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Some of the more common ones:You can not "sear meat to seal in juices"This is a TV-chef myth. It comes up all the time on the telly, which doesn't make it any more true. In fact, the act of searing the outside of meat actually makes it more porous and therefore more likely to give off juices under pressure. This pressure does not have to be manual, the mere exposure to heat forces the muscle (almost all traditional cuts are muscles) to contract and therefore expel juices from the item.You can't stop those juices, but you can work with it. Searing at great heat and then finishing your meat at lower heat, letting it rest for a while after cooking and before serving, preserves the second-largest amount (top for that is still Sous Vide cooking) of juices.You don't have to keep whipping cream or it "falls apart"I am guilty of that myth myself. Always the strict and fun-removed cooking instructor I want my students to sweat some. But the truth is, when whipping egg whites or cream, stopping in the middle and picking it back up a few seconds later (when that arm gets too heavy) doesn't make your whip fall apart. If anything, it helps by allowing the structure to set and firm up a little. Just don't remove your whisk, leave it inside your liquid at all times, and restart at medium speed, not at full bore.Speaking about myths, you don't need a special whisk for stuff. The whole idea of whisking is integration of air into a liquid - get the one with the most spokes, cheap or expensive, and if you still find yourself having issues use two whisks at once, you'll see the insane difference."Crowding Pasta" is OK in 99% of all casesMy mother believed this one to be true, too. Plus those idiot TV cheflebrities with vaguely Italian names who think that a grandfather from Rome and a vacation in the 80s makes them "Italian" keep perpetuating it. Unless, and that's really the only time, you make your own, 100% semolina (it's not a good mix to begin with), pasta and do not rest/dry it, you don't need to fill a huge pot with lots of water for some product. As long as all of the pasta is covered, crowding is never an issue. Add enough salt to make it, as my Italian chef always said, "taste like the Adria", NO oil (never, ever), and bring to a light, not rolling, boil. And, voila, perfect pasta every time.Bonus: No, it's perfectly OK to buy your pastaA foodie myth. Apparently, I am told, only home made pasta is worth it. Well, that's a myth. Good bought pasta contains exactly the same stuff you'd put into it. Unless it's ravioli (in which case you have to make it yourself to get stuff inside), buying pasta is completely acceptable and done anywhere and everywhere. Yes, that includes Michelin-starred places.Clarification: Barilla and other durum-extruded pastas are different from home made pasta in contents and taste. They're not worse or better, but different. When I refer to store bought pasta it's the stuff you buy at a pasta shop, not a supermarket.Salt and Yeast - not as incompatible as you thinkCooking school myth. "Don't put salt on the yeast, you'll kill it". Active dry yeast, double-rise yeast, all those kinds, don't get too bothered by salt. If you are using bakers-loaf yeast (the alive kind in a block), salt can act as a desiccant and implode your yeasties, but if you bloom or add into dough just the packet yeast everyone else uses don't worry about salt touching it.Pasta does not (should not) be rinsedTHAT one is one persistent myth. Many people I know seem to like to cook their pasta, then shock it. And that, firstly, doesn't stop the cooking process as quickly as one would assume, and - secondly - washes off all that nice starch covering the outside of the pasta. This, in turn, leads to thinner sauces, lack of sauce-pasta adherence, and to a drying of your pasta. Cook until 80% done al dente, then just remove and let stand and finish cooking while you set up the sauce.Adding salt doesn't make your water boil fasterAdding salt actually raises the boiling point of water. The amount of salt we add to cooking water, however, is way too low to make a discernible difference to the things cooked in it. Salt seasons food, it acts hygroscopic in some cases, and in the case of pasta it actually counteracts some of the starch cohesion while cooking.Santoku knifes aren't worth itGet a chef's knife. Buying Santoku doesn't make you more sophisticated or for better cuts. French knifes (the slightly curved blade kind, known as "Chef's Knife") work like saws - one slices them across the surface and the blade's miniature 'teeth' cut through the product. Santokus work like axes - by pushing apart the cut. For this to work, Santoku have to be insanely sharp, thin, and be made of extremely good steel. Such technology does not come at a $200 price.Stick with a chef's knife, it's better.Lard is healthier than you thinkLard has less saturated fat, more unsaturated fat, and less cholesterol than an equal amount of butter by weight. It also contains no trans-fats while Margarine and Shortenings do. The "Lard is bad for you" myth was started by the hydrogenated vegetable oil producers who wanted to push butter and lard off the shelves to make room for their chemical crapola.One does not "caramelize" onionsOnions brown, they do not caramelize. For caramelization to occur, sugar has to be present in mono- or disaccharide form. In onions, the amino acids are deprotonated and react with the sugar's carbonyl group. Why is that important? Well, it's bad