This Is What's Really
Inside Your Hot Dog Every time you bite
into a juicy hotdog, you might find yourself
pushing its potential contents
to the back of your mind. But if you'd like to know
what you're eating,
here's the lowdown. No matter if your hot dog
is made of beef, pork or chicken,
they all start with "trimmings." This is a more pleasant term for leftover meat cuts such as fatty tissue, sinewy muscle, head meat and sometimes liver. "Trimmings" can also
include blood, skin and feet,
and it's all USDA-approved. Once combined, the gristle is
pre-cooked to kill bacteria
and formed into a paste. At this point, any number of additives could be introduced. The meat paste is then pumped
into casings to attain its shape. Then the franks are rinsed, the
casing is removed, and they
are ready for consumption. If you'd like to stick with muscle tissue instead of organs, feet and blood, opt for hot dogs labeled "all beef" or "all pork."