be sheep casing and your sausage will be hog casing.
If you want to freeze, vacuum pack in a barrier bag first. Thaw only once.
The right way to cook a NC Weiner, is to place in a shallow pan with about 1/2" of water in it.

I would start with the local butcher shop. Very hard to find NC weiners in a chain store. They don't move and the slotting fees are nuts.

Do NOT buy anything with phosphates, soy protein, extenders, extracts, corn syrup, msg, or anything other than the items I listed above. It will be a quality sausage.

pirate_girl · Feb 27, 2012

Oscar Mayer beef franks, Ball Park Angus.
I like Hebrew National , Nathan's are good too.
That said, haven't had a dog in a long time now.
I think the A&W here do the Oscar Mayer.
They do that pop when you bite into them.
As for sausages and brats..Johnsonville.

luvs · Mar 2, 2012

market district, or from a specialty-mkt. or make ur own.

bczoom · Mar 2, 2012

luvs said:
market district, or from a specialty-mkt. or make ur own.

I'm going to have Mrs. Zoom get some down at the strip next time she's there.

luvs · Mar 2, 2012

suonds good to me! the strip rocks.

rlk · Mar 2, 2012

Anyone tried these?

rlk · Mar 2, 2012

Is this what you mean when you say pork buts?

rlk · Mar 2, 2012

rlk said:
Is this what you mean when you say pork buts?

Or is it these?

waybomb · Mar 2, 2012

Would you rather have your pork rectums boneless or bone-in?

Looking for Quality Hot Dogs and Sausage Links?

Super Moderator

New member

Bronze Member

Well-known member

Super Moderator

Gone But Not Forgotten

Super Moderator

New member

Gone But Not Forgotten

New member

Bronze Member

Mr. Congeniality

Well-known member

legendary ⚓

'lil yinzer~

Super Moderator

'lil yinzer~

Bronze Member

Attachments

Bronze Member

Attachments

Bronze Member

Attachments

Well-known member