form not to call a spade a spade (onions are browned, not caramelized) and it's important to cooks since, alas, temperature requirements are different.It doesn't matter how often you flip meatThe "flip once" team and the "flip often" team are both right and wrong at the same time. It does not matter, for even cooking, how often meat is flipped. Most of the internal cooking process works through liquid redistribution as the muscle contracts and expands accordingly.Update: Xianhang Zhang points out that McGee seems to favor "flip often". He told me three years ago that he was on the fence, leaning towards no difference between the two. Since this seems to have changed (though I still find no difference in my own work), flip often if you wish, either way it won't harm the meat :)The "heat" is not in the seedsCapsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) can be found anywhere in fruits that hold it (yes, chili peppers are fruits), but the highest concentration is actually in the placental layer of the fruit, the white flesh. Seeds have very little of it, actually, the heat comes from capsaicin that adheres to the outside of the seeds when the white flesh is cut.Baking Soda does nothing for your fridgeBaking soda does not absorb bad smells. It's an Arm & Hammer myth and scientifically false. How would baking soda DO that, anyways?One does not "cook out all the nutrients" when cooking veggies - Bonus: raw vegetables are not better (a major myth, lie, and source of massive income for some charlatans selling 'raw food' diet books)Most vitamins are unaffected by heat. (see: What vitamins in vegetables are degraded or stay preserved during cooking?) Many of the minerals and vitamins in food are, actually, much more completely absorbed in the stomach when cooked beforehand. To re-iterate: raw foods are not, at all, healthier.Update: there are some contemplations in the comments which seem to contradict my statement. Read both sides.MSG is NOT bad for 99.9% of all AmericansThe "Chinese disease" is a myth. A very small number of humans have an intolerance to glutamates (much less than, say, to salts or sugars) and will feel adverse effects. MSG itself, however, is not harmful in the least to most anyone. To "poison" someone with MSG the amount would have to be so humongous, the food would taste like crap and be 90% MSG.Gluten is NOT bad for 99.5% of all AmericansIn 2005 a few niche providers of gluten free food saw an "in" and started maligning this age-old, completely harmless, substance. Today you can buy "gluten free" dog food, which is as much an abomination as the diet quacks and health food snake-oil vendors who claim that a gluten free diet has any positive effect on people. People with coeliac disease, however, must observe a gluten free diet.Alcohol doesn't "burn off"Your grandmother's Rum Cake or that red wine in the sauce won't get you sloshed, but there's nothing you can do to food with alcohol in it, short of rendering it inedible, that will remove all the alcohol. Cook without it if anyone in your family has an intolerance.Update: It violates everything basic chemistry taught us about alcohol, yes. Find a a USDA study I participated in and from which I draw my conclusions here: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/retn6/retn06.pdfMarinades or special concoctions do not "tenderize" meatNeither one permeates the meat very deeply. Don't believe me? Buy a cheap cut and some "tenderizer", pour food coloring into the solution, and put your meat into it. A day later cut it open - only a very shallow outer layer will be dyed. Marinades adhere to the outside and permeate into the meat fractions of a millimeter, but they flavor, not tenderize, the meat.Update: Xianhang Zhang points out that Yogurt based marinades penetrate deeper and do tenderize. In general, still, the old-wife's tale of marinades "penetrating deep and tenderizing" is a myth.When you burn yourself (happens to anyone), don't add ice to the injury or flour or anything else!Adding ice to a burn will only damage the tissue more (think freezer burn), flour is a bad idea, also. When you burn yourself rinse with cool, not cold, water to stop your skin from cooking, add antibiotic ointment, cover, let heal. See a doctor for anything bigger than 5cm."Well Done" meats aren't inherently safer than medium rare or rare meatsMuscles are great things. One of the cool things about them is their ability to be completely shut off against many food borne illnesses. Most any, close to 99% of all, food borne illnesses are found not in the muscle but - through cross-contamination - on its outside. Once that part of the meat is exposed to the heat of a pan most of them are dead, too. Two caveats: ground meat and, a pet peeve of mine, those "tenderizer" needle stamps. Both will, if it is present, introduce nasty critters into the inside of the muscle or product. If you use ground meat grind it yourself after washing off the outside of the meat with water, working extremely cool all the time.Update: Ori Barbut disagrees with me, here (see comments). While the main issue of our conversation is simply the validity of mechanical tenderizing, he states that regular cooking should counter the introduction of contaminants into the meat. I'll have to read up on this some more, my main myth busting stands in both cases, medium-rare meat is not more dangerous than well done meat if prepared correctly, the exception being ground meat in any case.

