OT: Your go to Hot Dogs ?

[August_West]

Off season thread. Weather getting nice, time to think about grilling.

In this thread I will teach you how to eat right (again), but first I am interested in hearing your takes.

1) Favorite Brands
2) Cooking methods/ tricks of the trade
3) Toppings ( and don't with me. Ketchup gets you ridiculed)
4) Will even accept discussion about where your favorite Hot Dog stands are.

Lets make this an informative all encompassing dog thread.

 

[ctchamps]

Two Nathan's Original Coney Island Natural Casing Beef Franfurters. Sliced down the middle, cooked in oven on broil between 15-18 minutes till slightly burnt and served with original B&M beans prepared with maple syrup, a dollop of deli mustard and your favorite thing to hate which shall go by "the thing that shall not be named".

Usually add broiled broccoli to induce me into thinking I'm eating healthy.

 

[8893]

1) Used to be Miller's Provisions in Stratford, but they went out of business. Hummels now if we're talking CT; but I usually rely on my father in law to bring them down from Hapanowicz in Utica, NY. Belly busters especially.

2) Grilled.

3) Ketchup, spicy brown mustard (sauerkraut, chili and cheese optional).

4) I love pretty much all the classic CT spots, e.g., Glenwood Drive-in, Super Duper Weenie, Capitol Lunch, Blackie's, Windmill, Johnny Ads, Woody's.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Never eaten a hotdog in my life. They've always repulsed me, even as a kid. I can eat a good sausage but hotdogs........yuck.

 

[Chin Diesel]

1. Nathan's or Kayem's. I live in the South and hot dogs are a low priority for local butcher's. National brands are the way to go.

2. Grilled, broiled, fried on a skillet. Any method that crisps up the casing. No boiling or steaming for me.

3. Ketchup, yellow mustard, relish or pickle. I can accept celery salt or whatever BS they use in Chicago. No onions- ever. Putting chili and cheese almost needs a separate category.

4. Buns should be steamed. I'm indifferent to top sliced or side sliced. Potato buns work very well.

5. Favorite location is minor league ball park. Same recipe as Fenway Franks. Foot long dog which is seared on a flat top grill is $6.

 

[August_West]

Never eaten a hotdog in my life. They've always repulsed me, even as a kid. I can eat a good sausage but hotdogs...yuck.

Was going to mention. We can accept Brats, Knockwurst, red hots and the like in here. Sausage is a little more of a reach, but probably acceptable too.

 

[UChusky916]

Very rarely make a hotdog for myself. If I've got the grill fired up, I'm eating a burger.

As for good hotdogs to eat... Woody's in Hartford is my go-to if I'm craving a dog.

 

[Deepster]

So, you may recall, I am going meat-free in 2016 and I think one of the things I'm dreading the most is a year without hot dogs. I love them.

1) Favorite Brands - I prefer Mucke's or Grote & Weigel, natural casings obviously. If you eat a skinless dog, you may as well eat a tofu dog (which I will never, ever do).

2) Cooking methods/ tricks of the trade - I usually grill them. If I don't grill them, I steam them. When I grill them, I use the same method as I do when toasting marshmallows. I want it toasted perfectly. Not flash-burned and charred. A plate of burned hot dogs at a picnic is a travesty.

3) Toppings ( and don't with me. Ketchup gets you ridiculed) - Standard go to is spicy brown mustard, a little relish, celery salt and hot sauce. Options based off the temp of the day? Kraut and brown mustard. Chili and cheese. I also love a Chicago Style dog when it's available.

4) Will even accept discussion about where your favorite Hot Dog stands are. - I ate a lot of Capitol Lunch in college, but have lost the taste for them over time.

Doogie's in Newington is good.
http://doogieshotdogs.com/

Frankie's in Bristol is also good.
http://frankieshotdogs.com/our-locations/frankies-of-bristol/

Out of state?

The Hot Dog Ranch in Pittsfield Mass. One of two "famous" spots in that area for "baby dogs". They're probably about 3/4 the size of a "usual" hot dog. Very good.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hot-dog-ranch-pittsfield

 

[Rico444]

I like them boiled, but on the grill is fine too. I prefer no skin, can't stand the casing. And with lots of ketchup, of course.

 

[August_West]

Whats your feeling on Chicago dogs.? I have a love/hate relationship with them. I love the actual Vienna Beef dogs, they are excellent but then they load it up with
Sport peppers (Ok)
Neon green relish (Yuck)
Pickle spears (like pickles. not so much on a Dog)
Tomato wedges ?! (No 'in way. not on a dog!)
Onions (sure!)
Yellow Mustard ( yellow is for noobs. Spicy brown please)
Celery salt ( What the hell? )

They take a 5 out of 5 level Frank and then douse it in BS.

Chicago is a great food city, but they get a Fail for this.

Stick with Italian beef.

