How It's Made Hot Dogs

Summary

The video explains the history and production process of hot dogs, a popular street food in the U.S. It traces the origin of hot dogs to German immigrants in the 1860s and details how modern hot dogs are made from pork, beef, and chicken trimmings. The ingredients are ground, blended with flavorings and corn syrup, and formed into hot dog shapes using cellulose casings. After being smoked, cooked, and chilled, the casings are removed, and the hot dogs are inspected and packaged. Factories can produce up to 300,000 hot dogs an hour.

Takeaways

• 🌭 Hot dogs are a popular American food but originated from German sausage makers.
• 🛒 German immigrants were reportedly selling hot dogs from push carts in New York as early as the 1860s.
• 🥇 Hot dogs remain the number one street food over a century and a half later.
• 🍖 Traditional hot dogs are made from a mix of pork, beef, and chicken trimmings.
• 🔪 The trimmings are ground in a similar way to hamburger meat using grated metal plates.
• 🍗 Processed chicken trimmings, starch, salt, and flavorings are added to the ground meat.
• 🌍 The flavorings can vary based on regional tastes and preferences.
• 💦 Water and corn syrup are added to the mix to help with blending and enhance juiciness.
• 🧑‍🍳 The meat is pureed into a fine emulsion, vacuumed, and stuffed into cellulose casings.
• 🔥 Hot dogs are smoked, baked, chilled, and peeled before final inspection and packaging.

Q & A

Who is believed to have first come up with the idea of hot dogs?

German sausage makers are believed to have first come up with the idea of hot dogs.

When were hot dogs first sold in the U.S., and by whom?

There are reports of German immigrants selling hot dogs from pushcarts in New York's Bowery as far back as the 1860s.

What are traditional hot dogs made from?

Traditional hot dogs are made from a mix of pork, beef, and chicken.

What are 'trimmings' in the context of hot dog production?

'Trimmings' are pieces of meat leftover from cutting steaks or pork chops, which are used to make hot dogs.

How is the meat prepared during the hot dog production process?

The trimmings are ground, food starch, salt, flavorings, and processed chicken trimmings are added, then everything is blended together in a vat.

Why is water added during the hot dog production process?

Water is added to help blend the ingredients, disperse them evenly, and make the hot dogs juicier.

What happens to the meat after it is blended with ingredients?

The meat batter is pureed into a fine emulsion, and any air is vacuumed out.

How are the hot dogs shaped into their final form?

The meat puree is pumped into cellulose tubing, twisting every five and a quarter inches to form the length of a hot dog.

What role does liquid smoke play in the hot dog production process?

The liquid smoke seeps through the casings and adds flavor to the hot dogs as they bake in the oven.

How many hot dogs can this factory produce per hour?

The factory can manufacture an incredible 300,000 hot dogs per hour, which equals nearly 2.5 million hot dogs per shift.