Polish Vs. Hot Dog – Interesting Facts

Humans love great food; to be more specific, we do love tasty foods. The sausages do bring a different kind of feel to the humans. They are so sweet and come in a variety of flavors. 

However, their flavors and method of preparation vary across different cultures, tribes, and even nations. On the contrary, sausages also evoke some great feeling of national pride. 

For example, the Americans revere the hot dog; the British people love their bready bangers, while the polish adores their Kielbasa, commonly known as the polish sausage.

The sausages are just a unique kind of food, and they do hold a special place in people’s affections. Here is a quick comparison between the two before we dive deeper into our topic.

Polish Vs. Hot Hog

The polish sausage is commonly known as Kielbasa in Poland. The Kielbasa has played a significant role in the Polish food culture. 

The polish sausages have distinctive flavors such as the garlic taste plus other unique flavors like pimentos, cloves, smoke, and marjoram.

The hot dog is the most consumed street food in America. It is much considered in American law. The considerable difference between the hot dog and the polish sausage is in their flavors and way of production. 

The typical American hot dog recipes tend to have fewer recipes and are mild. They mostly use garlic, paprika, and salt. 

History Of The Polish Sausage And The Hot Dog

Sausages are among the oldest processed food in the world. The sausage has been mentioned in the Homers odyssey written between the 8th to 7th centuries BCE. 

Polish sausage

The polish sausage, also known as the Kielbasa, has its origin in Poland. The Kielbasa was first mentioned in history books in the 18th century. 

The polish people used the term kielbasa to refer to a heavily smoked sausage thick and dark in color. During the 18th century, only the noblemen and high stature knights could afford the Kielbasa. 

However, the polish sausage has undergone a lot of transformation flavor-wise. Today there are almost more than 100 different flavors, and new recipes are still being created.

The hot dog

It is the most famous street food in America. The hot dog has a rich history; however, its origin is so conflicting since most cultures claim it. 

Historians do argue that the first hot dog originated from Rome; eventually, it was brought to Germany. The Germans then came up with different versions of the hot dog. 

However, the Germans do claim that they are the original creators of the hot dog. The hot dogs are sometimes referred to as frankfurter, which comes from Frankfurt in Germany. 

Frankfurt is believed to be the origin of the pork sausages, which are very similar to the hot dog. The pork sausages were then introduced to America by the German immigrants. 

These types of sausages were continuously imported to the United States until they became so popular. Before, the Americans referred to it as dachshund sausages or red hot.

Tag Dorgon, then an American sports cartoonist, has been given credit for coming up with their current elusive name, “the hot dog.” 

Shape

Polish sausage

Typically the polish sausage is U-shaped and is usually contains pork, and it’s prepared through smoking. First, the pork is cured, grounded with fat, and enriched with several spices such as marjoram, garlic, or cloves. 

These contents are then stuffed into an artificial casing or intestines. After this, they are subjected to the smoking and drying process. 

Hot dogs

Hot dogs are cylindrically shaped. And contain around 450 mg of sodium, 5-7 grams of proteins, 13 grams of fat, and 150 calories. 

The hot dogs are processed by chopping meat, mixing it with various colorants and flavorings, and curing ingredients. 

The contents are then stuffed into an artificial casing. The hot dog is cooked, removed from the synthetic case, and is placed in the final package. 

Colour

Polish sausage

The polish sausages do come in several colors. The unique one is the “Biala Kielbasa,” which is white. Their key ingredient is raw pork or beef; it’s then covered with the white natural animal intestines, which gives it the white appearance. 

Another type of polish sausage is the Kiszka. It’s commonly known as blood sausage in English. This is because it’s made from a mixture of pigs’ blood and offal.  

The Kiszka is black. Besides the traditional ones, the pink, red-colored sausages also gain a lot of popularity in Polish cuisine. 

Hot dogs

Many find the hot dog color as being weird. Anyways it’s so delicious. The hot dog’s color is the reddish-brown shade of pink. 