So, you’re thinking of creating a food blog.You were just going to start drafting your recipe, cooking and clicking it. But somehow you stumbled upon this answer.Types of food blogs?Wait a second, food blogging has types?!YES!For a majority of us, food blogging refers to the art of cooking and posting only.But there’s a lot more than what meets the eye!Read ahead to find out about 4 types of food blogs you can start creating today!Also, this article will help you find your very own blogging style#1 Cuisine specific blogs#2 Food critics#3 Cooking and posting#4 Specific niche blogs#1 Cuisine specific blogsFood blogs which specialise in a particular cuisine are hard to find.However, it wouldn’t be right to say that they’re not in demand!Do you possess knowledge about a particular cuisine?Do you aim to promote traditional and authentic dishes?Do you like travelling across the globe and exploring various cuisines?Then this food blogging style is for you!What makes this food blogging style special?It still has a lot of potential target audience, as it hasn’t been fully explored yet! To put it better, this food blogging style can be compared to a gold mine which has still not been dug up! There is no reason why your food blog can’t pay you back when you adopt this style.It helps spread awareness about ancestral culinary customs and traditions. For instance, let’s say that you grew up in a Gujarati household. You might remember some authentic yet lip-smackingly delicious recipes prepared by your grandma. Did those recipes involve any traditional cooking hacks? It’s time to explore and promote your culture through food!Here’s how you can start-Conduct extensive research on the cuisine you’re most familiar with. Collect information aboutOriginPopularityPeriod of existenceHistory of development and variantsCollect the most authentic recipes in your cuisine. Look for dishes which have been tried and tested by your ancestors but are not quite popular these days.Ask your grandma for her cooking hacks and include them in your food blog. Doing so will give your content an edge over the other food blogs out there.People find it quite interesting to read about traditional customs and how they can adopt them to get that authentic taste in their dishes!#Pro Tip- Mention the health benefits of your authentic recipes. Traditional food culture is certainly way more nutritious than what we practice today! Posting delicious authentic recipes along with how they can keep one fit is the magic mantra for the success of your cuisine specific food blog!Here are some popular cuisines you can try-IndianItalianMexicanContinentalThaiChineseMughlaiThis kind of food blog gets your audience up and working.After all, who wouldn’t want to try verified recipes from around the globe!Exciting isn’t it?!#2 Food Critics-Food critics are people who analyse food, restaurants and eateries at a professional level. These people share their reviews, experiences and opinions with others through blog websites.Do youEnjoy trying various dishes and beverages?Feel comfortable in exposing your tastebuds to unfamiliar foods?Like writing reviews and expressing yourself?Then this food blogging style is for you!What makes this food blogging style special?You get the opportunity to try various dishes from around the globe.You can connect with other food enthusiasts and consider their experiences. This adds to your knowledge base thus giving your audience the best reviews and advice!When you combine your analytical skills with your love for food, the content produced is bound to attract a lot of people! People love to look out for well-written reviews and opinions before trying something new.Making use of this fact will certainly boost your journey as a food critic!Here’s how you can start-Research your locality-Create a list of all the restaurants in your area. Also, remember to record their specialities. In this way, you can plan your tasting journey in an organised manner and stay well-informed about any developments in those eateries.Know the popular chefs-Try to interact with successful chefs in your locality and interview them. Posting their statements on your food blog would certainly give you an edge over others.Read established food critic blogs-Try to learn from the best! No one else can provide you with better advice in this domain other than food critics themselves! Learn from their experiences and consider their tips. Soon, you might be one of them!Train your palate-To become a good food critic, you need to have an extraordinarily strong sense of taste. You need to know whether or not your tastebuds can recognize different flavours. Here, the detail is very important.Seek an internship with an established food critic-By doing so, you can make sure that your research is headed in the correct direction. As an intern, you can start by creating posts on nutrition, restaurants and culinary news. Proper guidance is bound to play a huge role in your success as a food critic!Polishing your content writing skills-For a successful food critic blog, it is essential that your content writing and editing skills are up to the mark. Although it’s not mandatory, most of the food critics earn a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, English or communications.Well curated content along with extensive research and experience is what you need for your food critic blog to stand out!