What's wrong with this hot dog?

The end looks terribly unappetizing, but I'm wondering if there's anything actually wrong with this? Or is it just the casing came off one end?

nothing at all.

It's very obviously not Kosher!

The casing came away from the dog a little bit at the end, which is pretty normal. The way dogs are made, the casing is either crimped or twisted at regular intervals to create individual links. Once the links are separated from each other, they're not always sealed at the ends, so some opening, as pictured, can occur.

=R=

you ain't never seen no hot dog before?

I offer my condolences to Hurdler4Eva. If I had been forced to face such a not very inviting piece of sausage on my plate I am not sure I would have been able to eat it..
I love good quality, traditionally made hot dogs and that is the reason why, from time to time, I drive down to Paulina Market on Lincoln to buy a few of their home-made wieners.
Since this good old world butcher and sausage shop changed ownership a couple of years ago their prices went way up. But I will continue to tolerate, for a few more months, the stiff $ 7.75 per pound price of their delicious hot dogs. To me they are still the best around town. And the finishing end of the casing is always appetizing.

alain40 wrote:I offer my condolences to Hurdler4Eva. If I had been forced to face such a not very inviting piece of sausage on my plate I am not sure I would have been able to eat it . . .

Seriously? I love artisanally-made sausages too but that appears to be a quintessential Chicago-style hot dog in her shot and absolutely nothing over which to offer one's condolences.

=R=

Ronnie, I think that you are right. The type of hot dog in the pic does not deserve my comment. I did not intend to sound snobbish... It is just that I do not like that kind of hot dog.

Infection?

A more important question I've probably asked here before: if you eat a bell pepper, you ditch the crown and stem, right? Giardiniera peppers are cut, caps tossed, put in the drink. Steak 'n Shake: use the vinegar, toss the drained pepper husks like so many Cullens.

Why do sport peppers still have the fibrous caps on them when served? Some even have stems. Who needs that roughage or texture on their dog? Or are you actually supposed to (as I've been doing for three decades) bite off and spit the stem end like George Peppard on a stogie and then just eat the rest of the pepper? Who are these sport pepper people?

alain40 wrote:Ronnie, I think that you are right. The type of hot dog in the pic does not deserve my comment. I did not intend to sound snobbish... It is just that I do not like that kind of hot dog.

LOL . . . your bold iconoclasm flat-out stunned me!

=R=
Sausage Lover

Santander wrote:A more important question I've probably asked here before: if you eat a bell pepper, you ditch the crown and stem, right? Giardiniera peppers are cut, caps tossed, put in the drink. Steak 'n Shake: use the vinegar, toss the drained pepper husks like so many Cullens.

Why do sport peppers still have the fibrous caps on them when served? Some even have stems. Who needs that roughage or texture on their dog? Or are you actually supposed to (as I've been doing for three decades) bite off and spit the stem end like George Peppard on a stogie and then just eat the rest of the pepper? Who are these sport pepper people?

Its like a mini peperoncini. Plus keeping it whole ensures structural integrity for the little guy and no seeds are lost, thus maximum spice. Stop, bite and spit, could there be a more graceful choreographical aside whilst eating a Chicago dog? I think not.

Where is that dog from? I want one.

Santander wrote:A more important question I've probably asked here before: if you eat a bell pepper, you ditch the crown and stem, right? Giardiniera peppers are cut, caps tossed, put in the drink. Steak 'n Shake: use the vinegar, toss the drained pepper husks like so many Cullens.

Why do sport peppers still have the fibrous caps on them when served? Some even have stems. Who needs that roughage or texture on their dog? Or are you actually supposed to (as I've been doing for three decades) bite off and spit the stem end like George Peppard on a stogie and then just eat the rest of the pepper? Who are these sport pepper people?

I think Mario Batali sums this up best....he claims that when an Italian eats an olive, he expects a pit. When he eats a fish, he expects it to have a head and bones...only in America would they serve headless fish and pitted olives

ronnie_suburban wrote:The casing came away from the dog a little bit at the end, which is pretty normal. The way dogs are made, the casing is either crimped or twisted at regular intervals to create individual links. Once the links are separated from each other, they're not always sealed at the ends, so some opening, as pictured, can occur.

=R=

Thanks Ronnie - this is what I suspected. I just hadn't seen this before, so I thought I'd ask you folks.

Hurdler4eva wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:The casing came away from the dog a little bit at the end, which is pretty normal. The way dogs are made, the casing is either crimped or twisted at regular intervals to create individual links. Once the links are separated from each other, they're not always sealed at the ends, so some opening, as pictured, can occur.

=R=

Thanks Ronnie - this is what I suspected. I just hadn't seen this before, so I thought I'd ask you folks.

But where did you find that dog? I'm always on the lookout for places that serve natural casing dogs, in case this is one I don't already now about.

There's no ketchup on it, that's the problem.

stevez wrote:
But where did you find that dog? I'm always on the lookout for places that serve natural casing dogs, in case this is one I don't already now about.

I agree, always on the lookout for a good natural casing dog. Sadly, they seem to be becoming more and more rare these days...especially as you head south.

Pie Lady wrote:There's no ketchup on it, that's the problem.

BLAPHEMER!

tortminder wrote:It's very obviously not Kosher!

There is also a "morning after" joke in there somewhere, but I won't seek it out.

scanz wrote:

stevez wrote:But where did you find that dog? I'm always on the lookout for places that serve natural casing dogs, in case this is one I don't already now about.

I agree, always on the lookout for a good natural casing dog. Sadly, they seem to be becoming more and more rare these days...especially as you head south.

You might be interested in Fatty's Hot Dogs, just west of the old Stock Yards, one that's rarely mentioned. It's been a few years since I was there but I remember the natural casing dog being completely respectable (and quite attractive too).





Fatty's Hot Dogs
1621 W 43rd St
Chicago
773-927-3380

It hasn't been bitten.

Thanks for the tip, Rene G. I need a new go-to now that my beloved Chickies dogs (which were natural casing) are gone. Yeah, Chickies was best known for its beef, but they had phenomenal hot dogs, too. Now that I've been looking around the Southwest side, dropping into hot dog stands here and there randomly, other than Portillo's, it's almost impossible to find anyone using natural casings any more.

Hi,

If you want a DIY Chicago Hot Dog, you can buy natural casing dogs at Vienna's factory for $5.50 per pound. This applies to almost all counts, with one grande sized something like a buck more.

Regards,

Hey folks. Been lurking this site for years, but have made a resolution to start speaking up every now and again. There's a place in the Loop at Lake and Franklin that serves natural-cased Vienna dogs. Steamed by default, though some ask for it charred, we drag it through the garden with all fresh produce, the iconic neon-green relish, and serve it on a steamed poppyseed bun.

We also boast freshmade char burgers, fresh cut fries, homemade beef, and a few items more.

U.B. Dogs
185 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60606
http://www.ubdogs.com
312-251-7009

PS, i am the owner