6/13/05 | Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs
[ Currently Eating: Coffee ]
Ok, get yer jokes over with now because I’m completely aware of all the comedians out there who want to make a funny about “wieners”. Foot longs and all. But in any case hot dogs can rank pretty high up there on Cheap Eats, as long as you’re not at a baseball game where it’ll run you about four dollars for a hot dog. On the bright side, you get all the 1/4 inch onion pieces you want, relish, ketchup, and mustard (ugh.)
The other day at the supermarket I was persuaded to purchase this 10 pack of Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs. Boy, those product placement people know what they’re doing, suckering in marks like me. I don’t know why they insist on calling them wieners though. Let’s be frank (haha, pun): These are basic hot dogs and nothing fancy.
Many people wouldn’t touch a foot long with a 10 foot pole. I would, however, especially when they are sold 99 cents for 10. I haven’t bought Oscar Meyer Wieners in such a long time that I’ve forgotten how much they normally cost. (I’ve been sticking with Italian Sausage in bulk, or kielbasa on sale) But it certainly seems like Cheap Eats!
The other benefit of buying their products is that you are completely free to sing the Oscar Meyer “theme song” (the one sung in commercials by dopey eyed kids who for all I know are making millions of dollars). If you get some other brand of hot dogs, it’s just not the same thing!
Anyhow for 9 cents per hot dog, I’m not expecting much. I mean we all know the miscellany in the meat (think hog face parts) so if you’re still with me then it’s bound to be a bargain. I note that these hot dogs are definitely smaller and shorter than a normal hot dog you might get at a stand or at a fast food store. An average person can probably eat 3-4 of them, though I wouldn’t recommend that. Of course they don’t have that “snap” or bite that the ones at the really good hot dog stands have. It does help to grill then up a bit or at least fry them. If you’re feeling lazy and boil them, eek… you’re on your own!
I usually don’t have hot dog buns around, so I ate a few of these in a folded slice of bread, ghetto style. Saltier than I remember. Ketchup and relish helps it go down easier. Chili would be even better to slather on it. I have a lot of good memories from going camping where my parents would cook up a sort of egg scramble with chopped hot dogs and onions. Delicious and cheap. In any case, it’s not culinary rocket science. It’s hot dogs, and cheap ones at that.
Cheap Eats Score: 8/10
June 13th, 2005 at 10:17 am
I agree, especially the smokey links great at the ball park, and were especially good at Wrigley Field home of the Cubs.
June 13th, 2005 at 10:45 am
I can’t believe you ruined your hot dog by putting ketchup on it. Any true hot dog afficionado knows hot dogs should have mustard.
June 13th, 2005 at 11:05 am
I love hotdogs. I’m quite partial, though, to all-beef hot dogs. It takes some of the adventure out, and jacks up the price a bit, but a hebrew national all-beef frank is really something. But, I’m not that picky - a hog face dog will do in a pinch. As for cooking them, when I’m really lazy, I’ve been known to actually microwave my hot dogs (gasp!). But also, my new George Foreman rotisserie has instructions on roasting a pound or two of hot dogs in there, so I might give that a try soon.
June 13th, 2005 at 11:15 am
euroyank - yeah, i gotta get out to a dodger game soon…
tim - no mustard.. repeat after me, no mustard…. =) I actually like it with sauerkraut or chili the best…
bottom feeder - boy, I am with you on all beef dogs… much better for taste and psychological factors. When you microwave ‘em do they ever explode? I thought I remember having to poke holes so that didn’t happen.
June 13th, 2005 at 12:31 pm
I wouldn’t say they explode in the microwave. They do tend to split on the ends, and if you go long enough, they split all the way down the side. But, the microwave steals some flaver. I usually use my regular george forman grill - it leaves nice grill marks, and it’s delicious. But next I’m trying the rotisserie - that’s gotta be good.
And, I love mustard. My dogs usually get both mustard and ketchup.
June 13th, 2005 at 12:44 pm
yeah, i have been pan grilling them in a saute pan. I have this grill pan with ridges so it makes nice marks if i use that. I have been wanting to try out the george foreman since a few people recommended that. I actually have a “real” grill outside that I’m too lazy to fire up unless we have a get together.
My mom used to boil ‘em, which is about as ghetto as you can get. Though I’ve seen some hot dog stands and vendors do that as well.
ugh, mustard! =)
June 13th, 2005 at 5:13 pm
I had Hot dogs, Fat free oscar meier weiners, yesterday. Boiled them and I put mustard on them. BTW thats how they have them at Fenway so it can’t be that ghetto. I got them $1.99 for a pack of 8. I do agree about the all beef dogs but they are around $4.00 a pack around here.
(Love the site)
June 13th, 2005 at 5:25 pm
All hot dogs taste alike to me - although I rarely ever eat them since I don’t eat beef. A nice ‘meat’ substitute is MorningStar Farms veggie dogs - although certainly not a cheaper substitute but good all the same.
June 13th, 2005 at 6:03 pm
Aaron - how do the fat free ones taste? I can’t believe they can make those, because after you take out the fat is there any meat left??