 

[bobbygt]

I'm not picky about hot dogs. I hardly ever eat them for a number of reasons, but I LOVE them. In a pinch I used to hit up the $1 strand outside carnegie hall. But, if I'm at the store:

Brand: Hebrew National, Nathans, or Boar's Head

Method-Prefer grilling, but can just as easily parboil, then fry/saute in butter

Toppings- I can eat a hot dog plain, but if toppings are readily available, I go with everything:

finely diced onion, pickled jalapenos (preferably my own), relish, sauerkraut, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise

 

[Kembacity]

Geez, bunch of amateurs here, Burger King is the best brand...

 

[Fishy]

Never eaten a hotdog in my life. They've always repulsed me, even as a kid. I can eat a good sausage but hotdogs...yuck.

So exactly how long have you hated America?

 

[August_West]

So exactly how long have you hated America?

he may even be, dare I say, a commie?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

4.) Super duper weenie in fairfield. All other answers are invalid.

 

[KingOPancakes]

I'm not a grill man (just never learned the trade), so if I'm eating dogs it'll be out at a restaurant or stand; and for me there are only 3 choices. In order:

1) Capitol Lunch (new years eve tradition with my late grandfather, and for that I'll never eat a better hot dog than a cappy dog).

2) Saints in Southington. Another spot gramps and I used to frequent. Great if you like a toasted bun.

3) Blackie's in cheshire

 

[UconnFanNVa]

Just got back from Austria and their version of the hot dog puts what we eat to shame. Nice bite to it, nice spicy mustard on the side to dip it in and shredded horse radish too. Simple yet amazingly good. I cant think about the hot dogs my local grocery store has to offer after that.

 

[Excalibur]

Brands -- Hummel, (big gap), Grote & Wiegel

Methods -- Grilled. Unlike when grilling most other meats, do not set the heat too high. The skin should wrinkle and have faint grill marks. No charring allowed.

Condiments -- Spicy mustard and relish. Very occasionally kraut.

Stands -- Despite living in Cheshire, I'm not a fan of Blackie's dogs. Prefer Frankie's (any location). Also Denmo's in Southbury, Glenwood and Al's. Edit -- forgot to mention Rose Dairy in Cheshire.

 

[Sky ball]

Anyone that went to CCSU or lives in New Britain knows that this is the BEST dog in the state: http://www.capitollunch.com/

 

[storrsroars]

Natural casing is strongly preferred. There's a local purveyor out here, Weiss Meats, that makes one of the best dogs I've had anywhere. If I can't find those, it's Smith's or the local grocery's brand of natural casing. My wife does buy skinless bun-length dogs, and I will eat those, but more often than on a bun simply sliced up and fried and added to beans.

I don't normally bother firing up the grill for hot dogs on their own. I reserve that for company when multiple things are being grilled. But I do like a nice grilled dog. Usually for home consumption, it's pierced and put on a George Foreman grill or split and broiled. Potato buns are good. I do prefer top-split as it seems to me there's less bun for a better bun-to-dog ratio. But I also use a toasted english muffin from time to time.

I love a Chicago dog, but without the florescent relish or celery seeds. But the whole tomato, pickle, onion and sport pepper thing with mustard is a great combo. I also like kim chee as a topping, something I first hit on at the late, great Hot Doug's in Chicago (and copied here in Pgh by the equally late and great Station St. Dogs, run by a James Beard winning chef). Out CT way, I'm a fan of Walter's grilled dogs in Mamaroneck with just mustard and onion, or kraut. There are so few places with decent chili that it's often not worth it eating out. Although way back when, Melfi's in the Springdale part of Stamford had outstanding chili and decent dogs. I was never blown away by Swanky Franks.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Does anyone remember Jack Rabbit's in Storrs? They've moved elsewhere since but that had killer dogs and burgers. Small portions but good.

 

[TRest]

1. Hebrew National, I've never bothered sensing the difference in local brands offered at various drive-ins. Grilled or boiled when 2 feet of snow is on the Weber.

2. Deli or Gulden's brown mustard, relish, chopped sweet onions. Alternative when eating out is chili (no beans please, they do not work on a dog) with yellow mustard and chopped onions. Hot relish if available with mustard if at a place like Blackies.

3. Love Blackies, Chef's Dog House in Newington, Rawley's, Super Duper Weenie and original Swanky Franks. Reno's in Canton has a good michigan dog, same dog under many different owner names. Capitol Lunch is a once a year obligation, I grew up on those and even though they still taste the same, I don't like them much anymore. Not a lot of bad hot dogs out there in CT, actually, but recall disliking the chili dog at Harry's in Colchester.

 

[polycom]

Nathans in New York, that is all.

 

[Excalibur]

but recall disliking the chili dog at Harry's in Colchester.

Pretty sure Harry's just uses Bogner's dogs, which suck.

 

[TRest]

Pretty sure Harry's just uses Bogner's dogs, which suck.

The chili was crap, too, which sealed the deal.