Nothing says summer quite like a crispy, cooked hot dog with just the right amount of snap.
The sausage industry recognizes the months between Memorial Day and Labor Day as hot dog season, the time of year when the most hot dogs are consumed.
WalletHub reported that Americans are expected to consume 818 hot dogs per second between Memorial Day and Labor Day, totaling 7 billion hot dogs, with 65% of the country planning to barbecue over the weekend.
Ahead of this year’s celebrations, I decided to try four different kinds of hot dogs to see which one I would choose for my own cookout.
I opted for beef hot dogs from Applegate, Sabrett, Nathan’s, and Ball Park. The Sabrett, Nathan’s, and Ball Park packages each included eight beef franks, while the Applegate package included six.
I cooked each type of hot dog the same way. Then I tried each one on a Martin’s long potato roll, topped with Heinz ketchup and French’s classic yellow mustard.
Here’s how all four hot-dog brands ranked, from worst to best.
My least favorite brand that I tried was the Sabrett skinless beef frankfurters.
This was the second-most expensive brand I tried. A pack of eight hot dogs costs $8.99, excluding taxes and fees, but they were on sale for $6.99.
Since it’s a New York brand — and I live in the city — I half-expected to pay a little less for a local product.
The hot dog was about the same thickness as the Nathan’s hot dog, which I ultimately ranked higher.
The Sabrett hot dog fit perfectly inside the potato roll bun without hanging too much off either end.
I felt like the flavor in the Sabrett hot dog was lacking.
The only flavors that came through were the ketchup and mustard, which is a distinct no-no in my book for hot dogs.
While the texture wasn’t overly chewy, I thought it didn’t have the distinct snap I often look for in a hot dog.
While it wasn’t bad by any means, I didn’t think this brand was worth the higher price tag.
I also tried a New York staple: Nathan’s skinless beef franks.
Nathan’s is a New York institution famous for its annual Coney Island hot-dog-eating contest on July Fourth.
I managed to snag an eight-pack of these hot dogs on sale at my local Food Bazaar.
The original price was $7.39, but I managed to get them for just $3.99, excluding tax.
I thought the Nathan’s hot dogs were a perfect size.
It looked like a really classic hot dog you would eat on the pier in summertime: crispy on the outside, while still retaining that classic red hot-dog color.
The hot dog from Nathan’s tasted slightly saltier than the other varieties.
After just a few bites, I was already reaching for water — it was hard to imagine eating dozens of these in a competition setting.
The hot dog had a decent flavor and a satisfying snap, but the overwhelming saltiness made it far from memorable.
My second-favorite brand was Ball Park’s beef hot dogs.
The Ball Park pack of eight hot dogs cost me $8.99, excluding taxes and fees.
The Ball Park hot dogs were the thickest and shortest ones on my list.
I also noticed they cooked a lot faster than the other brands. While the other brands retained their red, crispy consistency in the pan, the Ball Park dogs quickly began to char and crisp up after only a minute or two of cooking.
I personally like really well-done, almost charred hot dogs, but it’s something to keep in mind if you have different preferences.
The Ball Park dog was well done on the outside, but the inside was still slightly chewy.
I thought the hot dog had a nice smoky flavor that paired well with the bun and toppings, though the texture was a bit too rubbery for my taste.
My favorite hot-dog brand was Applegate’s organic uncured-beef hot dogs.
The pack of six franks cost me $8.99 at my local Food Bazaar grocery store, excluding taxes and fees.
The pack came with six hot dogs, two fewer than the other packs.
The smaller package size is definitely worth keeping in mind if you’re shopping for a large cookout or feeding a crowd, since you may need to buy multiple packs to have enough on hand.
When the Applegate hot dog was done cooking, I noticed it was skinnier than the other brands.
I wondered whether it would be less filling, or how the slightly thinner shape would affect the eating experience.
Right away, I noticed that the hot dog had a lot of flavor, and the frank had a satisfying snap.
The ketchup and mustard added plenty of flavor without overpowering the hot dog’s savory, beefy taste.
Even though it was the thinnest hot dog I tried, the bun-to-dog ratio still felt balanced, with each ingredient complementing the others well.
In the end, I had to give the win to Applegate.
I was surprised that this brand won. Even though I call New York City home, neither of the local brands, Nathan’s or Sabrett, deserved the win in my book.
I thought Applegate’s hot dog, though thinner than the others, had the best flavor and texture. It was also a great value, despite the pack being two dogs short. If I had to choose which hot dog brand to eat at my cookout, it would be Applegate hot dogs all the way.
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