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Costco’s Kirkland Beef Hot Dogs

13 (21.7%)

Nathan’s Angus Beef Franks

11 (18.3%)

Oscar Mayer Classic Beef Uncured Franks

2 (3.3%)

Trader Joe’s Uncured Beef Hot Dogs

1 (1.7%)

Wellshire Sugar-Free All-Natural Uncured Beef Franks

0 (0%)

Whole Foods 365 Uncured Beef Hot Dogs (tied for 6th)

0 (0%)

Open Nature Uncured Beef Franks (tied for 6th)

0 (0%)

Roseda Farm Beef Franks (tied for 6th)

0 (0%)

Ball Park Beef Hot Dogs

3 (5%)

Other Brand

30 (50%)

Total Members Voted: 56

[Kristin Meredith]

OK, another tidbit from the Washington Post.  They purchased and rated hot dogs: 

"We judged the dogs — purchased in D.C. from national retailers including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Safeway, Giant, Costco and Target — on four factors: taste, appearance, seasoning balance (a good blend of sweet, spicy, salty and smoky), and “snap.” You know snap — it’s what it should feel like to bite into a hot dog. A good hot dog isn’t too soft or mushy. A good hot dog casing bursts a little when you bite it ."

They ranked 15 -- I don't want to type in that many.  I am going to put them in the poll in how the WP food staff ranked them from 1st on down and then see how Pelletfans rank them by your votes.   If you think some other brand you eat is better, please share.

[ylr]

Bar S - 1$ a package......

[Brushpopper]

Bar S aren't bad, but we get Hebrew National on the few occasions I cook them.  According to them, they only use the cuts of beef that can be used for kosher meat.  At least I hope.

[LowSlowJoe]

Koegel's   natural casing hot dogs are some of the best I've had.

I haven't really tried Kirtland, unless those are the ones they use in their food court hot dogs, if those are the ones,  I'm not a fan... too smokey flavored for me.  I don't associate smokey flavor with hot dogs to be honest.


I've been on a kick lately. Started out trying to find the best hot dog, to make traditional Jackson Michigan style 'coney' dogs.   I started out trying to literally find the best hot dog, but then when I realized really top level dogs sometimes cost over $5 a pound, I realized that especially for coney dogs, it was basically a waste of money.   With the style of coney that they serve in Jackson, the chili topping they put on , is really what  you taste.    So, now I'm actually on a quest to find a modest priced dog that cooks up nicely, covers the whole bun ( but not much if any beyond the ends of the bun ), and leaves plenty of room in the bun to allow ample space to put the chili meat stuff. ( and onions ).   

  Right now, my modest price point to hit, is about $3 a pound.   If it's up towards $5, I'll just spend a couple extra bucks a pound and buy a steak.


If you want a authentic Jackson Michigan chili sauce for hot dogs... here's the formula  ( Jackson has pretty solid claim to possibly, maybe even probably the first Coney style hot dog in the USA ).

1.5 pounds ground beef heart
1 tsp  garlic powder
1 tsp  cumin
1 tsp  chili powder
1 tsp  paprika
water

 Water to just help mingle the seasonings, you cook down the sauce until there's almost no liquid left.

 Now, I don't have a source for beef heart, so I just use really lean ground beef.  Lean is better, because the sauce being too greasy would not be good.   

 Coneys are just hotdogs in a bun, covered with a layer of that chili sauce, a bunch of chopped onions on top of that, followed two 'strips' by plain old yellow mustard

[Bar-B-Lew]

I like the 1/4# Nathan's that they sell at Restaurant Depot.  I usually buy them when they have a sale.

[Canadian John]

 We don't eat that many "dogs". When we do it's butcher shop made "wieners" from Franz Butcher Shop, Peterborough, ON. They get upset when their wieners are called hot dogs..Not cheap but so good.

[Ralphie]

My favorite store bought are Hofman's (grocery store) and Sabrett (Restaurant Depot), both with natural casing. 

My favorite restaurant hot dogs are Sahlen's (Ted's Hot Dogs in Buffalo) and Vienna Beef (Wiener Circle in Chicago), both with natural casing. 

My grocery store has Sahlen's but the retail version uses a different casing which I don't care for.

[KeithG]

We use 3 different brands #1 choice made by a local butcher shop Bostrom Farms. #2 choice Zweigles a local Rochester, NY brand, #3 choice Hoffman Hot Dogs a Syracuse, NY brand.

[Ralphie]

We use 3 different brands #1 choice made by a local butcher shop Bostrom Farms. #2 choice Zweigles a local Rochester, NY brand, #3 choice Hoffman Hot Dogs a Syracuse, NY brand.

Zweigles is really good.

[GatorDave]

Hoffman Snappy Grillers are my go to.  They are made from pork and veal.  The company is located in Syracuse NY.  I have found no other hot dog like them.  They recently started selling them in stores down here in Florida, which is awesome.  They can also be ordered online.

[reubenray]

I voted other as there is a local meat market that has custom hotdogs that put the standard one's to shame.  They are about an inch thick and longer than the buns are.  You buy them by the pound.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I like the 1/4# Nathan's that they sell at Restaurant Depot.  I usually buy them when they have a sale.

I stand corrected.  I buy Sabrett.

[ArborAgent]

Natural casing is key for us. We have a local butcher who makes great hot dogs.

[Bentley]

Best Hot Dog I have ever eaten.  Central California thing I guess, can't find them back here. These Millers are a Bun Length and 1/4lb is why I liked them!

Costco All Beef is a good dog, and Ball Park used to make a good dog, but they have gotten so small! 

[Osborn Cox]

From that list, Costco dogs got my vote, but only because Vienna Beef wasn’t  a choice.    Love a Chicago style Vienna beef hot dog, but I must confess I feel like have left money on the table if I walk out of Costco without having a hotdog and soda.