Why two days to cover corn dogs? Because yesterday at the store I couldn't believe what I saw. Yellow meat packaging with 4 corn dogs, for around a $1.50. No way!!! And chicken nuggets too?! I must be seeing things. So I got to thinking, "I thought more expensive dogs would be better, how about a little reverse psychology!"
Yesterday I popped on in the oven like I always do, took it out, and it looked promising. Looks were deceiving that day. And today. I just couldn't wrap my head around how someone could fuck up a corn dog like this!!!!
Even when properly baked, the outer coating gets too damn hard. Today I tried to lessen the heat and time, still rock hard. Once you break your teeth on the Jawbreaker style coating, the meat in the middle has no distinct taste. What a perfect harmony. It's like adding sprinkles to a shit sundae. For a $1.50, you're better off baking those corn dogs and using them as anchors on your next boat outing. Don't worry about the fish, it will take decades before they nibble through that. And the water?! HA! Water will actually be repelled from these suckers. You thought grandmas fruitcake was tough to swallow, spend a dollar fifty and put these bad boys to the test. Hell, I offered my dog a bite and she spit it out. SHE SPIT IT OUT!
Taste 0/5
Cost 5/5 (you were warned cheapskates!)
Ability To Cook 4 Fully Functional Paper Weights 5/5
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Day 24-- Oscar Mayer Angus Selects
Time for a thrown down on the Angus dogs. Can the classic OM take on Ballpark? Well, in all honesty, no.
The price is right on these dogs, but they end up tasting to me like a regular beef hotdog, not a stand out kick your tastebuds off like the Ballpark ones. And really that is what it boils down to here is taste.
These dogs look exactly like their classic counterparts from the same company, but subtract the pork and nitrates (per their label) and you get a beef dog labeled as an Angus select. Needless to say it was disappointing. So if you are in the store and think "I should go for these." put them down, walk 4 steps to the Ballparks and grab those instead.
Taste 2/5 (disappointment in label vs actual taste)
Cost 3/5
Feeling of Regret And Wanting An Original OM Dog 5/5
The price is right on these dogs, but they end up tasting to me like a regular beef hotdog, not a stand out kick your tastebuds off like the Ballpark ones. And really that is what it boils down to here is taste.
These dogs look exactly like their classic counterparts from the same company, but subtract the pork and nitrates (per their label) and you get a beef dog labeled as an Angus select. Needless to say it was disappointing. So if you are in the store and think "I should go for these." put them down, walk 4 steps to the Ballparks and grab those instead.
Taste 2/5 (disappointment in label vs actual taste)
Cost 3/5
Feeling of Regret And Wanting An Original OM Dog 5/5
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Day 23-- Wimmer's Meats/ Ambassador Natural Casing Weiners
Usually I am a stickler about cost and purchasing a product to try and eat, but every time I am in the sausage/hotdog area, these seem to jump out at me. Maybe it is the name, Ambassador, like I should be smoking a huge cigar with it or something. So I spent a little more and went ahead and bought these. Rather spendy at $7, so this will be the ultimate test of "if you pay more, does it taste better?"
Truth be told, not really. The casing on these are a little thinner that what I am used to, so if you grill them, take extra care to watch these on the grill so they don't explode. They are a beef/pork combined style dog, which you get the hint of both of them when eating, but because they are hardwood smoked, I tended to get more of the beef flavor. The smoked aspect of these dogs was nice, but nowhere near spending the extra cash on them.
So as consumers, we know that because you spend a ton of money on something, it doesn't mean it is going to be any better, and that can now be added to hotdogs. Give these a try if you are wanting to be super baller, but not worth trying to feed a whole neighborhood cookout with these.
Taste 3/5
Cost 1/5
Eating A Dog That Makes You Think Of Castro (No points on Communism baby, we're all equal for the good of the dog!)
Truth be told, not really. The casing on these are a little thinner that what I am used to, so if you grill them, take extra care to watch these on the grill so they don't explode. They are a beef/pork combined style dog, which you get the hint of both of them when eating, but because they are hardwood smoked, I tended to get more of the beef flavor. The smoked aspect of these dogs was nice, but nowhere near spending the extra cash on them.
So as consumers, we know that because you spend a ton of money on something, it doesn't mean it is going to be any better, and that can now be added to hotdogs. Give these a try if you are wanting to be super baller, but not worth trying to feed a whole neighborhood cookout with these.
Taste 3/5
Cost 1/5
Eating A Dog That Makes You Think Of Castro (No points on Communism baby, we're all equal for the good of the dog!)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Day 22--Old Wisconsin Summer Sausage
Whoa now, changing things up here big time! But that's alright because variety is the spice of life, and I had plenty of this delicious summer sausage to get the spicy aspect of it.
I have family in town this weekend, and part of our gatherings consists of three things. Drinks, cheese, and summer sausage. I mean honestly, who doesn't love a meat and cheese platter? So with my family in town, I had to do it up proper, and my family goes between three different brands of summer sausage, Johnsonville (beef or garlic), Hillshire Farm, and Old Wisconsin.
I have done far too many Johnsonville products on this blog, so I went with one I haven't had in a while, Old Wisconsin. My biggest reason for going with one of the three mentioned above is for two reasons; 1. Not greasy (well in the wrapping it is a bit greasy, but once unwrapped and cut, nice and moist but not slippery) and 2. Drier sausage. Now this is personal preference, but I like the harder (or drier) summer sausage because it works well with the cheese and crackers and just tastes fresher to me.
Old Wisconsin Original sausage is a simple but delicious and at a fair price. With hints of mild garlic and black pepper, you get a nice spicy treat to go along with the cheese of your choice. The casing is not too thick (Johnsonville Summer Sausage has a much thicker casing) so it is nice for people who don't like to have it stuck in between their teeth.
An easy to prepare snack for any occasion, summer sausage and cheese is sure to be a hit no matter who you serve it up to. Got a vegetarian at the party? No problem, they can avoid the meat!
My rankings of my family favs
1. Johnsonville (I enjoy the thicker casing, and a bit on the spicier side)
2. Old Wisconsin
3. Hillshire Farm (their original flavor is a bit bland for my liking)
Taste 4/5
Cost 4/5
Party Like The Author 5/5
I have family in town this weekend, and part of our gatherings consists of three things. Drinks, cheese, and summer sausage. I mean honestly, who doesn't love a meat and cheese platter? So with my family in town, I had to do it up proper, and my family goes between three different brands of summer sausage, Johnsonville (beef or garlic), Hillshire Farm, and Old Wisconsin.
I have done far too many Johnsonville products on this blog, so I went with one I haven't had in a while, Old Wisconsin. My biggest reason for going with one of the three mentioned above is for two reasons; 1. Not greasy (well in the wrapping it is a bit greasy, but once unwrapped and cut, nice and moist but not slippery) and 2. Drier sausage. Now this is personal preference, but I like the harder (or drier) summer sausage because it works well with the cheese and crackers and just tastes fresher to me.
Old Wisconsin Original sausage is a simple but delicious and at a fair price. With hints of mild garlic and black pepper, you get a nice spicy treat to go along with the cheese of your choice. The casing is not too thick (Johnsonville Summer Sausage has a much thicker casing) so it is nice for people who don't like to have it stuck in between their teeth.
An easy to prepare snack for any occasion, summer sausage and cheese is sure to be a hit no matter who you serve it up to. Got a vegetarian at the party? No problem, they can avoid the meat!
My rankings of my family favs
1. Johnsonville (I enjoy the thicker casing, and a bit on the spicier side)
2. Old Wisconsin
3. Hillshire Farm (their original flavor is a bit bland for my liking)
Taste 4/5
Cost 4/5
Party Like The Author 5/5
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Day 21-- Johnsonville Better Cheddar
Here it is, the entry of the Better Cheddar's. Growing up in Wisconsin meant having an abundance of exposure to cheese products. Better Cheddar's were no exception and are still a favorite of mine to this day.
To quote Depeche Mode "Word's are so very, unnecessary they can only do harm." applies to these bad boys. A perfect blend of sausage to cheese ratio makes these one of the best products out there and should be included in every bbq (obvious opinion is obvious).
Grills like a sausage, casing is the right thickness, cheese is not over powering in any sort of way, just plain awesome. So go ahead and don't hesitate to purchase these if you haven't already. If you have then you know how great these are!
