Hot dogs are truly an American Cuisine. The average American eats 70 hot dogs each year. In this article, you will find the answers to all your dog-gone questions!
Hot dogs are a favorite All American fare for picnics. They are a true summertime fun food. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans will eat nine billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day. On July 4, Independence Day, over 150 million hot dogs will be consumed. The average American will eat 70 of these delicious dogs each year. Whether you call them hot dogs, wieners, frankfurters, franks, or sausages, Americans are crazy for this specialty.
What is it about the hot dog that makes it so popular? Besides the taste, hot dogs are generally inexpensive, easily to eat, and can be served with a variety of sides.
Hot Dog Ingredients and Nutritional Facts
Contrary to some wild rumors about what is in a hot dog, there are strict government standards regulating what a hot dog can contain. All hot dogs include a mix of pork, beef, chicken and turkey or a combination of meat and poultry. The meat is from the muscle of the animal. Other ingredients are water, curing agents, spices such as garlic, salt, sugar, mustard, white pepper, and coriander. The US requires ingredients to be listed in order of the amount with the main ingredient first. The general percents are 85% meat and 15% added ingredients. If the hot dog contains variety meat or by-products it must be labeled as such.
Nutritional facts: Generally: calories 150, 13 grams of fat, and 5-7 grams of protein. There are low-salt, low fat and fat free varieties as well. You can check the back of the package to be certain of the calories and fat grams as well as the ingredients
How are Hot Dogs Made?
Meat and meat trimmings of beef and /or pork, or chicken, or turkey are cut or ground into small pieces and placed in a mixer.
Very high-speed stainless steel choppers mix the meat with the added ingredients of water and spices to create a batter.
The mixture is then pushed into an automatic stuffer/linker machine where it flows into a casing. The popular brands of hot dogs use cellulose casing which is later removed. Some are made with a “natural” casing which is made from cleaned and processed intestines. These remain on the hot dog and give them a “snap” when you bite into it.
Once casings are filled, they are linked into long strands and then cooked under restricted conditions.
Hot Dog Trivia
The longest dog was 1,996 feet and was made by the Sara Lee Corporation to honor the 1996 Olympics.
Mustard is the favorite topping of those over 35.
Ketchup is the favorite for those younger.
July is National Hot Dog Month.
The top three hot dog eating cities are: New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore-Washington.
The champion of the National Hot Dog Eating Contest held each year at Coney Island receives a yellow belt. Last year’s winner ate 50 hot dogs with buns in 12 minutes.
Over 1.8 billion hot dogs were sold in US supermarkets last year.
At major league ballparks, over 24.2 million hot dogs were sold.
History of the Hot Dog
There are various responses as to the origin of the hot dog. Most agree that credit goes to Frankfurt, Germany for originating the hot dog. The city celebrated in 1987 the 500th birthday of the frankfurter. Others say a butcher in Colberg, Germany created “little dogs” in 1600. Vienna (Wien) Austria points to the term wiener to their claim as the birthplace of the hot dog. The 1904 at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, a vendor sold wieners or plain sausages and provided customers with white gloves to protect their hands. The gloves were not returned so he consulted a baker who created a bun to protect people’s fingers from the hot meat. However, it is likely the Germans used a bun to hold their sausage as they introduced the practice of eating sausages.
Others say a cartoonist, Tad Dorgan gave the hot dog its name when he created a cartoon of New York vendors selling dachshund sausages and yelling, “Get your dachshund sausages while they’re red hot!” Dorgan, unsure how to spell dachshunds, changed it to simply “Hot Dog!” The true origin remains an unsolved mystery today.
Answers to those Dog-gone Questions
Why do buns come in packages of eight and hot dogs are packaged in ten?
When hot dog buns were introduced, dogs were sold in varying quantities in the butcher shop. It was not until 1940 that they were packaged in tens. Buns are baked in groups of four so eight. Today however, there are more selections available for both buns and hot dogs.
Why are Hot Dogs and Baseball so closely linked?
Besides the cartoon story, dogs can be eaten without difficulty. They are portable, inexpensive, and easy to prepare so they became a staple for vendors to sell while people watched and cheered their favorite team. Mostly the vendors sold during the summer which is peak baseball season.
Hot Dog Toppings around the US
South-- cole slaw like topping with cabbage, onions, carrots, mayo, and spices
New York--steamed onions and mustard
Chicago--poppy seed bun, yellow mustard, raw onion, pickle relish sliced tomato, and celery salt
Kansas City-- sauerkraut and Swiss cheese
Iowa and Texas both lay claim to the corn dog
Erie, PA-- Greek sauce (chili type)
There really is Etiquette for eating a hot dog???
Always “dress the dog” not the bun. First add wet ingredients such as mustard; followed by chunky such as onions and relish. Next, you add cheese and finish with spices.
Only use paper napkins and paper plates although everyday dishes are okay.
Finish a hot dog in five bites; a foot long dog in seven bites
No ketchup after 18.
Frankly Speaking
The hot dog, one of American’s favorite foods, can be found in backyards, kitchens, ballparks. There have even been songs written about the hot dog. And driving along the highway, you might see a car fashioned into the shape of the All-American delight.
No matter how you eat your hot dog, no matter what your preferred toppings, hot dogs are an integral part of American cuisine.
Have you eaten your quota of 70 hot dogs? Don’t worry; you can “ketchup” on July 20, National Hot Dog Day.