Hi Steve, wanted to get your opinion on something, we just opened our cart at Lowes. How long do you keep the dogs in the water before you dump them and put fresh ones- like if you have a slow point in the day. Also do you reuse products such as chili, hot dog onions, sauerkraut that is left over or just throw it out and start fresh every day?
Thanks for your help!
Top Dawgs
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Hey Jen and Susan,
First let me congratulate you on opening your cart at Lowes! How exciting!!! Send me some pictures.
Hot dogs will keep a lot longer in a steamer than they will in hot water. I put my dogs in hot water for about seven minutes then move them to the steamer. Here is the pan set up on my personal E-Z Built cart.
If you don’t have a steamer on your cart here is what I suggest. Different brands hold up differently in hot water so do an experiment. Bring your water up to temperature and put four hot dogs in the water. Take the first one out at 15 minutes and try it, try the second at 30 minutes, try the third at 45 minutes, and try the the fourth at one hour. You will definitely be able to tell the point at which the flavor leaves the dog.
Saves flavor. If you hot hold them in a steam table the flavor won’t depart from the dog but the fats in the hot dog will start to turn it dark. The longer you hold them, the darker they get so it’s not really an issue of flavor as much as appearance.
I like to serve the freshest product that I can so I package my condiments in tupperware containers, keep them in the cooler, and refill from them throughout the day. That way I never have a lot of any one condiment to discard at the end of the day.
I hope this helps!
-Steve
P.S. Let’s hear your comments on the subject my slingers. Chime in below, we’d love to hear what you have to say!
Once your dogs reach 165 you can pull them out and hold them in another pan. We put ours in a pan over our steam side with a little dirty water in the bottom. They hold for several hours as long as you have water in the pan and you rotate them around. Like Steve stated the will darken a little….
Thanks Wiener Waggin!
make sure the second pan that you hold the dogs in is perferated, you can hold them for a long time.
HI STEVE….where can i get them there steam pans you are showing.?
You can also use a false bottom for holding but you need to check that there is enough water below it. I use the same method Steve does with a half pan above the deep pan. You can boil a batch of dogs, transfer them after they are done to the perforated pan, and boil some more down below at the same time so you have plenty of dogs when its busy. The dogs stay great looking for about 4 hours. I use Hebrew Natl and hoffy’s. I use Tupperware like Steve to store condiments and throw out dogs at the end of the day unless you want to chop them up into your chili. With Chili, I just don’t cook too much at a time.
I forgot to mention that if you use beer or beef boulion cubes/powder in the boiling water, it helps them with flavor longer.
thank you everyone for the suggestions!
Just finished what I call a margin job–just a dog and soda at set price for a company promo. I served a very cheap, but locally recognized brand and got many positive comments. I put a beef cube in the quick boil water and a beer in the water under the steam pan. This was a really good n tasty, cheap dog. I normally don’t eat that brand, but steam made a huge difference. I did find that I needed to move them around at times to avoid markings from the holes in the pan.
How did you get Lowe’s? They won’t even talk to me in my area. Shoot me an email please at pbalancemps@yahoo.com. Thanks.
I don’t use the steam table/false bottom pans but made some stainless grates that raise about an inch above the water for my hot hold. You can hot hold a lot more product just make sure to rotate top to bottom every chance you get. And you really have to watch the water.
I used to toss a dog because I’d get one against the hot edge of the pan and it gets a “grilled” texture to it. Now I have regulars that will ask me if I have a “burnt weeny”, they like them that way!
Second on the beer or bullion, makes a big difference.
If you boil them to 160-65 and move them to the hot hold/steamer be sure and check them with a meat thermometer. It does 2 things, one of course is temp checking, the other is when you puncture one of the dogs and remove the gauge as long as it is still nice and juicy around the hole your good to serve.
Good question Jen and Susan. Carla and I are going to be working our cart for the first time at a new flea market and the manager doesn’t have any idea how many people will come through. We were concerned about how much to cook up too.
Thanks for the info…has anyone had any problems with the hot dogs becomming salty when held in a steamer? Would heating to 165 first help with that problem? I use Kirkland and Cloverdale…dogs…Polish doesn’t seem to do that… thanks..