Taste--5/5
Cost--4/5
Cheesey Goodness Factor 5/5
Because who doesn't love some Journey?
To quote Depeche Mode "Word's are so very, unnecessary they can only do harm." applies to these bad boys. A perfect blend of sausage to cheese ratio makes these one of the best products out there and should be included in every bbq (obvious opinion is obvious).
Grills like a sausage, casing is the right thickness, cheese is not over powering in any sort of way, just plain awesome. So go ahead and don't hesitate to purchase these if you haven't already. If you have then you know how great these are!
Taste--5/5
Cost--4/5
Cheesey Goodness Factor 5/5
Because who doesn't love some Journey?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Day 20--Nathan's Hotdogs
You'd think by now I'd be real sick of hotdogs. Actually, they are easier to eat consistently over sausages. I was worried at first I would not have enough to find and write about, but I find that I might not get to all I wanted to. Which is a good thing.
Chestnut or Kobiashi [sp?] the 4th of July means fireworks, music, beer, and the hotdog eating championships in New York. This red, white, and blue spectacle is put on by Nathans, and hundreds gather to chow down. Watching this madness can be incredibly disgusting. Dunking hotdogs in water, need I say more? But what about the actual dog, how good is it? Does it deserve to be wolfed down on national tv?
The short answer is yes. However, this dog is on par with some of the other greats. The bigger difference I taste is a little hint of beef and pork at times, which is pretty slick.
Grilling is quick as these are a thinner and longer dog. They are also a bit lighter in color too, which I found interesting. For the money, not a bad buy.
If you see Nathans at the store, snag some up to break the cycle of your typical go to dogs. These are a nice comfort zone breaker.
Taste 4/5
Cost 3/5
Eating A National Icon 3/5 [all dogs are American in my book!]
Chestnut or Kobiashi [sp?] the 4th of July means fireworks, music, beer, and the hotdog eating championships in New York. This red, white, and blue spectacle is put on by Nathans, and hundreds gather to chow down. Watching this madness can be incredibly disgusting. Dunking hotdogs in water, need I say more? But what about the actual dog, how good is it? Does it deserve to be wolfed down on national tv?
The short answer is yes. However, this dog is on par with some of the other greats. The bigger difference I taste is a little hint of beef and pork at times, which is pretty slick.
Grilling is quick as these are a thinner and longer dog. They are also a bit lighter in color too, which I found interesting. For the money, not a bad buy.
If you see Nathans at the store, snag some up to break the cycle of your typical go to dogs. These are a nice comfort zone breaker.
Taste 4/5
Cost 3/5
Eating A National Icon 3/5 [all dogs are American in my book!]
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Day 19-- State Fair Corn Dogs
I wish I could be making this post in a month from now when the Great Minnesota Get Together was happening, but sadly I can't. Maybe stay tuned for a special entry or two for some reviews on the Minnesota State Fair, because they have some damn good sausages as well as other foods to comment on. Alligator sausage on a stick and of course Pronto Pups come to mind.
When I moved here to Minnesota I couldn't understand what all the hype was about with the Fair. My dormmates convinced me it was the greatest thing created by humans outside of beer. So I went and was blown away by all the spectacles that they have at this thing. 100's of stuff on a stick, political agendas, live stock, art shows, horticulture exhibits, rides, and concerts at the Grandstand. Hoooooly shit. I mean holy shit, Minnesotans take their fair seriously, people from all over this state migrate back for it, heck, even people across the country come back. Is it worth the gas and lodging? Or the plane ticket? Yes. I had one of the most wonderful experiences last year at the fair.
After a long day of walking, eating, walking, and eating, my fiance and I stopped in at Famous Daves for a pulled pork sandwich and chocolate covered bacon. Then one of the top must have foods of the fair was next door, Sweet Martha's cookies. A bucket of those fresh out of the oven little pieces of Heaven with huge glasses of milk. We sat with our bucket of chocolate goodness and sat behind Sweet Martha's while listening to KISS rock the faces off of St. Paul at the Grandstand. You know life is good when you have hot fresh cookies and listening to a live performance of Dr. Love. Where was I going with this......
Oh! Right! Corn dogs! These are a staple of the MN Fair, and these dogs found in the blue box in your local grocers freezer are a great way to get pumped for the fair. Or at least provide a quick, cheap meal for your family. Seriously, it's like $2.00 for a box of 8, can't go wrong. Toss them in the oven for the suggested time (cooking tip provided by a coworker, I was a stickler for the microwave on these) and you have a well done corn dog.
The breading is the right amount of sweet, the hot dog has a nice beef flavor to it, and you just can't go wrong with it. Dip it in ketchup, mustard, both, or eat it on it's own, the State Fair brand corn dogs have never let me down. Kids generally love them too, which is a plus when you are a busy household.
Taste 5/5
Cost 5/5
House Made Food On A Stick Without A Deep Fryer 5/5
When I moved here to Minnesota I couldn't understand what all the hype was about with the Fair. My dormmates convinced me it was the greatest thing created by humans outside of beer. So I went and was blown away by all the spectacles that they have at this thing. 100's of stuff on a stick, political agendas, live stock, art shows, horticulture exhibits, rides, and concerts at the Grandstand. Hoooooly shit. I mean holy shit, Minnesotans take their fair seriously, people from all over this state migrate back for it, heck, even people across the country come back. Is it worth the gas and lodging? Or the plane ticket? Yes. I had one of the most wonderful experiences last year at the fair.
After a long day of walking, eating, walking, and eating, my fiance and I stopped in at Famous Daves for a pulled pork sandwich and chocolate covered bacon. Then one of the top must have foods of the fair was next door, Sweet Martha's cookies. A bucket of those fresh out of the oven little pieces of Heaven with huge glasses of milk. We sat with our bucket of chocolate goodness and sat behind Sweet Martha's while listening to KISS rock the faces off of St. Paul at the Grandstand. You know life is good when you have hot fresh cookies and listening to a live performance of Dr. Love. Where was I going with this......
Oh! Right! Corn dogs! These are a staple of the MN Fair, and these dogs found in the blue box in your local grocers freezer are a great way to get pumped for the fair. Or at least provide a quick, cheap meal for your family. Seriously, it's like $2.00 for a box of 8, can't go wrong. Toss them in the oven for the suggested time (cooking tip provided by a coworker, I was a stickler for the microwave on these) and you have a well done corn dog.
The breading is the right amount of sweet, the hot dog has a nice beef flavor to it, and you just can't go wrong with it. Dip it in ketchup, mustard, both, or eat it on it's own, the State Fair brand corn dogs have never let me down. Kids generally love them too, which is a plus when you are a busy household.
Taste 5/5
Cost 5/5
House Made Food On A Stick Without A Deep Fryer 5/5
Monday, July 18, 2011
Day 18-- Schweigert Hot Dogs
Been to a Wild or Twins game? If you have then you know Schweigert is a dominant brand of dog they serve at the games. Wild fans chow down on these suckers each and every year in hopes of watching their team try and advance to the playoffs. As an avid Wild fan, I got a good feeling about our teams future. Our teams concessions, well, they could use some work.
I have had the dogs at the Xcel center on many occasions, but this time, I got to make it on my own accord. My grill, my way, and well, my results were about the same. These dogs are a bit thicker than your typical hotdog, and have much more of a pork taste than the delicious beef taste I have found in other dogs I have reviewed. Because of their size, they do take a tad longer to grill, but not much. Best served up all American style with ketchup, mustard, and sweet relish.
If you find these around in your local grocer, the price along should be cause enough to not buy them. Spend a little more or the same on Hebrew National or the Ballpark Angus Beef dogs and be happy you did.
Taste 2/5
Cost 2/5
Feelings Of Hope For Your Favorite Hockey Club 3/5
I have had the dogs at the Xcel center on many occasions, but this time, I got to make it on my own accord. My grill, my way, and well, my results were about the same. These dogs are a bit thicker than your typical hotdog, and have much more of a pork taste than the delicious beef taste I have found in other dogs I have reviewed. Because of their size, they do take a tad longer to grill, but not much. Best served up all American style with ketchup, mustard, and sweet relish.
If you find these around in your local grocer, the price along should be cause enough to not buy them. Spend a little more or the same on Hebrew National or the Ballpark Angus Beef dogs and be happy you did.