#Pro Tip- As a food critic, you need to be open to all sorts of dishes and cuisines. If you’re a picky eater, then this food blogging style is NOT for you. As a food critic, your job is to serve as the voice of the foodie community! This cannot happen unless and until you develop your palate for different foods and flavours.An ordinary person would say- “It tasted good”But a food critic would have to deeply explain the effect of all the ingredients in that particular dish and also comment extensively on its presentation.Sounds like a lot of hard work doesn’t it?It’s worth it!#3 Cooking and Posting Blogs-This food blogging style is undoubtedly the most popular one.This is because newbie food bloggers find this food blogging style to be the most comfortable one to start with.Do you want your food blog to be a personal journal about your cooking journey?Do you know about various cuisines and cooking styles?Are you willing to share your food journey and experiences with the world?Then this food blogging style is for you!Here are some tips to help you get started!Don’t forget to post your cooking stories with appetising pictures!Post tried and tested recipes onlyBe careful while experimenting but do not hold yourself back while trying innovative recipes!Be authentic and produce the best content you possibly can!#Pro Tip- Do not forget to mention any incidents or stories connected to your recipes. Doing so would help your audience connect with you at a personal level. I can assure you that once this happens, your viewers would stay in touch with your food blog and eagerly wait for your posts!Your posts could be about all sorts of recipes ranging from authentic food to innovative variants!#4 Niche Blogs-This food blogging style is always in demand. It has a huge target audience, which is the reason behind its popularity. Examples of Niche blogs are-Baking Blogs-Food blogs that are entirely dedicated to baking recipes. If baking is your thing, go for it!Vegetarian Blogs-Why should vegetarians miss out on the fun?! Create this blog if you have fun and healthy vegetarian recipes at your tips.Recipes for weight-watchers-Believe me, if you choose this niche and create a perfect food blog for weight-watchers, you are bound to gain instant popularity!Do you specialise in nutrition sciences along with food?Then this is what you’ve got to be doing!#Pro Tip- To make your food blog stand out, give glimpses of your lifestyle choices. Promote healthy eating and fitness goals through innovative and specific recipes. Follow this pro tip and see your audience size increase in no time!Summing UpThis answer broadly covers the most popular food blogging styles out there. However, keep in mind that when it comes to food blogging, there is no rigid rule.Often, a food blog has overlapping elements from all of the types covered in this article.However,I don’t see a reason why you cannot come up with your very own food blogging style!You can try blending the above-mentioned styles, break each type down into smaller sub-types or innovate to give rise to a new food blogging style.Even though you might not be an expert in your area of practice, this doe not discourage online traffic. Influencer audiences are quite attracted to content like descriptions, photos and videos related to eating, cooking or even dieting!People will follow your food blog to keep up to date with the latest food trends, restaurants and other creative ideas that you have to offer.Creating well-written, attractive and easily-digestible content will certainly help you earn feedback not only in terms of views but also likes, shares and comments!Your engagement style, persona and persuasive skills are the main determinants of the amount of influence you gain!What are you waiting for?Start creating your food blog today!Follow/DM for more adviceTill thenStay Tuned❤❤❤

To the discerning but uninitiated, a hot dog tastes like a very mild pâté with a firm, springy, and very even texture. If all-beef, the sausage has a noticeable but not overwhelming boeuf taste to it. Spices are difficult to isolate, but are a blend of coriander, celery, peppercorn, garlic, paprika, cumin, and various others. The saltiness is similarly mild, as compared to a typical cured meat, and mostly just reinforces the underlying umami, giving it the saltiness one associates with a homemade soup broth, especially with the celery notes. It comes wrapped in a mostly flavorless and very light but resilient white bun, which has the low moisture content of most highly-processed breads, and topped with a choice of numerous condiments.But what even is a hot dog?That is the sort of question that, in politic society, makes good men nervous.In all honesty, however, knowing how the sausage is made is not quite as horrifying as your vegetarian friend is convinced it is. The main ingredient varies between high and low dollar dogs, but the constant factor is that there is always beef, pork, or some other livestock meat present, per USDA standards.Sadly, the idea that this:…is the main ingredient of hot dogs is mostly an urban myth. Only high quality, top dollar hot dogs are made with intestines, and then they are usually sheep’s, not pig’s.You read that right. High dollar. High quality hot dogs, as well as a few regional varieties, have the casings left on them after precooking. This casing gives the sausage an extra ‘pop’ or ‘snap’ when bitten into, similar to the skin on many fruits, and helps to hold in the flavors and juices during cooking.