Judy, do you do well with the Kirkland hot dog? Some think it is an inferior brand butI had one at costco the other day and thought they were great. Im still torn on buy Nathen’s but the are sooo expensive. Not sure yet if my location will pay more for a hotdog. ;}
They don’t call them dirty water dogs for nothing! the longer you leave them in the water the better they taste once boiled maintain in hot water youll see discoloration and oil in water thats called Flavor, you can leavem in as long as your at work, for hours you do not have to steam them or takem out, when you steam theyll get hard and shrivel over time leavem in the water LOL
Here we go with types of methods and holding times. I must be strange because I give my dogs a water bath in hot water, then I put them on the grill, then they go into the steamer, the trick is not to over cook them. I only make what I think I will use and continue to cook as I go along. I have had to cook dogs quickly at some big events and you learn to adjust. I try and keep everything fresh but at the same time not run out. I never put more than a few buns in the steamer at a time because it only takes a few seconds to warm them, today it was 90 so you don’t really have to steam anything (lol). Just one rule that you much have and use and enforce at all times: “If you won’t eat it don’t serve it”. I never use anything from one day to the next period. I track all waste and write it off at the end of the year. Always remember that you are serving the public and word gets out good and bad. You will know you are doing good when people come up and say, “Well I heard that you had the best hotdogs in town, so I thought I would try them”. If you have customers standing or sitting near your cart eating just ask them what they think, most will tell you the truth. Do not over cook your food……
Duggs Doggs
Good!! Good!!
I have a suggestion that really works for me. First: when I first cook my dogs in the hot water side till they get to 165. That water has about 4 beef bullion cubes in the water. This enhances the beef flavor, and helps them not to loose color when they sit in the steamer till they are served, and my customers really like the flavor. Hot Dogs are kind of like Tofo, they will absorbe the flavor in the water when they swell, and rise to the surface of the water. I have a customer at the flea market I go to on Saturday who swears up and down that he can tell the difference. So I cooked two beef dogs of different brands, and one beef, pork, chicken. And one that was pork, chicken dog. Thats right, he could not pick out the beef dogs. ITS ALL IN THE FLAVOR OF THE WATER. Be careful and dont let your steamer drip pan run dry, the fat in the water from the meat will burn, and that is not a good flavor
The company to try and get a lowes account is called street eats.
Rick,
All restaurant supply houses carry them. If you can find a restaurant liquidator they usually have used steam pans for cheap. They buy the assets of failed restaurants and resell them. All they want is the big stuff like ovens and mixers but they have to buy everything so they just want to get rid of the steam pans.
Brian,
I find that that method works well too.
Duke,
A lot of doggers use the bullion and /or beer in the water trick. I think it works best for the “dirty water” method where the dogs stay in the water for a prolonged period.
Kevin,
I like the burnt ones too, lol!
Joe,
Start with two dozen and see how fast they sell. Add more as you go. Are you bringing the Hot Dog Cart Junior? Good luck!!!
Judy,
I don’t have an issue with the dogs getting salty, but I try to avoid a huge stockpile of dogs in the steamer as much as I can.
Frank-n-Beef,
Ah, yes – the dirty water dog. The trick is not to have the water boiling. 170 degrees or so does the trick with this method.
I use boiling water to cook frozen dogs fast then get them out of there. If you leave dogs in actual boiling water they will lose all their flavor within 45 minutes.
“If you won’t eat it don’t serve it”.
Quote of the day Michael.
Paul,
Interesting taste test results! It’s all in the water if you’re doing dirty water dogs. Yes sir!
I use Nathans on my cart that seem to keep fresh for longer in the holding pan. I have 5 pans; 2 are kept on low heat for holding the dog, 2 are kept on high rolling simmer for hitting 165 Deg real quick. The 5th is a deeper pan that I drop the bread into for warming the bun.
I never have more than 4 dogs at any one time in the holding tray and when it gets busy by the time I make and serve a dog the next one is at 165 deg ready to serve the next customer. As far as waste? I serve fresh bread everyday, same with kraut and relish and fresh chopped onions. For approx $5 for toppings per 50 customers, you can easily afford to toss the leftovers and give your customers the best tasting “fresh of the farm” taste everyday.
Great method Big Tommy! And I agree with your condiment philosophy too.
I sell knishes and hot pretzels My cart has 3 trays for hot dogs and buns HOW do I keep pretzles soft and knishes hot.
I bring my dogs to temp(165+) health code (inspector watches me check one), also any time I start to serve a new batch of dogs I check one for temp in front of the buyers. A lot of people have told me that they have never seen a vendor check food temps like I do(do not forget to use the alky wipe) I also like to comment depending on the buyers that the temp gage is the hot dogs alien space probe, they love it!! I then put the new dogs in the hot water bath I keep them covered and have a temp gage in the water to keep about 145. I love the beef cube idea and will try it this year. Sell em all. One thing I do is tell a lot of the customers to “thank you, tell em where you got it”
Also so remember that after using the water for a while, fat from the dogs builds up and that makes the water temp rise to around 185 deg so it takes a shorter period of time to cook up. The only dog I have to keep an eye on is the Brat with a natural casing; try to rush the heating it can bust open. I used to carry a Brat and a Polish, but most people cant tell the difference so I just serve a German Style Brat as either, a 1/3 less inventory. To avoid an over-cooked casing I have a 50/50 mix of pinapple juice and water, I give them a spray in the holding tray keeps the casing moist.
