OT: Best hot dogs

[Fairfield_1st]

I posted my top three.
1. Thumanns (Rosco's used this dog). Usually only able to find in the Southeast corner of Connecticut.
2. Hummel Bros. You should be able to find these throughout the state.
3. Hoffman's. I know I've found these is CT. Check Price Chopper.

Allegedly Walmart carries Thumann's. Are you an all beef or pork & beef guy?

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I just picked up some bison dogs from Costco...I'll report back this weekend when ive had 3 or 4

 

[SugarHillGang]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this already but Guida’s in Middlefield has a long-standing 2 for 1 hot dog (10 inch) deal on Monday nights between 4:00 and 8:00. Cash only. Plenty of take-out going on at this time. Small dining area of 9 tables plus room for maybe 6 at the counter. Pretty sure they are Martin Rosol Dogs. Worth the trip!

 

[RON]

Allegedly Walmart carries Thumann's. Are you an all beef or pork & beef guy?

Pork & Beef Natural Casing

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this already but Guida’s in Middlefield has a long-standing 2 for 1 hot dog (10 inch) deal on Monday nights between 4:00 and 8:00. Cash only. Plenty of take-out going on at this time. Small dining area of 9 tables plus room for maybe 6 at the counter. Pretty sure they they are Martin Rosal Dogs. Worth the trip!

Man, that brings me back. Grew up there and remember going to guidas for hot dogs and ice cream after hanging out at lake beseck

 

[FatHank]

With that mask to the side of those plates, you're working on a Corona Meme... something about a sure sign that you've got mixed feelings about taking care of your health...

How do you eat with your mask on? Just curiuous. Also, per my state, we're allowed to sit at tables in restaurants without masks on.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

How do you eat with your mask on? Just curiuous. Also, per my state, we're allowed to sit at tables in restaurants without masks on.

My comment had nothing to do with how to eat with a mask, and everything to do with how the mask signals concern for health and hot dogs generally suggest the opposite.

Then again, looks quite delicious, and there are lots of reasons to eat besides simply fuel and nutrition.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Man, that brings me back. Grew up there and remember going to guidas for hot dogs and ice cream after hanging out at lake beseck

I've wondered about Guida's the last two times I've passed it en route to an annual party at that lake.
Thanks for the heads up @SugarHillGang.
I'm pretty sure that a junior high friend's mother was from the Martin Rosol family.

 

[AreBee1969]

I am pretty crazed about Hot Dogs, so apologies for this long post.

I have been a Mucke's (natural casing) fan since I was a kid, and I the more I try other brands, the more I stand by my preference. Had a few (four) Grote & Wiegel's yesterday for the first time in a while and they just aren't as tasty as Mucke's. Rosol's, Hummel Bros and Kayem are also good, but Mucke's is the king in our house. Natural casings on any dog is a must.

I like them cooked on the grill or boiled in beer and kraut. I usually put my homemade chili and dogs on the menu for one UCONN FB tailgate each year.

For condiments, I mostly use Uncle Maynard's Hot Pepper relish (made in Waterbury) but dabble with sweet relish every now and then. Yellow mustard always goes with , sweet relish with spicy brown. Kosciusko is preferred but Bookbinders is good too. A guy I knew used to make a hot relish called Heaven and Hellish Relish. Freaking delicious! He no longer sells it, but every now and then I get my hands on a couple jars from a private batch. I have two rules in my house, you can't like the Yankees and you can't put Ketchup on a hot dog.

There was a CPTV special on CT's Hot Dog Trail some years back and it hit a lot of the famous spots, but missed some big ones too. It inspired me to make my own list. On Father's Day a few years ago, my wife and kids took me on the first leg of my trail. We hit Super Duper Weenie, Al's, Blackies and Doogies. Rawley's is closed on Sundays otherwise I would have tried that one too.

@superjohn Shiek's was great! I work in Hartford and miss sitting down at Woody's for lunch. Haven't been to the truck since he closed the restaurant. My current favorite is Carol's Lunchbox on Rt. 4 in Farmington. She's just a little bit loony, and makes a great dog!

 

[Waquoit]

It used to be a week without Mucke's was more than one could stand. So we got Mucke's meat products, the Circle M brand.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I have two rules in my house, you can't like the Yankees and you can't put Ketchup on a hot dog.

I love rule #1. Completely agree.
But I've never understood rule #2. Why do dog purists not allow ketchup? Shouldn't folks be allowed to eat them however they want? I will commit heresy and say that I do use ketchup sometimes, often in concert with a spicy brown mustard. I also like using a mustard called Arizona Heat, though due to my inability to find it I'm currently using Stop & Shop Sweet & Hot. It's surprisingly good.
I'm also currently using the Mucke Natural Casing, but based on Ron's recommendation in post #200, I'll be trying Thumann's soon. Always loved getting dogs at Rosco's Big Dog. Every Friday we'd drive in from Bloomfield.

 

[Deepster]

I don't mind butterflying the dog and grilling it in a cast iron pan with a bacon press flattening it out.

Let the alternate takes fly on that. It's delicious and snappy.

 

[August_West]

I don't mind butterflying the dog and grilling it in a cast iron pan with a bacon press flattening it out.

