As the Fourth of July fast approaches I stop to ponder a question that has racked the minds of even the greatest of philosophers. "What is in a hot dog?" I've heard the rumors....and I'm sure you've heard the rumors as well... So I spent some time researching this age old question. Here's what I found.
From the "National Hot Dog and Sausage Council": (Ummmm yeah apparently they have a council for EVERYTHING nowadays)
First, specially selected meat trimmings of beef and/or pork -- just like the meat you buy in your grocer's case -- are cut or ground into small pieces and placed in a mixer. When poultry hot dogs are made, poultry trimmings are used.
High speed, stainless steel choppers blend the meat, spices, ice chips and curing ingredients into an emulsion or batter. The mixture is continuously weighed to assure a proper balance of all ingredients.
The mixture is then pumped into an automatic stuffer/linker machine, where it flows into casings. The most popular brands of hot dogs use cellulose casings, which are later removed. Some wieners use natural casings, which remain on the wiener when it is eaten. These wieners are considered more "traditional," are frequently made by smaller manufacturers and tend to cost a little more.
Once the casings are filled, they are linked into long strands of hot dogs and moved to the smokehouse, there they are fully cooked under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. They may be hardwood smoked for added color and flavor.
After passing through the smoke and cook cycle, the hot dogs are showered in cool water. If the hot dogs were made with cellulose casings, they are sent to an automatic peeler, where the cellulose "skin" is stripped away.
The individual links are then conveyed to the packaging equipment. When cellulose casings are used, the hot dogs are of exact size and weight. They are vacuum sealed in plastic films to protect the freshness and flavor of the hot dog. Because the casings on natural casings wieners are made from cleaned and processed animal intestines, they are of similar, but not exact, size.
BEWARE THE VARIETY MEATS LABEL!!!
The NHDSC went on to tell all that when the package is labeled "with variety meats" then it will more probably contain all the of gross stuff we've heard about in all the rumors (note: they specifically mention hearts). So from now on CHECK THE LABELS!!!! Variety Meats=BAD
Just think of this Simpson clip....
And with that I wish you all a Happy 4th of July!
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