Hot dogs are a go-to option when I need quick and easy family dinner. Most people like them, and they’re also versatile in how they can be served. You can serve them with ketchup, mustard, and relish. You can serve them Chicago style with mustard, onion, relish, pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt. You can serve them as chili cheese dogs topped with leftover chili. You can even slice them and serve them with baked beans. Hot dogs are ideal when serving a crowd, or we often toss a pack in our cooler to take on camping trips, where it’s a treat to cook a hot dog over the campfire.
I like avoiding preservatives when I can, so I like to buy the uncured beef franks Aldi sells. During a recent Trader Joe’s run, I noticed that Aldi’s distant cousin sells its own version of uncured beef hot dogs. The Trader Joe’s dogs have the additional benefit of being grass fed.
Trader Joe’s Organic Uncured Grass Fed Beef Hot Dogs cost $5.99 at the time of writing for a 10-ounce package that contains six hot dogs. That comes out to about $1 per hot dog or about 60 cents per ounce. There are definitely cheaper hot dog options out there, but with these, you’re paying for a more premium product. I also spotted Hebrew National beef franks selling for $4.99 for a pack of six at Trader Joe’s, and you’ll find hot dogs for much less than that at Aldi.
These grass fed hot dogs are USDA organic and are certified organic by Quality Assurance International.
They’re fully cooked and contain no nitrates or nitrites except those naturally occurring in sea salt and celery powder. These are not preserved, and the package states they should be kept refrigerated below 40 degrees at all times. My package had a use- or freeze-by date of about three weeks out from my date of purchase.
Nutrition information, ingredients, and heating directions. (Click to enlarge.)
Ingredients are organic beef, water, and 2% or less of sea salt, organic black pepper, organic ginger, organic nutmeg, organic red pepper flakes, organic paprika, organic garlic powder, organic onion powder, organic coriander extract, organic vinegar powder, celery powder, organic minced onion, and organic garlic puree.
One hot dog (47 grams) has 110 calories, 10 grams of total fat (13% DV), 4.5 grams of saturated fat (23% DV), 400 mg of sodium (17% DV), less than 1 gram of total carbohydrates (0% DV), no dietary fiber, no sugars, and 6 grams of protein.
The package has directions for heating these on the grill, frying them in a skillet, or boiling them.
To grill, add hot dogs to a hot grill and use tongs to turn until dark brown grill marks form. Turn frequently until warmed through, about 8 minutes.
To fry, warm a skillet to medium heat, add hot dogs whole or split through the center. Use tongs to turn frequently until golden brown and warmed through, about 8 minutes.
To boil, bring a large enough pot of water to fit the desired number of hot dogs to a boil. Add hot dogs, lower the heat, and simmer until plump and heated through, about 5 minutes.
We’re big fans of grilling in my household, but I’ve recently learned that hot dogs cooked in the air fryer are also really good. Sometimes on busy evenings the air fryer can actually be a faster way to get dinner on the table versus firing up the outdoor grill.
Ready to serve after air frying.
I air fried these at 400 degrees for 8 minutes, shaking them halfway through. They came out piping hot, with the skins starting to split.
TJ’s hot dog in a TJ’s bun.
We liked these hot dogs. They do have a noticeable skin or outer casing, which makes them a little chewier when you bite into them. In that way, they’re a little similar to Wahlburger hot dogs. These are savory, salty, and just how you’d expect hot dogs to taste. Everyone in my family enjoyed these, and in fact, some people went back for seconds.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s Organic Uncured Grass Fed Beef Hot Dogs are the premium hot dog option at Aldi’s distant cousin. These are savory and slightly chewy, and they were a hit among our taste testers. If you want organic grass fed beef hot dogs without preservatives, these are worth a try.
