Summer Grilling Tips #Applegate

The Hot Dog Days of Summer

Hot dogs and summer go hand in hand, as do hot dogs and busy nights.  Hotdogs and Mommy Guilt also go together in my mind.  The products that are in hot dogs can be terrifying.  Mystery meat is never something that makes us feel warm and fuzzy when we feed to our children.

Applegate Farms to the Rescue

Applegate Farms is proud to market uncured beef hotdogs  that are made from quality cuts of natural beef.   Applegate hot dogs do not contain  nitrates or nitrites, antibiotics, gluten or casein, or fillers.  Applegate is a company that cares.  They treat their animals humanely and want to offer their customers the best cuts of meat possible.  Phew – add this company to the list of ones you want to give a giant hug!

When you pick up an Applegate product, you can be assured that…

• Their animals are never given antibiotics. Healthy animals don’t need medicine. Instead, we give them space, fresh air, and a healthy diet, which we’re certain beats the alternative.
• Their livestock eat a completely vegetarian diet with no animal by-products. Cattle in Applegate organic program are grass-fed. Hogs and poultry in their organic program are fed a grain diet that includes corn, soy, barley, and flax that are free from GMOs.
• Their animals are never given hormones or artificial growth promotants. They grow at their natural rate.
• All of their products are made with natural and organic ingredients. If you aren’t familiar with a particular ingredient, email Applegate and they’ll tell you what it is.
• Their products are all minimally processed, allowing for a wholesome texture and taste.
• Their products never contain artificial nitrates or nitrites. Instead, we use celery juice and sea salt to preserve their products the natural and old fashioned way.
• Their deli meat, hot dogs, burgers, and bacon are gluten and casein free.
• Their products are made from natural and organic whole muscle meat. Yes, even their hot dogs! No mystery here.

5 Summer Grilling Tips

1. Start with a clean grill.  Use a wire brush to clean your grill both before and after you cook.  No brush?  Use a wadded up ball of foil.
2. Grill with the lid closed.  The grill will be hotter and the constant temperature helps cook the food evenly.
3. When grilling with skewers be sure to soak them first.  Freeze just frozen skewers and you won’t have to wait then next time you need them.
4. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that food is the correct temperature.  There is no need to guess when you can purchase a meat thermometer for $10 or less!
5. Eat cooled food, not food that is piping hot.  Food tastes better when the flavor sits for a few minutes.  Your taste buds will also thank you for not being burned.

Our Thoughts

Hot dogs are something I find terrifying.  I pour over the ingredient and nutrition labels  only to crinkle my nose.  Factor in that I haven’t eaten beef in 16 years, and you can imagine that hot dog shopping is like a very bad dream.  Alas, I have daughters and we have some busy nights when we need something that tasted yummy and is quick to cook.  When I read the reasons that make Applegate superior I had to try it myself.  The Applegate turkey hot dogs are wonderful.  They are low in sodium and the ingredient list doesn’t have any unknowns.  They grilled nicely and were a perfect fit with ketchup, mustard, and sweet relish.  My five-year-old has an opinion about everything these days and she declared the Applegate hot dogs “Good.  These are really pretty good Mommy.”  A silent thank you was said, and a new product was added to our shopping list!

Find Applegate

Applegate hot dogs are widely available in the Atlanta area.  I have spotted them in my SuperTarget, and noticed the Applegate brand at Kroger.   Use the Applegate Farms online store locator to see if they are in a store near you.   Follow Applegate Farms on Twitter and find Applegate on Facebook

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Applegate blogging program. I was compensated for this post.  The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.