Taste 2/5
Cost 2/5
Feelings Of Hope For Your Favorite Hockey Club 3/5
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Day 17-- Sonic Manhattan Dog
My night at work was insane, so grilling out wasn't on my radar today. Add in the fact it was close to 100 and humid, I needed a slushie too!
The Manhattan dog at Sonic was what the doctor ordered. Top it off with a Powerade slushie and my night from hell at work seemed to vanish.
The all beef dog is topped with kraut and a spicy brown mustard. Thats it. All it needs to be to, because this is proper. My German side was pleased by this simple yet delicious combo.
My one dislike was that the kraut was a bit bland and had not been boiling long enough. If you are going to have kraut, it's got to smell and taste strong. The brown mustard was par for the course though, which helped bring the dog back to life.
Taste 3/5
Cost 2/5
Simple Yet Effective 3/5
The Manhattan dog at Sonic was what the doctor ordered. Top it off with a Powerade slushie and my night from hell at work seemed to vanish.
The all beef dog is topped with kraut and a spicy brown mustard. Thats it. All it needs to be to, because this is proper. My German side was pleased by this simple yet delicious combo.
My one dislike was that the kraut was a bit bland and had not been boiling long enough. If you are going to have kraut, it's got to smell and taste strong. The brown mustard was par for the course though, which helped bring the dog back to life.
Taste 3/5
Cost 2/5
Simple Yet Effective 3/5
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Day 16-- Johnsonville Jalapeno and Cheddar Sausages
Back to another cheese stuff sausage, and this time we're adding a little spice to it. At least this one gives a somewhat consistent spiciness through the whole thing when you eat it and doesn't just tease you with instant hot and then vanishes.
As you can imagine because it is a Johnsonville precooked product, this grills nicely, and has an adequate casing on it. The taste reminds me of the chili cheese sausage they have, but with a little more of a bite to it. I was pretty surprised how well it actually contained it's spicy taste throughout eating the sausage. This could be considered Johnsonville's version of the hotlink.
The cheese flavor is also in full effect too. Not so much like yesterday's turkey sausage, but you know it is there when biting into it, and you don't get overwhelmed by one taste or the other. A well done balance on Johnsonville's part.
I wouldn't hesitate to snag these up along with the chili cheese one's at the store. They offer a nice taste and a spiciness that isn't going to ruin the rest of the sausage. Go ahead and put these at the top of your list for new things to try.
Taste 3/5
Cost 4/5 (sale! wooooooo!)
Balance of Flavors 4/5
As you can imagine because it is a Johnsonville precooked product, this grills nicely, and has an adequate casing on it. The taste reminds me of the chili cheese sausage they have, but with a little more of a bite to it. I was pretty surprised how well it actually contained it's spicy taste throughout eating the sausage. This could be considered Johnsonville's version of the hotlink.
The cheese flavor is also in full effect too. Not so much like yesterday's turkey sausage, but you know it is there when biting into it, and you don't get overwhelmed by one taste or the other. A well done balance on Johnsonville's part.
I wouldn't hesitate to snag these up along with the chili cheese one's at the store. They offer a nice taste and a spiciness that isn't going to ruin the rest of the sausage. Go ahead and put these at the top of your list for new things to try.
Taste 3/5
Cost 4/5 (sale! wooooooo!)
Balance of Flavors 4/5
Friday, July 15, 2011
Day--15 Johnsonville Turkey and Cheddar Sausages
We had some cheese hotdogs last night, so lets bump it up to some turkey sausages! Johnsonville as we have seen can be really hit or miss with their flavorings, but for the most part they haven't been too much of a disappointment for me.
These come as the precooked kind and are advertised as containing 50% less fat than other sausages. Sweet, so you can feel good about yourself after eating these......well......if you could cut out the cheese chunks that is. This is a pretty simple and plain meal to make so don't expect anything amazing out of these sausages.
Right away when you open up the package you can see the bits of cheese stuffed inside of these sausages. The white color and casing more than likely adds to that as well, but, they grill up just like all of the other precooked Johnsonville products and don't turn color much after being done on the grill.
I burned the hell out of my mouth on these though! So be careful! I wasn't expecting that much cheese to be packed in there, but there was, and it felt like a molten lava explosion in my mouth. Give these some time to cool down before serving, especially to children.
As for taste, they are decent. You get the definitive taste of turkey when you bite into the first portion of it. Then it is followed by the cheddar cheese, and more turkey, and you get the picture. No additional seasonings, no spices, just turkey and cheese. Which that might not be a bad thing for many of you out there. This sausage does what it is advertised to do and that is provide the consumer a turkey and cheese sausage with no extra frills and whistles. It's like the Honda Civic DX. It may only have AM/FM radio and no power accessories, but it is a car that will get you where you need to be at a reasonable price.
For the few cheese based sausages we have reviewed in this blog, this one does give you an absolute taste of cheese when you bite into it, but that being said, don't expect much more. Go ahead and pick these up if they are on sale (like I did), but pass up on them if they are at the full price.
Tomorrow we have yet another cheese infused sausage (and no it is not the Better Cheddar either!).
Taste 3/5
Cost 3/5 (sale price)
Simplicity Of Taste For Simple Tastes Palates 4/5
These come as the precooked kind and are advertised as containing 50% less fat than other sausages. Sweet, so you can feel good about yourself after eating these......well......if you could cut out the cheese chunks that is. This is a pretty simple and plain meal to make so don't expect anything amazing out of these sausages.
Right away when you open up the package you can see the bits of cheese stuffed inside of these sausages. The white color and casing more than likely adds to that as well, but, they grill up just like all of the other precooked Johnsonville products and don't turn color much after being done on the grill.
I burned the hell out of my mouth on these though! So be careful! I wasn't expecting that much cheese to be packed in there, but there was, and it felt like a molten lava explosion in my mouth. Give these some time to cool down before serving, especially to children.
As for taste, they are decent. You get the definitive taste of turkey when you bite into the first portion of it. Then it is followed by the cheddar cheese, and more turkey, and you get the picture. No additional seasonings, no spices, just turkey and cheese. Which that might not be a bad thing for many of you out there. This sausage does what it is advertised to do and that is provide the consumer a turkey and cheese sausage with no extra frills and whistles. It's like the Honda Civic DX. It may only have AM/FM radio and no power accessories, but it is a car that will get you where you need to be at a reasonable price.
For the few cheese based sausages we have reviewed in this blog, this one does give you an absolute taste of cheese when you bite into it, but that being said, don't expect much more. Go ahead and pick these up if they are on sale (like I did), but pass up on them if they are at the full price.
Tomorrow we have yet another cheese infused sausage (and no it is not the Better Cheddar either!).
Taste 3/5
Cost 3/5 (sale price)
Simplicity Of Taste For Simple Tastes Palates 4/5
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Day 14--Oscar Meyer Cheddar Dogs
I apologize for the delay tonight. It was a busy night and I am posting from a DSi. But we went back to a cheese product for todays tasty treat, the cheddar dog!
Now the Johnsonville Better Cheddar will come up at some point, but who knows when. This product has always had a special place in my heart.
As a kid I remember my mother getting me Oscar Meyer Cheddar Ham for school lunches. It was damn good too, way better than lame ass olive loaf. Ugh.
So naturally I would be drawn to cheese filled hotdogs! And they don't disappoint either. Key thing is they have to be grilled!
These dogs grill really quick like their classic cousins, so keep an eye on them. Once nice and well done, the abudant melty cheese inside gives an awesome compliment to the dog. Perfect execution on these! Really a simple way to break up the routine when you have been eating stuff like this for 14 days now!
Really though, it is well worth the time to check out. Most adults have graduated from Oscar Meyer dogs, but these are a nice way to relive some childhood memories, and speaking of kids, 95% of the time, these are a huge hit with kiddos. Perfect way to make your neighborhood bbq a hit.
Taste 4/5
Cost 4/5
Pain To Post On DSi 5/5
Nostalgia Factor 4/5
Now the Johnsonville Better Cheddar will come up at some point, but who knows when. This product has always had a special place in my heart.
As a kid I remember my mother getting me Oscar Meyer Cheddar Ham for school lunches. It was damn good too, way better than lame ass olive loaf. Ugh.
So naturally I would be drawn to cheese filled hotdogs! And they don't disappoint either. Key thing is they have to be grilled!