Tanya - youre probably smart not to eat them. =) Are the veggie dogs made with tofu? I’m pretty used to “fake meat” and I like it (when I can afford to go out to eat it) … there are a lot of vegetarian chinese and vietnamese restaurants around here. I think they use wheat gluten a lot. I have had some pretty amazing “General Tso chicken” that is made with whole mushrooms. Most of my friends hate the “fake meat” though…
June 13th, 2005 at 6:05 pm
Aaron - I forgot to say… MUSTARD??? Boy, I am certainly in the minority for not liking mustard on dogs!
Has anyone ever had those hot dogs that have nacho cheese injected into the middle. My god…
June 13th, 2005 at 6:10 pm
The fat free ones taste like cheap hot dogs, I think they just use flavorings like other Hot dogs, I think they are good. I have tried other FF hot dogs and they suck (except Healthy Choice but they are really expensive), Maybe Oscar meyer is putting something in them I shouldn’t be eating but they are cheap, filling and taste like HD’s.
I have also had the cheese dogs…They are an abomination. Think poorly made fake cheese that tastes more like chemicals than cheese. Yuck!
June 14th, 2005 at 2:02 pm
Many years ago, when I worked in fast food the gourmet delicacy for the staff was a deep fried hot dog. You cut a couple of slits into it so it wouldn’t explode and dropped it in the french fry grease.
That was in the days before anyone worried about fat grams!
June 14th, 2005 at 2:08 pm
guusje - I think I saw some special on the food network where they profiled a place that sold deep fried hot dogs. I would actually be willing to try it, but yeah I doubt many place will have the guts to serve them! I do like corndogs though, which many fast food stands sell …
July 24th, 2005 at 6:08 pm
I can’t believe you think mustard should be on a hotdog!
Never, NEVER ruin a hotdog with…mustard!!!
July 24th, 2005 at 6:43 pm
mike - i will have to agree with you on that one… as you can see the replies above I am not a big mustard fan in general. I know there are some serious mustard fans out there though… from the look of things we are in the minority. =)
December 18th, 2005 at 1:09 pm
I heard the Oscar Mayer jingle on a Cingular Wireless Cell Phone. The person told me to log on to your web site to down load it to my PC and the to my phone. Is this possible and if so, how do I do it?
May 23rd, 2006 at 1:56 pm
I just wanted to let the world know: Cheese Hot Dogs are delicious. Everybody loves them. In fact, I found 2 boyfriends by luring them into my apartment with Oscar Mayer cheese hot dogs.
November 2nd, 2006 at 2:15 pm
I have to agree with you and mike, mustard and hotdogs don’t mix!!! I usually just fry my hot dogs on the stovetop in a skillet. I think they cook better if you cut slits on the top and bottom sides of the hot dog.
March 1st, 2007 at 7:37 am
used to be able to find o.m. fat free hot dags in Publics super market in S.E. Fl.33321. Now they carry 98% fat free. Did you stop making the other one? If not, where can I buy them?
March 8th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Here in Socal, I used to buy in bulk at my local Smart and Final. Of course you’d pick up other things you “needed” while you were there. Now they’ve decided to discontinue them. All of the local supermarkets which all advertise as the “low price leader” sell them for $3.99 per pack. These had been a family staple with beans at all our family barbeques. They grill up good (for our tastes) and you can nuke ‘em in a pinch. I’ll be darned though if I’ll pay 4 bucks a pack.
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:21 am
Hey I just had a quick comment not to say hot dogs are bad because I like them myself… But I think you guy’s should put a bigger warning on the side of the pack warning parent’s about the danger’s of chocking…. On 7/7/07 my son Logan who is 4 now he was sitting down at the dinner table eating a hot dog.. And he started chocking he was not breathing for 4 minutes and 29 seconds…. I think they should have a bigger warning on the side or back of the package I don’t even know if they have a warning on the package but if they don’t they should that way it warns parent’s… Because that was a tramautic experience for my whole family my daughter,son and I are still having flash back’s especially little Logan. If it was not for his dad and his new grandma at 911 he probley would not be here today… I just think it is very important that people know the chocking danger’s especially Parent’s.. I’m not trying to say hot dogs are bad I’m just trying to warn people… Because it is not an experience I think anyone should ever have to go through… My son’s story made the local paper just to warn other parent’s to be careful and be sure you cut the hot dogs into small pieces so they don’t chock… Thank you for your time Kim
January 30th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
What happened to the cheese dogs? I remember them filling a bun, now it takes two to fill a bun. Could you make them a little fatter? I end up with half a hot dog bun plain,yuck!
February 9th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Are your Oscar Mayer Smoked Ham slices Gluten Free.
kathleen Green
June 18th, 2008 at 4:29 am
I am looking the Supermarkets in Manhattan to purchase
OSCAR MYERS HOT DOGS 3X HOT. WHERE CAN I FIND THESE HOT DOGS PLEASE.
August 24th, 2008 at 9:39 am
I don’t like Oscar Myers new all beef hotdogs.They have a heavy beef taste.I want to eat hotdog not a sauge type beef…. I wish that they still sell the old beef hotdogs, they taste better. So does few friends of mine think the same.