How do you like yourhot dog?
If you’re like most Americans, the correct answers are no, no, andheckno!
The outdoor cooking connection means that summer is prime hot dog season.
Photos: The brands (left)/Chris Shott (right). Design: Eat This, Not That!
As you prepare for your next backyard cookout, you might wonder how to improve your grilling game.
Choosing a top-quality hot dog is a good start.
They’re the same ones served up in the warehouse club’s popularfood courtfor theforever-low priceof $1.50 each.
Photo: Costco
The look: Massive.
(In the food court, the buns are an extra inch longer, too.)
They make a stunning showpiece for your barbecue spread.
Courtesy of Niman Ranch
The taste: Super salty!
Even the actual dogs (i.e.
The look: Lean and lengthy, albeit not quite as elongated as the colossal Costco dog.
Photo: Trader Joe’s
However, my tasters did not appreciate the “mushy” texture.
One noted it was missing the traditional “hot dog flavor.”
Another quipped, “You mean the nitrates?”
Photo: Whole Foods Market
A six-pack cost $5.99.
That’s less than a buck each.
The look: More stretched out than the prior stubby links, which could hardly fill a bun.
Photo: Fork in the Road
The taste: Rich and juicy.
The biggest knock on TJ’s previous dog was how sweet it was.
The look: Thick and meaty.
Photo: Wegmans
These dogs were plumper than most, weighing in at nearly 2.7 ounces each.
The length was perfectly bun-appropriate, too: about 5.5 inches.
The taste:Well-balanced.
Photo: Teton Waters Ranch
“It tastes like a higher-quality hot dog,” one sampler said.
The look: Stout but not too short.
“That’s what a hot dogshouldtaste like,” one sampler said.
If I were judging based purely on appearances, these would fall at the far end of the spectrum.
But you probably already know the old saying about looks and deception.
The taste:Distinctively delicious.
you might also find them at Sprouts, Albertsons, Safeway, and other retailers.
The look: Long and slender.
The taste: Smoky and savory with a satisfying snap.
My tasters loved the complex flavors of this dog.