These dogs grill really quick like their classic cousins, so keep an eye on them. Once nice and well done, the abudant melty cheese inside gives an awesome compliment to the dog. Perfect execution on these! Really a simple way to break up the routine when you have been eating stuff like this for 14 days now!
Really though, it is well worth the time to check out. Most adults have graduated from Oscar Meyer dogs, but these are a nice way to relive some childhood memories, and speaking of kids, 95% of the time, these are a huge hit with kiddos. Perfect way to make your neighborhood bbq a hit.
Taste 4/5
Cost 4/5
Pain To Post On DSi 5/5
Nostalgia Factor 4/5
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Day 13---Sonic Coney Dog and Chicago Dog
Sonic restaurants are a rather new thing up here in Minnesota, but not for a lot of you out there. Sonic recently started a campaign of all beef hotdogs and how awesome they are, and authentic to the areas they represent.
Dogs, Limeades, Tater Tots, how could they mess it up? Actually, they do quite well in some respects. I scraped aside their toppings on my Coney dog so I could get just a taste of the hotdog itself, and it does in fact taste like an all beef dog. Really beefy for that matter. Not up there like the angus beef, but around the same level of Hebrew National.
The Coney Dog was done perfect. The chili was nice and thick, not all watery like some places. Cheese was abundant, and of course it was messy. Proper Coney dog style the way I like it.
Chicago Dog, well, I was a bit disappointed. One, not authentic Vienna Beef hotdogs. Two, sweet relish instead of the atomic green relish. Now I know I am splitting hairs to some readers, but, those in the greater Illinois area are all nodding with me in agreement that it is wrong. The Windy City boasts about a lot of things and for the most part can come off as being really cocky at times, which to be expected of almost every major city population, but their food, it is like a whole other level with them. Pizza and Dogs!
Growing up not too far from the Windy City, I had several places that would do it proper, and anything else was just imitation. So I too am a bit of a Chicago Dog snob, but once you have had an authentic one, there is no comparison, it is honestly my favorite way to have a fully loaded hotdog. Chicago Dog, Stillwater is still the ONLY place here in Minnesota that I have found that can do it 100% correct. Confused about what I am bantering about? Check below!
That is what it is supposed to look like. Sonic had it close, but no cigar. A very nice attempt at it, so if you have never had one, give it a try for a "get your feet wet" experience. The Coney is proper though!
**Note, the Atomic or Neon relish has a very minimal sweet taste to it unlike many other relishes that hit you hard on the sweet part. It is hard to describe in words, but once you have it you can tell the difference right away.**
Taste 5/5 (Coney) 3/5 (Chicago)
Cost 2/5
Variety At A Burger Place 3/5
Dogs, Limeades, Tater Tots, how could they mess it up? Actually, they do quite well in some respects. I scraped aside their toppings on my Coney dog so I could get just a taste of the hotdog itself, and it does in fact taste like an all beef dog. Really beefy for that matter. Not up there like the angus beef, but around the same level of Hebrew National.
The Coney Dog was done perfect. The chili was nice and thick, not all watery like some places. Cheese was abundant, and of course it was messy. Proper Coney dog style the way I like it.
Chicago Dog, well, I was a bit disappointed. One, not authentic Vienna Beef hotdogs. Two, sweet relish instead of the atomic green relish. Now I know I am splitting hairs to some readers, but, those in the greater Illinois area are all nodding with me in agreement that it is wrong. The Windy City boasts about a lot of things and for the most part can come off as being really cocky at times, which to be expected of almost every major city population, but their food, it is like a whole other level with them. Pizza and Dogs!
Growing up not too far from the Windy City, I had several places that would do it proper, and anything else was just imitation. So I too am a bit of a Chicago Dog snob, but once you have had an authentic one, there is no comparison, it is honestly my favorite way to have a fully loaded hotdog. Chicago Dog, Stillwater is still the ONLY place here in Minnesota that I have found that can do it 100% correct. Confused about what I am bantering about? Check below!
That is what it is supposed to look like. Sonic had it close, but no cigar. A very nice attempt at it, so if you have never had one, give it a try for a "get your feet wet" experience. The Coney is proper though!
**Note, the Atomic or Neon relish has a very minimal sweet taste to it unlike many other relishes that hit you hard on the sweet part. It is hard to describe in words, but once you have it you can tell the difference right away.**
Taste 5/5 (Coney) 3/5 (Chicago)
Cost 2/5
Variety At A Burger Place 3/5
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Day 12-- Oscar Meyer Original Hotdogs
Who doesn't love a classic? I think the first hotdog many of us have had was sealed behind the yellow package with the red and white logo. Oscar Meyer has a verity of their own dogs out there, but today I went with their classic style.
These dogs have the distinctive hotdog taste, grill a little too easily (top warming rack is suggested), and sadly can be too short to fit in a standard bun. The smaller size also can mask the flavor because you are getting a higher ratio of bun and condiments to hotdog. But that's how they have been doing it since I was a kid, so why change anything?
Look we can complain about it's shortcomings, but this is a classic dog that has yet to disappoint. Grilled, nuked, boiled, it remains the same and will hopefully never change. You can never go wrong with picking up a package of these and using them as your staple of hotdogs at your bbq.
Want to mix it up a bit? Take one of these dogs, get it done, and then add it into a bowl of Spaghettio's. Delicious!
Taste 3/5 (while a classic, it doesn't have a wow factor like other dogs)
Cost 4/5
All American Hot Dog Pride! 5/5!!!!
These dogs have the distinctive hotdog taste, grill a little too easily (top warming rack is suggested), and sadly can be too short to fit in a standard bun. The smaller size also can mask the flavor because you are getting a higher ratio of bun and condiments to hotdog. But that's how they have been doing it since I was a kid, so why change anything?
Look we can complain about it's shortcomings, but this is a classic dog that has yet to disappoint. Grilled, nuked, boiled, it remains the same and will hopefully never change. You can never go wrong with picking up a package of these and using them as your staple of hotdogs at your bbq.
Want to mix it up a bit? Take one of these dogs, get it done, and then add it into a bowl of Spaghettio's. Delicious!
Taste 3/5 (while a classic, it doesn't have a wow factor like other dogs)
Cost 4/5
All American Hot Dog Pride! 5/5!!!!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Day 11-- Gasthaus Bratwurst and Knackwurst
One of my main reasons for doing this blog is because in a little under 2 months, I will be celebrating my heritage in the heart of Germany during Oktoberfest. Needless to say I am pretty excited about it, and I am sure my coworkers and other friends and sick of hearing about it. So to prep myself, I took a trip to Stillwater Minnesota (again) and went to Gasthaus for some dinner and beer. I figured it is time for someone else to do the cooking for one day.
The restaurant gives a wonderful atmosphere and dishes up some damn fine German food. Weinderschnitzel, Sauerbraten, Wurst's, it is all there and all amazing. The beer choices are all of the major imports from Germany on tap. I went with a Paulner Heffe-Weizen (1 liter mug of course!) to wash down the deliciousness.
At this restaurant when you order a wurst, you get 2, along with German potato salad and sauerkraut. No ketchup in here either, you get a choice of a sweet and spicy mustard or a horseradish spicy clear your sinuses mustard.
I went with the bratwurst and the knackwurst. Both incredible. The brat had distinctive hints of black pepper and the nutmeg they put in gives a balance of sweetness. The knackwurst had an excellent smoky taste (but not over bearing like other smoked meats can be) with the hint garlic coming in perfect balance. I naturally went with the spicy mustard on these to help give it that kick I like in food. The horseradish really gave the knackwurst a boost of flavor and played well with the garlic. The German potato salad was good, but nobody makes it right like Grandma Betty does.
Beer. Spicy Mustard. Sauerkraut. Wurst's. How can you get any better?
If you are in the Twin Cities area and are looking for some proper German food, then by all means come down to Stillwater and hit up Gasthaus, you will not be disappointed!
Taste 5/5
Cost 2/5 (expensive to eat here, $14 for two sausages, potato salad, kraut, and soup) add in $11 for a liter of beer and a tip. Desert will run you an additional $9 (I suggest the Black Forest Cake if you have room for it!)
