Hot dogs are also known as frankfurters because it is believed that they were invented in Frankfurt-am-Main, in Germany approximately in 1484. There are also claims that Johann Georghehner who was a butcher in Coburg, Germany invented hot dogs in 1600.
A hot dog is a soft sausage, made from pork, beef or other meat slurry. The sausage when placed between the slices of bread or bun and served with mustard, ketchup or any other condiments like pickle, onion is a popular hot dog recipe. Ingredients used in a hot dog are by-products of meat and fat, garlic, salt, tomato, lettuce, chili peppers, cheese, and paprika and suitable preservatives. To reduce the content of fat and sodium which may pose health problems, and also the cost, manufacturers have started making hot dogs from healthier and cheaper sausages such as vegetarian substitutes, turkey or chicken meat, using low cost technology. The salt content also has been considerably reduced.
In commercial preparation, the ingredients are mechanically mixed by rotating blades in a vat and the mixture is passed under pressure through tubes into casings for further processing and cooking. Hot dogs are available without skin or with natural casings. Traditional natural casing is from small intestines of sheep. The casing in skin-less hot dogs is removed after cooking.