[1][1][1][1] Since the natural casing add cost, hot dog makers usually use cheaper artificial casings which, since they are generally either non-edible or not deliciously edible, are removed. If I am not mistaken, the regional hot dog of eastern North Carolina, the Carolina Bright Leaf, is wrapped in a natural casing (I need to swing by Piggly Wiggly and verify).Incidentally, if you are ever in North Carolina, I recommend trying it out. The spice-heavy recipe gives the hot dogs a very unique flavor and even a little peppery heat.[2][2][2][2]Similarly, for those fortunate few in the world blessed by the combined providence of God, America, and mankind to live in a state with a Cook-Out restaurant, you are obliged to treat yourself to the Carolina-style hot dog.But I am getting distracted. Back to hot dogs and offal. Generally, most hot dogs do not contain organs, or, if they do, are labeled as such. USDA labeling requirements, if I am correct, are that any hot dogs containing organs has to have “variety meats” or “meat by-products” on the ingredients list.[3][3][3][3]Though, I do sometimes wonder why there is such a fuss about organs anyway. Americans have this weird issue with the non-meat parts of animals. I am not entirely sure why, and it is a commonality across many of the ingredients used in hot dogs, not just the offal.Beginning with the offal, however. Offal, for those who are unaware, is the term for the edible organs of slaughtered livestock, heart, liver, kidney, etc. and can also include meat-bearing parts, like foot and neck.My personal preference is for liver. And really, can there be any dissent? With liver, we have such scrumptious and extremely nutrient-dense goodies as:The aforementioned pâtéThe humble and affable leberwurst or as Americans usually call it, braunschweigerAnd of course, the ever-controversial but undeniably and decadently tasty, foie grasAnd if French cuisine is unimaginable without liver, where would British cuisine be without kidney?Just the mere mention of it brings me back to P.G. Wodehouse stories of steak and kidney pie.And there are the honorable mentions, brain, gizzard, and the like. Gizzard, as any true Southerner knows, is a delicacy fried and eaten with Texas Pete. Brain, well, aside from the novelty of it, it mostly just tasteless and kind of soggy. Meh.Beyond organs, we have feet, neck, and the like. But, again, I feel that it is mostly our American foody prudishness that prevents our enjoying the fact we enjoy these foods. Really, what better way to make stock than with cow’s foot? The level of umami and richness of the resulting broth is unmatched. And where do pigs feet take us but to the very pinnacle of babushka’s cooking, the sacred kholodets?Granted, every family has a black sheep and every batch a dud. It would be dishonest of me not to include a final dishonorable mention.Scotland, you can keep your fvcking haggis!So there you have it. Offal is not only not disgusting (you will get to decide what is actually disgusting when we get to the meat products section here in a minute), it can be the base for some veritable culinary masterpieces. It seems there is even renewed interest in the use of offal in gourmet hot dogs, see the end of this article.About that meat…This is where there is a lot of variation among hot dogs. As mentioned before, all hot dogs must contain livestock meat, but there is a world of difference between an all-beef premium dog and a $0.99 pack of cheese wieners. In addition to ground meat, be it beef or pork, poultry meat is commonly added to lower costs. Similarly, in most hot dogs, while the first ingredients is usually beef and/or pork trimmings, a lot of the meat will be in the form of mechanically separated meat and meat from advanced meat recovery. Potentially, one can also find lean finely textured beef and reconstituted meat in the ingredients list, though I suspect this is less common now that consumer preferences have shifted.Wait wait wait Raphael. What are those?I am glad you asked. Beef or pork trimmings is simply the name for the small pieces of intact meat that are a product of when larger cuts of meat are produced.[4][4][4][4] Additionally, small pieces of meat recovered from bones are also considered trimmings—but only if the bone is not broken in the process. Thus, with techniques like advanced meat recovery, pieces of meat are mechanically removed from the bones in a way that does not lead to bone fragments ending up in the meat. Meat produced this way is tested for elevated calcium levels to ensure no bone is present.[5][5][5][5] If there are bone fragments in the meat, it has to be labeled as mechanically separated meat. Bizarrely, mechanically separated meat is not the same thing as advanced meat recovery. Rather, in this case bones are not only broken, but ground up, along with the meat, and then passed through a sieve to separate the bone from the meat and other tissues. Since the resulting product contains connective tissues, marrow, and other materials, it cannot be sold simply as “meat.” It has a very fine texture, and is essentially a paste, sometimes getting used in that form.This process is fairly common with poultry, but since the mad cow disease scare, is illegal with beef.[6][6][6][6] Hence, if you are interested in only eating meat in your hot dog, buy the all-beef kind. Lean finely textured beef and reconstituted meat are related, highly-processed products, made from beef and poultry respectively. In both, an unwanted part of the meat, fat in the beef and myoglobin in the poultry, is removed by grinding the meat, mixing it with water, heating it in a centrifuge and separating out the undesired part. The beef product can then be used as an additive to lower the fat content of ground beef (because it is “healthier” to be low-fat…), and the poultry product is much easier to mold and light in color, finding its way into chicken nuggets and other cheap forms of meat.