Awesomeness For Going to a Restaurant With Goats In The Backyard 5/5
The restaurant gives a wonderful atmosphere and dishes up some damn fine German food. Weinderschnitzel, Sauerbraten, Wurst's, it is all there and all amazing. The beer choices are all of the major imports from Germany on tap. I went with a Paulner Heffe-Weizen (1 liter mug of course!) to wash down the deliciousness.
At this restaurant when you order a wurst, you get 2, along with German potato salad and sauerkraut. No ketchup in here either, you get a choice of a sweet and spicy mustard or a horseradish spicy clear your sinuses mustard.
I went with the bratwurst and the knackwurst. Both incredible. The brat had distinctive hints of black pepper and the nutmeg they put in gives a balance of sweetness. The knackwurst had an excellent smoky taste (but not over bearing like other smoked meats can be) with the hint garlic coming in perfect balance. I naturally went with the spicy mustard on these to help give it that kick I like in food. The horseradish really gave the knackwurst a boost of flavor and played well with the garlic. The German potato salad was good, but nobody makes it right like Grandma Betty does.
Beer. Spicy Mustard. Sauerkraut. Wurst's. How can you get any better?
If you are in the Twin Cities area and are looking for some proper German food, then by all means come down to Stillwater and hit up Gasthaus, you will not be disappointed!
Taste 5/5
Cost 2/5 (expensive to eat here, $14 for two sausages, potato salad, kraut, and soup) add in $11 for a liter of beer and a tip. Desert will run you an additional $9 (I suggest the Black Forest Cake if you have room for it!)
Awesomeness For Going to a Restaurant With Goats In The Backyard 5/5
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Day 10--Archer Farms Roasted Red Pepper and Asiago Cheese Chicken Sausage
Back to another Target brand. Honestly, these chicken sausages are a nice way to break up the routine of doing regular sausages/hot dogs. And the roasted red pepper didn't disappoint in breaking up the routine of things.
Side note, anyone notice that roasted red pepper seems to be a huge food fad right now? Pasta sauce, hummus, chips, salsa, and sausages. What's the big deal with the red pepper now? Many times delicious, but holy smokes, with the abundance of products out there you'd think it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. At least it is a bit more tolerable than the Pomegranate phase. Never in my life have I met such a frustrating food to eat. That and Artichokes, but at least with those when you get to the middle you get a nice reward for your efforts. I digress.....
This sausage grills nicely, has almost a buffalo sauce orange to it, and throws you for a loop in the flavor department. This is the first sausage from Archer Farms where I can actually get a chicken taste. I don't know about how much red pepper and asiago cheese I can taste, but there is a strong chicken taste to it. This in itself is alright, but I am noticing you take a gamble with Archer Farms stuff. You might get what is advertised on the label, or you might get something totally different. In a way it is like having a grilled chicken breast rolled up and put in a bun. Skip the ketchup and mustard on this one and put some of your favorite bbq sauce on it for an appropriate change of pace. I could see these being a good one to try out when you get the chance, they taste like a nicely done, light, chicken breast and would add a nice variety to any grilling occasion. People who have a strong dislike for pork or beef products would be encouraged to try these.
Taste 3/5
Ability To Please Variety of Meat Eaters 4/5
Feeling Like a Hip Consumer For Buying A Roasted Red Pepper Product 5/5
Side note, anyone notice that roasted red pepper seems to be a huge food fad right now? Pasta sauce, hummus, chips, salsa, and sausages. What's the big deal with the red pepper now? Many times delicious, but holy smokes, with the abundance of products out there you'd think it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. At least it is a bit more tolerable than the Pomegranate phase. Never in my life have I met such a frustrating food to eat. That and Artichokes, but at least with those when you get to the middle you get a nice reward for your efforts. I digress.....
This sausage grills nicely, has almost a buffalo sauce orange to it, and throws you for a loop in the flavor department. This is the first sausage from Archer Farms where I can actually get a chicken taste. I don't know about how much red pepper and asiago cheese I can taste, but there is a strong chicken taste to it. This in itself is alright, but I am noticing you take a gamble with Archer Farms stuff. You might get what is advertised on the label, or you might get something totally different. In a way it is like having a grilled chicken breast rolled up and put in a bun. Skip the ketchup and mustard on this one and put some of your favorite bbq sauce on it for an appropriate change of pace. I could see these being a good one to try out when you get the chance, they taste like a nicely done, light, chicken breast and would add a nice variety to any grilling occasion. People who have a strong dislike for pork or beef products would be encouraged to try these.
Taste 3/5
Ability To Please Variety of Meat Eaters 4/5
Feeling Like a Hip Consumer For Buying A Roasted Red Pepper Product 5/5
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Day 9-- Hillshire Farm Hotlinks
A few posts down you'll notice I gave some props to some of my GM Truck Enthusiasts over at GMTruckhq. Onimun, take no offense, you always a top dog in my book. Anyways, I have known a fellow poster over there for quite some time now and he had been hounding me to do a review on some hotlinks. Well J_Sin, this is just for you pal!
Hillshire Farms and Johnsonville products are pretty similar in pricing and taste, but Johnsonville doesn't have hotlinks, so give Hillshire the advantage on that one I suppose. But Johnsonville does have a wider variety of grilling meats.
These hotlinks don't look like anything special when you first pull them out of the packaging. They have a pretty nice casing on them and was able to withstand some extended time on the grill when I had them on there this afternoon. They don't give off any particular smell to let you know you are cooking them, but as I said, I am impressed how well they hold together when being on the grill for a longer time. Good work there Hillshire!
As for taste, they are similar to a jumbo hotdog in taste with a mild degree of spiciness. When I took my first bite there was a noticeable feeling of hotness to it that soon fizzled out. Needless to say I was pretty bummed about that because I do love me some spicy food. I also noticed they kept the pepper seeds mixed in with the meat when it was put through the casing, so beware you may get some unexpected crunch when eating these. Sadly, the seeds don't help bring back any of the heat and you are left with a thicker jumbo style hotdog with pepper seeds in it. If you like spicy foods, feel free to pass up on these when you see them in the store.
I may be missing out on some other popular brands of hotlinks and like my New Orleans style sausage review I beg anyone out there to point me in the direction of a well known brand so I can do a compare and contrast style review. I know there is a huge variety of Italian sausages out there with varying levels of intensity for spiciness, so I can only imagine the same for hotlinks. Email me, comment, or leave a post on the forums where I have promoted this!
Taste 3/5
Spiciness 3/5 then drops to a 1/5
Cost 4/5 (pretty cheap to try something new if you are in desperation mode)
Hillshire Farms and Johnsonville products are pretty similar in pricing and taste, but Johnsonville doesn't have hotlinks, so give Hillshire the advantage on that one I suppose. But Johnsonville does have a wider variety of grilling meats.
These hotlinks don't look like anything special when you first pull them out of the packaging. They have a pretty nice casing on them and was able to withstand some extended time on the grill when I had them on there this afternoon. They don't give off any particular smell to let you know you are cooking them, but as I said, I am impressed how well they hold together when being on the grill for a longer time. Good work there Hillshire!
As for taste, they are similar to a jumbo hotdog in taste with a mild degree of spiciness. When I took my first bite there was a noticeable feeling of hotness to it that soon fizzled out. Needless to say I was pretty bummed about that because I do love me some spicy food. I also noticed they kept the pepper seeds mixed in with the meat when it was put through the casing, so beware you may get some unexpected crunch when eating these. Sadly, the seeds don't help bring back any of the heat and you are left with a thicker jumbo style hotdog with pepper seeds in it. If you like spicy foods, feel free to pass up on these when you see them in the store.
I may be missing out on some other popular brands of hotlinks and like my New Orleans style sausage review I beg anyone out there to point me in the direction of a well known brand so I can do a compare and contrast style review. I know there is a huge variety of Italian sausages out there with varying levels of intensity for spiciness, so I can only imagine the same for hotlinks. Email me, comment, or leave a post on the forums where I have promoted this!
Taste 3/5
Spiciness 3/5 then drops to a 1/5
Cost 4/5 (pretty cheap to try something new if you are in desperation mode)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Day 8-- Ball Park Angus Beef Franks
Remember when Jordan played baseball for the White Sox? Remember when he came back to basketball and killed it AGAIN? Jordan was the damn man when I was growing up. I can't stand professional basketball, but when MJ played, it was something to be seen. Much like Gretzky and hockey. If you were never a fan you could at least try and sit through a few shifts of an Edmonton or L.A. game hoping to see The Great One add on to his already incredible statistical career.
