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
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