Let the alternate takes fly on that. It's delicious and snappy.

I have no problem with that. It’s a good change of pace with the right dog. Bunch of places in Chicago do that. Call it a “ char dog”

 

[Kajik]

Hearts, kidney,liver,repro parts,intestines, brains,+ spices and garlic= your favorite hotdog

 

[8893]

Hearts, kidney,liver,repro parts,intestines, brains,+ spices and garlic= your favorite hotdog

Ok, then let me introduce some real blasphemy here: Best vegan dog?

Smart Dogs? Tofu Pups? Not Dogs? Veggie Dogs?

I've had them all. I say Smart Dogs.

 

[AreBee1969]

I love rule #1. Completely agree.
But I've never understood rule #2. Why do dog purists not allow ketchup? Shouldn't folks be allowed to eat them however they want? I will commit heresy and say that I do use ketchup sometimes, often in concert with a spicy brown mustard. I also like using a mustard called Arizona Heat, though due to my inability to find it I'm currently using Stop & Shop Sweet & Hot. It's surprisingly good.
I'm also currently using the Mucke Natural Casing, but based on Ron's recommendation in post #200, I'll be trying Thumann's soon. Always loved getting dogs at Rosco's Big Dog. Every Friday we'd drive in from Bloomfield.

I'm not a purist, but the sight of Ketchup on dogs is just gross to me, but making a stink about it is more of a joke than anything. Hell! Some people put mayo on dogs. NASTY!

For my kids, I'd bend on that rule, but never Rule #1!

I'll have to check the Thumann's.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

Never had a Thumann's but then again I grew up in the New Haven area so if you were buying anything other than Hummel's natural casing you needed your head checked.

Hummel's are king to me. Grote, Muckes, and Martin Rosol are all close second and worthy picks.

Honorable mention to Deutschmacher natural casing if you are in a bind and cannot find the CT local brands.

 

[HooperScooper]

Ok, then let me introduce some real blasphemy here: Best vegan dog?

Smart Dogs? Tofu Pups? Not Dogs? Veggie Dogs?

I've had them all. I say Smart Dogs.

Can we go with None of the Above?

 

[dvegas]

Hearts, kidney,liver,repro parts,intestines, brains,+ spices and garlic= your favorite hotdog

parts are parts. Wiith the Hebrew Nats you know the parts are from the front half of the cow

 

[8893]

Somewhat related, we had pierogies and grilled kielbasa for dinner tonight. My father in law keeps us stocked with great kielbasa from Hapanowicz Bros. in upstate New York and I’ve been grilling it for the family and the masses for every family gathering for decades.

We butterfly it in 2-3” pieces and it has become tradition for me to char the crap out of it. Over the years I’ve realized that almost everyone prefers it with a really healthy char, like 1/3 to 1/2 blackened.

Curious how the pros here say it should be prepared, because this just developed almost by accident and we all really love it this way.

 

[auggie22]

Somewhat related, we had pierogies and grilled kielbasa for dinner tonight. My father in law keeps us stocked with great kielbasa from Hapanowicz Bros. in upstate New York and I’ve been grilling it for the family and the masses for every family gathering for decades.

We butterfly it in 2-3” pieces and it and it has become tradition for me to char the crap out of it. Over the years I’ve realized that almost everyone prefers it with a really healthy char, like 1/3 to 1/2 blackened.

Curious how the pros here say it should be prepared, because this just developed almost by accident and we all really love it this way.

that is exactly how I do itwhen I cook them on the grill.

 

[August_West]

Somewhat related, we had pierogies and grilled kielbasa for dinner tonight. My father in law keeps us stocked with great kielbasa from Hapanowicz Bros. in upstate New York and I’ve been grilling it for the family and the masses for every family gathering for decades.

We butterfly it in 2-3” pieces and it has become tradition for me to char the crap out of it. Over the years I’ve realized that almost everyone prefers it with a really healthy char, like 1/3 to 1/2 blackened.

Curious how the pros here say it should be prepared, because this just developed almost by accident and we all really love it this way.

I love char on kielbasa. Give me some good deli spicy brown with it ( I’m a ba tampte guy, but guldens is fine) and I’m set

 

[8893]

I love char on kielbasa. Give me some good deli spicy brown with it ( I’m a ba tampte guy, but guldens is fine) and I’m set

Boar's Head deli spicy brown (with white wine and horseradish) is my go-to and we ran out mid-meal last night, which left me with a choice between Gulden's spicy brown or Colman's English mustard. I went with Colman's for the heat.

 

[August_West]

Boar's Head deli spicy brown (with white wine and horseradish) is my go-to and we ran out mid-meal last night, which left me with a choice between Gulden's spicy brown or Colman's English mustard. I went with Colman's for the heat.

Boars head good too. and yeah nothing wrong with the horseradish kick in Coleman’s on that application.

you ever go to mcSorleys in East village) and have their cheese plate ?

 

[8893]

Boars head good too. and yeah nothing wrong with the horseradish kick in Coleman’s on that application.

you ever go to mcSorleys in East village) and have their cheese plate ?

Yes, many times, although not in many years now.