Why am I bringing these sports references into play? Because MJ had a string of commercials where he promoted Ball Park hotdogs.
Ball Parks were always advertised as being bigger and better than the competitors. When I was a kid, their hotdogs tasted like all the others and as I grew older, it didn't matter what mom had gotten at the store, as long as I could put ketchup, steak sauce, or salsa on it (not at the same time, but I had some odd condiment preferences as a kid).
These black angus ones caught my attention, because I usually associate black angus meat with steaks or burgers. So why not give them a shot?
Totally worth it! I actually think I prefer these to the Hebrew National ones I reviewed yesterday. A bit thicker, more in the pack for less money, AND a little less calories per dog. Win-win to me. Sadly, they are not Kosher, but for those with no religious obligations when eating meat, these are well worth it! These actually had a bit more beef flavor to them and not so heavy on the pork like other hotdogs I have had, which is a nice change up when you serve up hotdogs. If you buy a pack of these, I can bet you won't regret it.
Taste 5/5
Value 4/5
Endorsed By Michael Jordan In The 90's Factor (No number scale can handle it!)
Why am I bringing these sports references into play? Because MJ had a string of commercials where he promoted Ball Park hotdogs.
Ball Parks were always advertised as being bigger and better than the competitors. When I was a kid, their hotdogs tasted like all the others and as I grew older, it didn't matter what mom had gotten at the store, as long as I could put ketchup, steak sauce, or salsa on it (not at the same time, but I had some odd condiment preferences as a kid).
These black angus ones caught my attention, because I usually associate black angus meat with steaks or burgers. So why not give them a shot?
Totally worth it! I actually think I prefer these to the Hebrew National ones I reviewed yesterday. A bit thicker, more in the pack for less money, AND a little less calories per dog. Win-win to me. Sadly, they are not Kosher, but for those with no religious obligations when eating meat, these are well worth it! These actually had a bit more beef flavor to them and not so heavy on the pork like other hotdogs I have had, which is a nice change up when you serve up hotdogs. If you buy a pack of these, I can bet you won't regret it.
Taste 5/5
Value 4/5
Endorsed By Michael Jordan In The 90's Factor (No number scale can handle it!)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Day 7-- Hebrew National Beef Dogs
Giving some love to all of my Jewish friends out there with my entry today. I always was intrigued on the whole Kosher aspect of things and when I learned the ways Kosher food was made, well I am all for it. Going with a change of pace and going with a hot dog today.
All my life I have been a Oscar Meyer person, so venturing away from that was a nice change of pace, and for all of you out there who have had a Hebrew National, you will agree with how good it is and how similar it is to all of the other hot dogs out there.
You pay a bit more for the price and get a little less, but knowing you are eating all organic and properly made hot dogs is worth it in my book. These dogs are proper length and have all the makings for a delicious dog. So for all of the concerned parents out there trying to get their kids to eat better, give these a try for a change of pace for a meal. I will be getting these again when I am grilling hot dogs for myself and for entertaining guests.
Taste 4/5
Feeling Better About Yourself For Eating A Dog Better For You 4/5
Cost 2/5
All my life I have been a Oscar Meyer person, so venturing away from that was a nice change of pace, and for all of you out there who have had a Hebrew National, you will agree with how good it is and how similar it is to all of the other hot dogs out there.
You pay a bit more for the price and get a little less, but knowing you are eating all organic and properly made hot dogs is worth it in my book. These dogs are proper length and have all the makings for a delicious dog. So for all of the concerned parents out there trying to get their kids to eat better, give these a try for a change of pace for a meal. I will be getting these again when I am grilling hot dogs for myself and for entertaining guests.
Taste 4/5
Feeling Better About Yourself For Eating A Dog Better For You 4/5
Cost 2/5
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Day 6-- Archer Farms Spinach and Garlic Chicken Sausage
Going back to the Target brand sausages I was pretty excited to give this one a shot. I do love spinach and I do love garlic, so what's not to love with the two of them combined with some chicken? Unlike the other Archer Farm product I had on the first day, this chicken sausage is done well.
The next couple of days (an more than likely a majority of weekdays) will be done eating these from work, which means, they will be getting nuked. No problem there I figure because then I will be getting the whole flavor of it. but fear not, grilling will happen as well, I just gotta find time to make this work in my daily life. And this decreases the amount of time I will be out running around for lunch, so it is all win win as I see it.
Anyways, back to the topic at hand. This sausage like the other one had pretty much no casing on it, but the flavor is fantastic. You get the taste of spinich and garlic right away, but, there is an equal amount of it. No over powering taste like their other one I reviewed. Very eatable plain and I think adding ketchup would take away from the flavor. I would highly suggest tossing a few of these in with a pot of pasta (red or white sauce) and call it a day. If you are looking to add a meat to your pasta creations and are tired of the Italian sausage route, give this a try for something new and different.
Taste 4/5
Ability To Easily Be Added To Different Foods 4/5
Equality Of Flavors 3/5
The next couple of days (an more than likely a majority of weekdays) will be done eating these from work, which means, they will be getting nuked. No problem there I figure because then I will be getting the whole flavor of it. but fear not, grilling will happen as well, I just gotta find time to make this work in my daily life. And this decreases the amount of time I will be out running around for lunch, so it is all win win as I see it.
Anyways, back to the topic at hand. This sausage like the other one had pretty much no casing on it, but the flavor is fantastic. You get the taste of spinich and garlic right away, but, there is an equal amount of it. No over powering taste like their other one I reviewed. Very eatable plain and I think adding ketchup would take away from the flavor. I would highly suggest tossing a few of these in with a pot of pasta (red or white sauce) and call it a day. If you are looking to add a meat to your pasta creations and are tired of the Italian sausage route, give this a try for something new and different.
Taste 4/5
Ability To Easily Be Added To Different Foods 4/5
Equality Of Flavors 3/5
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Day 5--Johnsonville Beer Brats
Happy day after the 4th of July. I think this should be the last of my Johnsonville products for a little bit to review, but who knows what will catch my attention at the store tomorrow for when I need to restock on the sausage goodness.
We've covered a lot of variety here. Chili cheese, Polish, New Orleans, etc but we haven't hit on something that is an absolute classic. Well fear not, the beer brat is a classic.
My past two reviews leave me feeling sad and disappointed that I had two strike outs in a row, but that will happen I suppose. Johnsonville got it right with their beer brats though. I can understand why the guy on the dock got all pumped and had to shout it to the rest of the campers at the lake.
Anyways, these beer brats have that just right classic brat taste. Sometimes brats can have all sorts of heavy spice flavors to them which can leave a weird after taste, or ruin it all together. These brats along with the combination of the beer they were cooked in, tone down the spices a bit and make this incredibly easy to eat. I noticed a bit of black pepper when eating this, but a moderate amount. The beer they use "real Wisconsin beer" on the label gives it a little more of a sour taste which compliments the black pepper well. Casing is a little thinner (note, these are the precooked ones NOT the frozen ones, hence why the casing is a bit thinner) and cooks up a lot faster on a grill than you would expect. So be mindful when tossing these on the grill because they will get done at about the same time a hot dog would.
I would suggest these as any go to for a party or bbq that many people could enjoy. Go ahead and grab these and you shouldn't have any problems serving these up to the people of the party. Keep the yellow mustard and sauerkraut handy and you'll be set.
Taste 4/5
Ease of Cooking 4/5 (again, be careful of the time or it will be burned and busted open!)
Right Level Of Spice and Other Flavors 3/5
**Notes From The Weekend**
1. I mentioned in my last post there was a place in Stillwater, MN that had proper Chicago Dogs. Check out their website http://www.chicagodogsmn.com/ (beware your computer volume as their website has embedded music).
2. I was at the Twins game this past weekend and had a fantastic Polish Sausage (I may have mentioned this or not) at Target Field. Stop by Kramarczuk's if you are coming in for a game and enjoy a brat or Polish sausage from them. Do it right and get a mound of sauerkraut on there too! They are also based out of Minneapolis and I intend on doing some local flavor reviews for them at some time. http://www.kramarczuk.com/
3. This article featured beer brats, well if you want to go balls to the wall and make your own, it is easy as one, two, three!