[7][7][7][7] [8][8][8][8]Lean finely textured beef became rather infamous in the last decade after a series of exposés. In particular, the use of ammonia as a sanitizing agent was heavily criticized. The reason for the use of ammonia is somewhat complex, but a large part of it has to do with the fact that finely grinding the meat, heating it up, and processing it in industrial quantities leaves it at high risk for bacterial contamination. The fact that this ‘high risk’ meat product is even legal is the source of considerable controversy, especially since the regulation of cuts of meat is generally lower and, well, convoluted.[9][9][9][9] But, well, that is basically the story of the USDA anyway…So that is what is up with the meat. It is mostly meat, albeit usually low-quality meat. The news, good or bad, is that it is a fairly heavily-regulated food item (see here for the details). In general, if you do not mind chicken nuggets, there is not much about hot dogs you can complain about, and if you are uncomfortable with mechanically separated meat and other food industry shenanigans, (and who would blame you?) opt for the all-beef hot dogs.[10][10][10][10]That leaves us then with the fillers, additives, and flavorings!Yes, you thought we were almost done with our “what is a hot dog?” journey. Oh no, mate, not even close.I really like the list from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (no, I do not work for them), I will steal it and add a few comments of my own:Ascorbic acid/Sodium ascorbate - Also known as Vitamin C, helps speed up the curing reaction between sodium nitrite and the meat. Per USDA regulation it is not permitted for use with Uncured Products (No Nitrites Added except celery juice powder). This ingredient is effective and used at very small amounts. Research has shown that including Vitamin C with sodium nitrite effectively prevents the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in fried bacon.I will note that ascorbic acid is a very common preservative. You will find it in a very, very wide range of foods. It is a win-win sort of thing, because food manufacturers can churn out artificially flavored fruit punch by the gallon and, by using vitamin C as a preservative, get to claim that it is healthy. Yay American food industry!Autolyzed Yeast Extract - Flavor enhancer derived from yeast and used to add a savory meaty flavor.From Livestrong, “Autolyzed yeast extract is a substance that results when yeast is broken down into its constituent components. It naturally contains free glutamic acid, or monosodium glutamate, and is often used as a less expensive substitute for MSG.”[11][11][11][11]Beef - Most commonly pieces of meat cut away from steaks or roasts. It is then very finely ground and mixed with other spices. Variety meats or organ meats are not typically used in hot dogs or sausages and if organs are used, the specific organ will be included in the ingredients statement on the package and the front of the package will declare “with variety meats” or “with meat byproducts.”Beef Stock - Key ingredient in soup, most commonly made by cooking beef bones in water. May be added to achieve a “meatier” flavor.Celery powder - Dried, ground concentrate prepared from fresh celery, which is naturally rich in nitrate. Celery powder can be a curing ingredient in place of sodium nitrite. It is commonly found in “uncured” or organic products. It can also be added as a spice. Cultured Celery powder has nitrite. Cultured celery powder has the same effects and benefits as sodium nitrite regarding: 1) anti-oxidant which inhibits rancidity development; gives cured meats their characteristic pink color and their unique cured taste; and 3) inhibits many dangerous bacteria helping make the hot dogs much safer.This one I found fascinating. I had no idea celery was a useful preservative, and had always assumed it was merely a flavoring.Cherry Powder - Finely ground powder extracted from cherries. In hot dogs it may be used to assist with color development and stability and as a source of Vitamin C, which helps speed up the curing process.Citric acid - A naturally occurring acid in citrus fruits and tomatoes commonly used to control the acidity of products.Collagen casing - An edible casing alternative to hog or sheep intestines. Made from beef proteins.In the regular, everyday hot dog, these are removed after precooking. Sometimes, as with Russian hot dogs, sosiski, they are left on.Dextrose - A sugar found naturally in fruits and honey, which can also be derived from starch (this might be labeled as “cultured dextrose”). It enhances flavor and browning during cooking.It would not be an American food if it did not contain added sugar…Flavoring - Flavors to add a depth of taste. These are typically concentrated extracts derived from herbs, spices and vegetables.Garlic puree - Pureed cloves of garlic.Hydrolyzed vegetable protein - A flavor enhancer produced by boiling and breaking down cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid into their component amino acids.Naturally occurring forms of this are one of the things that makes soy sauce so tasty, and are a big part of what makes bouillon bouillon. The manufacturing process does sound kind of extreme, though.Lactate/diacetate - Salts (sodium or potassium) derived from organic acids that inhibit growth of