A lot of my personal and professional life centers around specialty food. But can I tell you a secret? Hot dogs have always been one of my favorite things to eat. Even the cheapest hot dog at the store, when thrown on the grill and served with a bit of ketchup and mustard is always sublime. Gimme a bun or don't, it doesn't matter. It's always satisfying, but especially during the summer. So I trekked over to my local Hannaford's supermarket to stock up for a taste test. I mostly stuck with beef hot dogs but included a few pork options and one turkey. I grilled one of each using a grill pan on my stove. I tried a bite of each plain, then added my usual ketchup-mustard combo to see how the flavor and texture held up. Here's how they shook out, ranked from worst to best.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
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Cheapism
11. Old Neighborhood Foods Frankfurters
Price: $4 from Hannaford's
These were … sweet? Not what I expect or want from a hot dog, especially if I'm adding ketchup (which I always do). But, one of the ingredients is corn syrup, so I guess that solves that mystery. I couldn't find these online, which I think is fine. Don't bother.
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Cheapism
10. McKenzie Deli-Style Beef Franks
Price: $6.28 from Various Stores
The McKenzie beef franks weren't actively offensive, but I also wouldn't call them good. A bit softer (the word "flaccid" came to mind) than I would hope with a pretty generic, almost artificial taste. It should come as no surprise that Walmart no longer seems to carry these.
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Cheapism
8. Oscar Mayer Classic Uncured Wieners
These feel nostalgic to me, but I think they'd be lower on the list had that nostalgia not played a factor. Salty, without much other flavor, and a more rubbery texture than I'd like. My inner child loves these; my grownup palate does not.
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Cheapism
7. Ball Park Bun Size Beef Franks
The Ball Park beef franks were a bit mushy and artificial tasting. If I'd used relish for the taste test, I maybe would have liked them better. Good salt balance, though.
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Cheapism
5. Sabrett Bun-Size Skinless Beef Frankfurters
Price: $5 from Instacart Shop Now
I am not someone who lives and dies by the "snap" from natural casing, so the skinless options tended to rank higher for me. This was perfectly pleasant — beefy and meaty. Reminds me of the street dogs I used to eat when I lived in New York.
Cheapism
3. Oscar Mayer Uncured Turkey Franks
Price: $4 from Target Shop Now
I think these ranked so highly because I was shocked (in a good way) by them. They're great! Lightly smoky, meaty, and juicy. The texture is a bit more delicate than the others, which I actually liked. That nagging voice that is normally saying "You've just consumed heart-attack-levels of processed meat" was quieter when I ate them. So I ate two.
Cheapism
2. Hebrew National Jumbo Beef Franks
Price: $4 from Target Shop Now
Many of my friends swear by Hebrew National, and they're one of the few Kosher options you can find, if that's important to you (or to one of your guests). I am not nearly as obsessed as some of my friends, but I have to say that these were very good — juicy, meaty, and flavorful. They almost had a baking spice flavor to them, which I really enjoyed.
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Cheapism
1. Winner: Teton Waters Ranch 100% Grass-Fed Beef Hot Dogs
Price: $6 Shop Now
These were wonderful and easily my top pick. Quintessentially hot dog-y, but also with the most complex beefy flavor and a bit of grassiness to them. I also like that they were a bit smaller than the others.
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