Get some brats from your favorite butcher and toss them into a pot. Add a half stick of butter (or whole, or none at all, you decide) and chopped onions and green pepper. Cover your delicious meat and veggies with a beer of your choice, and this is where taste comes into play. Most people will do the cheaper beers/light beers and that is standard go to. I have had great success with Heineken (BEWARE! skunky beer gives a great taste but stinks your house to high hell, so open a few windows!) and it is still a favorite of mine to use. Boil for 20-30 mins and then grill them brown on the grill. Keep the beer and veggie mix low boiling on the stove while you are grilling and toss the brats back in until ready to serve. The onions and green pepper then used as a topping on the brats. ENJOY!
As an added bonus here are two pics of the last four I have talked about.
We've covered a lot of variety here. Chili cheese, Polish, New Orleans, etc but we haven't hit on something that is an absolute classic. Well fear not, the beer brat is a classic.
My past two reviews leave me feeling sad and disappointed that I had two strike outs in a row, but that will happen I suppose. Johnsonville got it right with their beer brats though. I can understand why the guy on the dock got all pumped and had to shout it to the rest of the campers at the lake.
Anyways, these beer brats have that just right classic brat taste. Sometimes brats can have all sorts of heavy spice flavors to them which can leave a weird after taste, or ruin it all together. These brats along with the combination of the beer they were cooked in, tone down the spices a bit and make this incredibly easy to eat. I noticed a bit of black pepper when eating this, but a moderate amount. The beer they use "real Wisconsin beer" on the label gives it a little more of a sour taste which compliments the black pepper well. Casing is a little thinner (note, these are the precooked ones NOT the frozen ones, hence why the casing is a bit thinner) and cooks up a lot faster on a grill than you would expect. So be mindful when tossing these on the grill because they will get done at about the same time a hot dog would.
I would suggest these as any go to for a party or bbq that many people could enjoy. Go ahead and grab these and you shouldn't have any problems serving these up to the people of the party. Keep the yellow mustard and sauerkraut handy and you'll be set.
Taste 4/5
Ease of Cooking 4/5 (again, be careful of the time or it will be burned and busted open!)
Right Level Of Spice and Other Flavors 3/5
**Notes From The Weekend**
1. I mentioned in my last post there was a place in Stillwater, MN that had proper Chicago Dogs. Check out their website http://www.chicagodogsmn.com/ (beware your computer volume as their website has embedded music).
2. I was at the Twins game this past weekend and had a fantastic Polish Sausage (I may have mentioned this or not) at Target Field. Stop by Kramarczuk's if you are coming in for a game and enjoy a brat or Polish sausage from them. Do it right and get a mound of sauerkraut on there too! They are also based out of Minneapolis and I intend on doing some local flavor reviews for them at some time. http://www.kramarczuk.com/
3. This article featured beer brats, well if you want to go balls to the wall and make your own, it is easy as one, two, three!
Get some brats from your favorite butcher and toss them into a pot. Add a half stick of butter (or whole, or none at all, you decide) and chopped onions and green pepper. Cover your delicious meat and veggies with a beer of your choice, and this is where taste comes into play. Most people will do the cheaper beers/light beers and that is standard go to. I have had great success with Heineken (BEWARE! skunky beer gives a great taste but stinks your house to high hell, so open a few windows!) and it is still a favorite of mine to use. Boil for 20-30 mins and then grill them brown on the grill. Keep the beer and veggie mix low boiling on the stove while you are grilling and toss the brats back in until ready to serve. The onions and green pepper then used as a topping on the brats. ENJOY!
As an added bonus here are two pics of the last four I have talked about.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Day 4-- Johnsonville New Orleans Style Sausage
Hello and happy 4th of July everyone. Hope nobody has blown their fingers off today, and you can celebrate easier tonight knowing I haven't either.....yet. Today I decided to go with a little southern hospitality and tried some New Orleans style sausage.
As noted yesterday, I thought that the Polish Sausage would be a good fit for picky eaters, but I was wrong, THIS is the ideal sausage for picky eaters (well thus far anyways). Casing is pretty thin, color, smell do not exist, and the taste is for the most part pretty bland. I honestly could not find any sort of spice or a hint of anything that would make it stand out. Talk about a disappointment. Just like all of these other Johnsonville sausages, it grilled up easy, and that is about the only thing that makes it tolerable. The fact you can grill and eat it in a matter of minutes is the only good thing I can find about this sausage. Readers, help this guy out and tell me what I should be looking for in a southern Andouille style sausage.
The package even shows this cooked up and put in with rice and shrimp. Thank God for the shrimp, because that is going to be the only product to give that dish any flavor. I would say use this product as a filler or add in to a dish that could use a little extra protein, but only if you are out of beef, pork, or chicken.
Taste 0/5
Great Ability To Be A Filler 5/5
Ability To Be Eaten On It's Own 0/5
I do have a saving grace for today, downtown Stillwater Minnesota has a little restaurant that makes a spot on Chicago style hot dog. Now that's a proper 4th of July eat!
As noted yesterday, I thought that the Polish Sausage would be a good fit for picky eaters, but I was wrong, THIS is the ideal sausage for picky eaters (well thus far anyways). Casing is pretty thin, color, smell do not exist, and the taste is for the most part pretty bland. I honestly could not find any sort of spice or a hint of anything that would make it stand out. Talk about a disappointment. Just like all of these other Johnsonville sausages, it grilled up easy, and that is about the only thing that makes it tolerable. The fact you can grill and eat it in a matter of minutes is the only good thing I can find about this sausage. Readers, help this guy out and tell me what I should be looking for in a southern Andouille style sausage.
The package even shows this cooked up and put in with rice and shrimp. Thank God for the shrimp, because that is going to be the only product to give that dish any flavor. I would say use this product as a filler or add in to a dish that could use a little extra protein, but only if you are out of beef, pork, or chicken.
Taste 0/5
Great Ability To Be A Filler 5/5
Ability To Be Eaten On It's Own 0/5
I do have a saving grace for today, downtown Stillwater Minnesota has a little restaurant that makes a spot on Chicago style hot dog. Now that's a proper 4th of July eat!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Day 3-- Johnsonville Polish Kielbasa
You might be thinking "two Johnsonville brands in two days, is this guy serious?" well get ready because I do have more Johnsonville products coming up over the next few days. Like I said, I need to find things that are readily available mostly nationwide. I figure I'd go with the easier stuff first, and then have to start really digging around as time goes on.
Anyways, Polish sausage can really be hit or miss in my experiences with eating it. Sometimes you get one that is spot on and delicious, and other times it has some funky tastes to it. Johnsonville did it pretty good.
Orange in color, a little thicker casing around it, and easy grilling ability make this a nice addition to any grilling time. It has a distinct taste to Johnsonville's ring bologna and I assume that is where they are getting the meat from with this. Basically, if you want the taste of ring bologna but don't have that many people to feed, then grab a package of these. First bite without condiments were alright, but this is one that you can feel no shame throwing some ketchup and mustard on. I added some Franks Kraut to give it a little more flavor as well.
On it's own, a very easy and eatable sausage. You could try this with kids who are picky eaters and don't like the stronger taste of something like a bratwurst. Johnsonville pretty much made a jumbo hot dog with these sausages. I would also suggest cooking this up and tossing it in with some skillet potatoes and veggies for a nice hearty breakfast.
Go ahead and give it a shot, but don't feel like you will be missing out on much if you decide to pass it up. Your grocer has plenty of other options and I would give those a try first. If you are a picky eater and don't like overbearing flavors, then give this one a shot. Don't get mad at me if it ends up being a gateway sausage into trying other tubed meats!
Taste 3/5
Need Condiments 4/5
Appeal To Picky Eaters 5/5
Anyways, Polish sausage can really be hit or miss in my experiences with eating it. Sometimes you get one that is spot on and delicious, and other times it has some funky tastes to it. Johnsonville did it pretty good.
Orange in color, a little thicker casing around it, and easy grilling ability make this a nice addition to any grilling time. It has a distinct taste to Johnsonville's ring bologna and I assume that is where they are getting the meat from with this. Basically, if you want the taste of ring bologna but don't have that many people to feed, then grab a package of these. First bite without condiments were alright, but this is one that you can feel no shame throwing some ketchup and mustard on. I added some Franks Kraut to give it a little more flavor as well.