bacteria and enhance safety. Lactate is made in our bodies as part of normal metabolism. As an ingredient, it is manufactured from corn by fermentation. Diacetate is a form of vinegar which is also manufactured by fermentation.Lauric arginate - Prevents bacterial growth. It is a derivative of lauric acid which is commonly found in coconut and palm kernel oils, the amino acid L-arginine and ethanol.Or, as I like to call it, iocane powder.Maltodextrin - A carbohydrate used to create even and consistent flavor. Maltodextrin evenly spreads flavors through a product so every mouthful tastes good. Most commonly made from corn. Brewers also use it in beer.This is another very common additive. Essentially, it is cooked starch, usually from corn.Mechanically separated chicken/turkey - Chicken or turkey removed from the bones with specialized machines that use pressure to separate the meat. Since mechanically separated chicken or turkey is derived from poultry meat that is close to the bone, it can have slightly higher calcium content when compared to whole muscles. Because of this, USDA requires that it be included in the ingredients as “mechanically separated” when used.While not lying, I think they could have been more truthful, as in offering the fullness of the truth or being full of truth rather than diet truth or having truth flavoring, here.Modified food starch - A starch that has been modified so that it is a functional ingredient. Modified food starch is used as a thickener to give a consistent texture similar to how you might use corn starch at home. Most commonly made from corn, but also can be made from wheat or potatoes.Monosodium glutamate (MSG) - A flavor enhancer comprised simply of sodium and the amino acid glutamate, primarily made through fermentation of corn. Helpful as a way to reduce sodium in products as MSG contains only one-third the amount of sodium as table salt. Glutamate and MSG provide the savory “umami” flavor common in meats, ripe tomatoes and parmesan cheese (both of which contain naturally occurring MSG.) It must be declared as MSG on meat and poultry labels.Natural Sheep Casing - Casing made from the cleaned intestines of a lamb.Again, sadly, only in the case of fancy-arsed hot dogs.Oleoresin of Paprika - Technical name for paprika extract which is a natural food ingredient extracted from red peppers. Provides both flavor and natural red coloring.Phosphates - A naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus used in meat and poultry products for maintaining moisture in products to enhance juiciness and tenderness and prevent off flavors from developing in fat. Sodium or potassium phosphates most common in hot dogs.Unless I am wrong, and I am never wrong, the phosphates are help prevent rancidity in the fats by hindering oxidation.Pork - Most commonly pieces of meat cut away from larger cuts like chops or tenderloin. It is then very finely ground and mixed with other spices. “Variety meats” or organ meats are not typically used in hot dogs or sausages and if organs are used, the specific organ will be included in the ingredients statement on the package and the front of the package will declare “with variety meats” or “with meat byproducts.”Salt - Mined from the earth or obtained from sea water, salt is an essential ingredient in processed and cured meat products that adds flavor, texture, protects against bacteria and extends shelf life. Before refrigeration, salting of meat (done at very high concentrations) was essential in preventing spoilage.Smoke flavoring - A condensed form of smoke made by capturing and condensing smoke particles from burning woods, such as maple and hickory. Smoke flavoring is an alternative to smoking via the burning of wood during the cooking process. Smoke flavoring gives products a smoky taste without a grill.From what I understand, this is essentially smoked water. I am not sure if there are other additives used.Sodium erythorbate - Having almost the exact chemical composition as Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), erythorbate provides exactly the same function as ascorbic acid. See Ascorbic acid above. Just as with ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate, using sodium erythorbate with sodium nitrite effectively prevents the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in fried bacon. In contrast to a popular urban legend, erythorbate is NOT made from earthworms, though the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports receiving many inquiries about erythorbate’s source. It is speculated that the similarity in the spelling of the words “erythorbate” and “earthworms” has led to this confusion.Sodium nitrite - A ingredient responsible for curing, sodium nitrite is 1)anti-oxidant which keeps hot dogs from quickly going rancid; 2) gives cured meats their characteristic pink color and their unique cured taste; and 3) inhibits many dangerous bacteria helping make the hot dogs much safer. While the closely related “sodium nitrate” was commonly used in the decades past, today, nitrite is used almost exclusively to cure meats. Nitrite used in cured meats is extremely effective in preventing the deadly disease botulism. Interestingly, although consumers commonly think cured meats are the major source of nitrite in the diet, in reality, 93 percent of daily nitrite intake comes from vegetables and from saliva. Sodium nitrite is part of the normal nitrogen cycle in humans and the body actually produces and recirculates nitrate, which is converted to nitrite in