Hey Steve what happened to all the pictures with the new web page?
They’re coming. I have a lot of clean up to do after this redesign. Something didn’t work quite right and the pics need to be updated manually. Gotta love technology…
I like to use Boarshead meat products, and to keep the flavor i use Dales Steak marinade for flavor, just a cap or two is all that’s needed. An old dogger I knew used to use a cheap dog for flavor and then take them out of the water and add his favorite dog to serve. He fed his “flavor” dogs to himself and his dog at home. I like the marinade myself. Here in the Bible belt beer is good but not very well accepted, so I do not use it. Brats I cook on the grille to order, they plump really good that way and do not shrink by holding them. The customer is your best food critic, ask them what they want…they’ll tell you and adjust to their wants. After all, you’re trying to please them for repeat customers, so listen to them. Just my 2 cents worth.
“The customer is your best food critic, ask them what they want.” Awesome CC!
I use a hot dog express to grill my dogs, and sausage products, for about fifteen to twenty minutes. After that i but them in steamers, and they really keep their flavor.The customers love them.
Hot Dog Express?! Interesting…
I grill my dogs, and sausage products for about fifteen to twenty minutes on a hot dog express grill. Then I but them in steamers. They have a nice grilled flavor, and the customers love them.
Does anyone have an idea on how to clean the pans ? We sell hot dogs and polish sausage the burnt fat is hard to get off. Thanks 2
For the hard to get off stains, heat the pans in an oven and use spray on oven cleaner.
I remind your readers, especially after noting the guy who tried beef n pork dogs to see the flavor difference, that there are many, many people today who are very particular regarding getting “all beef” dogs. Jews and Muslims for religious reasons can not eat pork. Be careful and best be sure where you keep those mixed meat dogs and not mix them in. Best let your customers know what you sell. I sell Sabrett all beef dogs in natural casing, a real big seller in my area (Orlando, FL) due to the big influx of New Englanders who swear by them. Also, the natural cased dogs do better in “dirty water” and last longer without loosing flavor, as the casing protects them. For the record, my signs all state “ALL BEEF” on all my dogs and the snap of the dogs say Sabrett. As for keeping dogs a long time in water, the gray color is a definate give away telling you. time to discard. Speaking of dogs, my dog who’s middle name is Sabrett has lived 14 years with a mixture of half hot dogs and half dry dog food. Rick
In the hot water bath (not boiling), how long does it take you to get the dogs to an internal temp of 165. Not frozen to start. Sometimes it seems to take mine forever.
It depends on your water temp and how many cold dogs you throw in. Lots of variables. It takes me 6 minutes to heat a dozen dogs from frozen to 140 degrees in boiling water. Then I transfer them to my steamer for hot holding.
Does anyone use Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs? I use the Bun Length Angus Beef and the Bun Length Turkey Dogs. My customers love them! I use Bar-S Brand for my Chicken Hot Dogs. I make Fried Onions as a topping and people are obsessed with them.
Whats the average price for a Hot Dog? All three of mine retail for $2.50 each.
Hi Dusty, I have never used Oscar Meyer.
no person has said if storing left over hot dogs in water is ok to keep them.
Not for ever, lol. Keep them above 140 degrees in the water, or under 40 degrees out of the water.
Message to Duke from the real Duke did you purchase a truck from me in the early 90s in Suffolk county to start the business in Oceanside. If this is you I’m happy to see you’re doing well and still slapping the tube steaks onto them buns. Please get back to me Id love to know if you’re the same person i helped get started. Thank You sincerely.
hi all
so i see many advice on boiling first – preferably with beef bouillon and or beer .
then move to a steemer .
my question is why not have in the same compartment that we cook / boil/ keep warm our dogs , a half size perforated pan so when the dogs are ready you simply move some of dogs up to the perforated pan , and lower the heat so the dogs in the water keep warm but at the same time keeping the steam flowing – so you steam and keep warm at the same time in the same compartment .
why have 2 compartments and 2 flames working ?
I like separate compartments so I can control the heat in the steamer. It’s a lot touchier than the boil side.