On it's own, a very easy and eatable sausage. You could try this with kids who are picky eaters and don't like the stronger taste of something like a bratwurst. Johnsonville pretty much made a jumbo hot dog with these sausages. I would also suggest cooking this up and tossing it in with some skillet potatoes and veggies for a nice hearty breakfast.
Go ahead and give it a shot, but don't feel like you will be missing out on much if you decide to pass it up. Your grocer has plenty of other options and I would give those a try first. If you are a picky eater and don't like overbearing flavors, then give this one a shot. Don't get mad at me if it ends up being a gateway sausage into trying other tubed meats!
Taste 3/5
Need Condiments 4/5
Appeal To Picky Eaters 5/5
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Johnsonville Chili Cheese
I apologize for being so late, but with the holiday weekend and family in town for the Brewers/Twins tilt, it was hard to sneak this in.
When going to the store to stock up on supplies for this blogstravaganza, I saw Johnsonville had a few new flavors/types out. Chili Cheese was one that caught my eye and I had to take advantage of it as I am a fan of anything chili cheese oriented.
Grilling this sausage up is like grilling up any other type of brat/sausage. It cooks well and it browns up nice and quick to let you know it is done. Appearance is dark orange and reminds me of a cheddar wurst (we'll get into this another time). Casing is nice and thick to give you that distinctive crunch sound when you bite into it.
Per the suggestion of a user on S10Forum, I should mention my first bite of this (as well as the other one) was done without any sort of condiment or bun to get full flavor. This chili cheese sausage is fantastic in taste and needs no condiment! Honestly, it is that good. Which you wouldn't expect with such a mass produced product like the chili cheese sausage. My cousin Jenny can be quoted saying "it is like a chili cheese dog but without the mess. It is spot on to it." I whole completely agree with her. It is exactly like any type of chili cheese dog but no mess. There is a perfect balance of cheese, chili, and the taste of meat.
Chili Taste 4/5
Cheese Taste 4/5
Sausage Taste 4/5
Run out and get this right away as a means to throw a curveball into your holiday grilling routine. Friends and family will thank you for it. I will have another update later in the day when I grill out for lunch!
When going to the store to stock up on supplies for this blogstravaganza, I saw Johnsonville had a few new flavors/types out. Chili Cheese was one that caught my eye and I had to take advantage of it as I am a fan of anything chili cheese oriented.
Grilling this sausage up is like grilling up any other type of brat/sausage. It cooks well and it browns up nice and quick to let you know it is done. Appearance is dark orange and reminds me of a cheddar wurst (we'll get into this another time). Casing is nice and thick to give you that distinctive crunch sound when you bite into it.
Per the suggestion of a user on S10Forum, I should mention my first bite of this (as well as the other one) was done without any sort of condiment or bun to get full flavor. This chili cheese sausage is fantastic in taste and needs no condiment! Honestly, it is that good. Which you wouldn't expect with such a mass produced product like the chili cheese sausage. My cousin Jenny can be quoted saying "it is like a chili cheese dog but without the mess. It is spot on to it." I whole completely agree with her. It is exactly like any type of chili cheese dog but no mess. There is a perfect balance of cheese, chili, and the taste of meat.
Chili Taste 4/5
Cheese Taste 4/5
Sausage Taste 4/5
Run out and get this right away as a means to throw a curveball into your holiday grilling routine. Friends and family will thank you for it. I will have another update later in the day when I grill out for lunch!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Day 1-- Archer Farms Green Chile and Cheddar Chicken Sausage
First day down and done with. I went with an obscure choice to kick this thing off. Brats will be coming through the weekend, but today I thought we could get a little festive. Archer Farms can be found at all of your local Target stores and had for a pretty good price. Now, the true question, how is it?
Upon close inspection, it looks like an obvious sausage with an abundance of green chile's in each one. They grill up quickly under a medium to high heat and have little to no smell when cooking. The casing is nonexistent, not giving you that "crunch" type of sensation when eating a typical sausage or brat.
When you first bite into it, you get the immediate taste of green chile, and well, that's about it. The green chile overshadows the taste of any type of sausage and cheddar cheese. I must say I am a bit disappointed with the lack of cheese taste anywhere in it. Why advertise it when you have a pepper that is going to wipe out all other tastes? Worried about being spicy? Have no fear, there is no heat here.
It's good, but I would buy this as a "hey I want to try something new" type of sausage. Pass up on this if you have other types of grilling to try out. This might go well any type of Hispanic dish, mixed in with rice, or well on it's own.
Taste 2/5
Appearance 3/5
Spiciness 0/5
Upon close inspection, it looks like an obvious sausage with an abundance of green chile's in each one. They grill up quickly under a medium to high heat and have little to no smell when cooking. The casing is nonexistent, not giving you that "crunch" type of sensation when eating a typical sausage or brat.
When you first bite into it, you get the immediate taste of green chile, and well, that's about it. The green chile overshadows the taste of any type of sausage and cheddar cheese. I must say I am a bit disappointed with the lack of cheese taste anywhere in it. Why advertise it when you have a pepper that is going to wipe out all other tastes? Worried about being spicy? Have no fear, there is no heat here.
It's good, but I would buy this as a "hey I want to try something new" type of sausage. Pass up on this if you have other types of grilling to try out. This might go well any type of Hispanic dish, mixed in with rice, or well on it's own.
Taste 2/5
Appearance 3/5
Spiciness 0/5
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Willkommen!
Welcome! For the entire month of July, I am dedicating each and every day to a different type of sausage, hot dog, ring bologna, etc and am going to share my thoughts about what I consume. Sounds like quite the task, I know, but for the small audience I could gain off of this, then it will be all worth it. I have a few simple rules about this, so if you have any suggestions about what I should do, then shoot me an email or reply with a post.
1. Has to be able to be found generally nation wide. So don't tell me to go to Roberto's Deli on 65th street in downtown Pittsburgh because they have the best Italian sausages you have ever eaten there. I will be searching high and low through various chain grocery stores here in Minnesota and should hopefully be able to give readers an idea of where they can find what I have eaten. Please note, I do intend on doing a few days of local Minnesota Deli Reviews so as to maybe tempt you to come out and visit the land of 10,000 Lakes, dontchaknow!
2. No other rules, just that one right up above this one! Pretty simple if you ask me. First bites will be taken without ketchup or any other condiment so as to get the full flavor. Then I will add whatever I like to it and be done with it. Do note, my typical condiments of choice are: Ketchup, yellow mustard, brown mustard, sauerkraut, onions, and relish. But really all depends on what I have available and what I am in the mood for when I eat.
Now you may be thinking to yourself "wow, there is going to be a ton of left overs, what will he do with all of them?!?" Simple. My coworkers will be treated to an incredibly delicious sausage potluck at the end of the month and we'll grill up whatever I have left. Simple as that! Who knows, maybe they will end up making a movie about this too. I'm no Julia Childs, but I do enjoy drinking beers while grilling.
Pictures will be provided on a basis of "oh man I should get a shot of this and post it."
1. Has to be able to be found generally nation wide. So don't tell me to go to Roberto's Deli on 65th street in downtown Pittsburgh because they have the best Italian sausages you have ever eaten there. I will be searching high and low through various chain grocery stores here in Minnesota and should hopefully be able to give readers an idea of where they can find what I have eaten. Please note, I do intend on doing a few days of local Minnesota Deli Reviews so as to maybe tempt you to come out and visit the land of 10,000 Lakes, dontchaknow!
2. No other rules, just that one right up above this one! Pretty simple if you ask me. First bites will be taken without ketchup or any other condiment so as to get the full flavor. Then I will add whatever I like to it and be done with it. Do note, my typical condiments of choice are: Ketchup, yellow mustard, brown mustard, sauerkraut, onions, and relish. But really all depends on what I have available and what I am in the mood for when I eat.
Now you may be thinking to yourself "wow, there is going to be a ton of left overs, what will he do with all of them?!?" Simple. My coworkers will be treated to an incredibly delicious sausage potluck at the end of the month and we'll grill up whatever I have left. Simple as that! Who knows, maybe they will end up making a movie about this too. I'm no Julia Childs, but I do enjoy drinking beers while grilling.
Pictures will be provided on a basis of "oh man I should get a shot of this and post it."
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