our saliva. Scientists now think that humans may make nitrite as part of its bodily defenses. In some cases, processed products labeled “uncured” contain celery juice or other ingredients high in naturally occurring nitrite as a substitute for sodium nitrite made through a purification process.This is probably one of the more controversial ingredients. Here they make a fairly strong case for why the health concerns are over-blown. I honestly need to do more research, as the use of ascorbic acid and similar substances to limit the cancer risk of nitrites is very intriguing.Sorbitol - A sugar substitute naturally found in fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, and prunes and can also be made from corn syrupSoy protein concentrate - Made from soybean flour after the sugar portion has been removed. Can be used to enhance texture and even make low-fat hot dogs.Spices - A variety of plant-derived spices are commonly added to processed meat products. The most common spices used include red, white and black pepper, garlic, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, paprika and allspice.Sugar and corn syrup - Sweeteners that add flavor and promote browning.Again, typical American sh*t. On the plus side, by adding sugar and letting you the cook burn the sugar while cooking, they negate the need to add industrially produced caramel coloring, which is just highly, highly caramelized sugar. Additionally, a uniformly brown hot dog that does not change color much during cooking would be, well, off-putting. Kudos for the sugar, I guess.Water - Water (or sometimes ice) is mixed in with the meat and spices to help blending. USDA regulations control how much water can be added to hot dogs.Yeast extract - A natural flavor derived from yeast which adds a savory taste.[12]I am not sure how much difference there is between this and autolyzed yeast extract. I suspect normal yeast extract is essentially Vegemite or Marmite.So there you have it kids. Hot dogs.You can find a similar list in this Scientific American article.What does a hot dog taste like?To the discerning and well-informed, a hot dog tastes like a very mild pâté, sans the actual offal, with a firm, springy or even snappy if natural casings are used, and very even texture on account of the find grinding process, the food starch, and similar additives. If all-beef, the sausage has a noticeable but not overwhelming boeuf taste to it and none of the additives of questionable wholesomeness, an absence which tends to prevent the chalky or sour off flavors of cheaper hot dogs that do contain those additives. Spices are difficult to isolate in most brands, but are a blend of coriander, celery, peppercorn, garlic, paprika, cumin, and various others, often in extracted form. To accent the spices, and to aid in coloration when cooking, various forms of sugar are present, if hard to actually taste directly. The saltiness is similarly mild, as compared to a typical cured meat, but does often have that zing of nitrites one gets in other cured meats, and the salt mostly just reinforces the underlying umami that comes from the meat firstly, but also the yeast extracts and other MSG and amino acid bearing ingredients, giving it the saltiness one associates with a homemade soup broth, especially with the celery notes. It comes wrapped in a mostly flavorless and very light but resilient white bun, which has the low moisture content of most highly-processed breads, and a choice of numerous condiments.Footnotes[1] How Did The Hot Dog Get Such A Bad Rap?[1] How Did The Hot Dog Get Such A Bad Rap?[1] How Did The Hot Dog Get Such A Bad Rap?[1] How Did The Hot Dog Get Such A Bad Rap?[2] Carolina Packers - Hotdogs[2] Carolina Packers - Hotdogs[2] Carolina Packers - Hotdogs[2] Carolina Packers - Hotdogs[3] Hot Dog Ingredients Guide[3] Hot Dog Ingredients Guide[3] Hot Dog Ingredients Guide[3] Hot Dog Ingredients Guide[4] https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=a/GetDocumentAction/i/89500[4] https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=a/GetDocumentAction/i/89500[4] https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=a/GetDocumentAction/i/89500[4] https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=a/GetDocumentAction/i/89500[5] Advanced meat recovery - Wikipedia[5] Advanced meat recovery - Wikipedia[5] Advanced meat recovery - Wikipedia[5] Advanced meat recovery - Wikipedia[6] What's in Your Wiener? Hot Dog Ingredients Explained[6] What's in Your Wiener? Hot Dog Ingredients Explained[6] What's in Your Wiener? Hot Dog Ingredients Explained[6] What's in Your Wiener? Hot Dog Ingredients Explained[7] Reconstituted meat - Wikipedia[7] Reconstituted meat - Wikipedia[7] Reconstituted meat - Wikipedia[7] Reconstituted meat - Wikipedia[8] Pink slime - Wikipedia[8] Pink slime - Wikipedia[8] Pink slime - Wikipedia[8] Pink slime - Wikipedia[9] Why Do Beef Trimmings Need to be Sanitized? | Food Safety News[9] Why Do Beef Trimmings Need to be Sanitized? | Food Safety News[9] Why Do Beef Trimmings Need to be Sanitized? | Food Safety News[9] Why Do Beef Trimmings Need to be Sanitized? | Food Safety News[10] What are hot dogs really made of?[10] What are hot dogs really made of?[10] What are hot dogs really made of?[10] What are hot dogs really made of?[11] What Is Autolyzed Yeast Extract? | Livestrong.com[11] What Is Autolyzed Yeast Extract? | Livestrong.com[11] What Is Autolyzed Yeast Extract? | Livestrong.com[11] What Is Autolyzed Yeast Extract? | Livestrong.com[12] Hot Dog Ingredients Guide