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Top Dog: Who Makes the Best Kosher Hot Dog in America?
By Eli Cohn-Wein


Memorial Day is almost upon us, and it?s time to dust off that grill in
the garage, fire it up and lay some franks down on it. The question is,
are you really honoring the freedom your American forefathers fought for
if you just get the same pack of Hebrew National every time you want
some kosher dogs? What kind of freedom is that?

Thankfully, we live in a world with options, and we, here at the
Forward, have tried out eight different varieties of kosher frankfurters
to find out which will have the guests at your next BBQ plotzing. (Oh,
and don?t forget mustard to top your dog.)

Scroll down to see which dog was crowned king.

8) Fairway All American Kosher Beef Frankfurter, $4.69 for a pack of 8
Despite the supermarket?s popularity among New Yorkers, Fairway?s
branded dog leaves much to be desired. The skin of the dog is chewy when
cooked, without the clean, satisfying ?snap? of a normal dog. The dogs
also tasted highly salted and had a lemony aftertaste that detracted
from the meat.

7) Real Kosher Beef Frankfurters, $4.59 for a pack of 8
Real Kosher, which primarily does private labeling for smaller chain
supermarkets, presents a dog that had a decent beef flavor with a nice
spiced garlic aftertaste. We ran into problems, however, with both skin
(almost non-existent) and texture, which was smooth in a way that tasted
very processed.

6) Hebrew National Reduced Fat Beef Frankfurters, $4.99 for a Pack of 7
The first of two entries from the kosher hotdog goliath is the ?diet?
option they provide, which did clock in as the lowest fat dog, at only 9
grams per wiener. However, its sodium level was higher than a number of
the non-diet dogs, so let?s not call it a health food just yet.
Amazingly, the flavor is not particularly hurt by the lack of fat, with
a sweet and spicy finish. It only sits at this low spot in our list
because of the texture, which is mushy and underwhelming.

5) Jacks Gourmet Kosher Cured Bratwurst, $7.99 for a pack of 4
We allowed this one non-frankfurter in because it has the same basic
ingredients as the rest of our dogs (water, salt, beef). Also, it looked
yummy. And it did not disappoint ? but it is distinctly not a hot dog.
It tastes like a moist and meaty pepperoni, with a strong sage flavor.
It also had the most satisfying skin of the dogs we ate, with a firm
snap to the initial bite and a nice meaty texture throughout.

4) Lower East Side Premium Kosher Beef Frankfurters, $5.99 for a pack of 5
Lower East Side Franks is one of the aforementioned small chain labels
produced by Real Kosher. The company is clearly giving away the good
stuff, because while this variation did struggle with the same texture
issues that the Real Kosher dogs did, their flavor was terrific, among
the best of the group. Each bite had a nice blend of the hot dog
trifecta (sweet/spicy/smoky) with a lovely meaty aftertaste.

3) Hebrew National Bun Length Beef Franks, $4.99 for a pack of 7
The standard held up well against its competition. What it lacks in the
outstanding qualities of the other dogs (spice, texture, etc.) it makes
up in its innate dog-ness. Perhaps because of its ubiquity in Jewish
culture, a Hebrew National frank simply tastes like what a hot dog
should taste like. There may be tastier options, but that may not matter
to your taste buds? memories.

2) Aaron?s Best Beef Franks, $6.99 for a pack of 8
The battle for the top spot was a tough one, with Aaron?s falling to a
close second. This frank has a crisp bite, luxurious meaty flavor, and
subtle smoky aftertaste. It only gets dinged for a slight lack of
texture in the body. Still, it is an excellent option.

1) Abeles & Heymann Beef Frankfurters, $5.99 for a pack of 8
The ?top dog? (oy) is Abeles and Heyman?s spectacular beef frank. It is
the kosher dog of choice for both the Yankees and Mets, and upon tasting
them it is clear that is no coincidence. Juicy and meaty with a crisp
bite, an overt rich beef flavor, and a sweet garlic finish. Any Memorial
Day with these on the grill will be a good one.

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I've had the pleasure of biting into four of these different dogs, and I
can't argue against Abeles & Heymann. We'll be at Yankee Stadium this
summer during a trip to New Haven and I'll be sure to get a few. I think
I've seen them at Costco, too, but years ago. I'm still a fan of Hebrew
National dogs.

Why just Kosher dogs? There are plenty of really really good locally
made dogs that aren't Kosher.