The pink color does come from the additive sodium hydroxide. The sodium hydroxide is meant to preserve, add flavor, and develop the hot dog’s characteristic pink color.

Other Types Of The Polish Sausages

The polish sausages do come in various varieties. However, there are a few that stand out. They include:

1. Mysliwska / “hunters style”

It’s the most common of the polish sausage varieties. The “hunter-style” is dark brown, short, and has a diameter of about one inch. 

It’s the perfect choice for a camping trip because of its high smokiness nature. This allows them to stay well for quite some time. 

2. Kabanosy

It’s most people’s favorite and can best act as an appetizer while looking for what to eat in your fridge. The Kabanosy can be compared to the slim Jim, and it’s long and thin. 

3. Krakowska

The one thing that makes the Krakowska stand out is its great recipe. Its recipe has been borrowed from 16th century Krakow. 

It has a diameter of about 2 inches and much wider. When eating with a sandwich or on a platter, the Krakowska is thinly sliced for easier handling.

How To Buy Excellent Quality Polish Sausage

The best thing to do when buying a Polish sausage is to check the amount of meat used to make 100 grams of the sausage. The information is always available on the packaging.

For example, a 100-gram sausage that was made from 156 grams of meat is of good quality. It’s because, during smoking, the water in the meat evaporates, and the meat losses weight. 

The quality varies according to the amount of meat used. The more the meat content, the better the sausage. Many cheap and poor-quality sausages contain less than 100 grams of meat per 100 grams of sausage.

Types Of Hot dogs

In the United States, hot dogs do vary according to the different regions. Each region has its unique style of preparing and serving it. Here are some of the hot dog types:

1. Italian dog

The Italian dog claims its origin from North jersey. The Italian dog is prepared by frying the hot dog in oil to give it that crunch feel and exquisite taste. 

The hot dog is then covered with various things such as onions, pepper, and garlic. It’s mostly served with the Pizza bread, so all those are placed inside the bread.

2. Chicago style hot dog

It has its origin in Chicago, Illinois. This hot dog is different, confusing to the mouth, and fun to eat because it has many toppings. 

Some of the foods and spices added to the Chicago-style hot dog are chopped white onions, tomatoes, yellow mustard, pepper, and many more. 

These hot dogs are mostly simmered or steamed. However, the preparation method varies depending on the vendors liking or preferences. 

3. Michigan hot dog

From the name, it’s simply from Michigan. It easy to make since its style does not require a lot of toppings. The only thing added is the meat sauce, referred to as the Michigan sauce.

 The hot dog is steamed on a steamed bun top. The meat sauce comes in various flavors: it can be tomato-based or contain brown sugar, vinegar, and other spices’ blends. 

Best Hot Dog Brands

Often, Americans do choose a brand over anything else when purchasing a hot dog. People tend to pick the cheapest hot dogs that renowned brands have processed. 

The brands do matter a lot when it comes to the selection of hot dogs. The best brands produce tastier and smoother hot dogs.  Here are some of the most known hot dog brands.

1. Boar’s head beef

It has a great taste of natural meat flavor and a nice snappy and bouncy texture. The Boar’s head beef hot dogs are well spiced, not so salty. These attributes have made it stand out and are best for streaming and grilling. 

2. Hebrew National beef franks

It’s juicy and has a clean hot dog flavor; this has made many hot dog lovers choose it. Hebrew National beef franks are 100% beef. However, many people do feel like its flavors do need a boost to make it tastier.

3. Ballpark beef franks

It’s the best choice for kids and anyone who has undergone oral surgery.  They are smooth and silky slippery and do break down quite quickly. 

Many adults do not consider it a perfect choice. A hot dog that breakdown even before chewing doesn’t just feel right. 

Conclusion

But above all, both the polish sausage and the hot dog are the best comfort foods. They have great histories and unique flavors. The flavors further vary according to the states or regions. 

However, it would be best if you bought great quality sausages that have been well manufactured. They have great flavors and feel and are also healthy.