Charcoal is the only way to go.

with slight seasoning of the hot dog by sap from the stick you poked through it.

Stovetop will work. Boiled sucks.

Just zaps all the favor away and leaves it in the water, not the dog.

My own hands down favorite, since discovering it when we moved further north, isn't one that was tried for this and it rocks the taste buds.

It's a red hot dog with a natural casing that's a very popular northern NY creation made by a north country, NY local company called Glazier. Everyone's entitled to their opinion of course but IMO this dog beats every other dog I've ever tried, although Hebrew National and Boars head are a very good 2nd and 3rd choice.

Anyway, Add Michigan Sauce (another local creation) or slaw (called a Quebec Dog by some), a side of Poutine and it's a very tasty treat IMO.

It's definitely not the chili sauces I grew up familiar with in lower NY. This has a touch of sweetness and cumin that makes it stand out from chili sauce no matter which recipe is used or who's selling it, which is pretty much everywhere from the Adirondacks to the Canadian border. This stuff on a Glazier with a bit of mustard and chopped onions is a north country staple that's right up there with a variety of warm and fresh flavored cheese curds.

If you're still curious about Michigan Sauce here's an old write up on it:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/hot-dog-of-the-week-plattsburgh-ny-michigans-new-york.html There's a bunch of recipes for it online, some are just chili really, but the best ones tend to be secret ones IME.

I haven't bought hot dogs in years, so had no idea what they cost.

but suspect they're in NYC. I'm in southern MD, south of DC, so may do some comparison shopping.

only eat Hebrew National and some obscure German brand he ordered from stop and shop. I asked him why, he said,"you don't want to know". I found out a month ago, I have celiac (can't have gluten) so I have to learn a new way of cooking and baking...was so psyched that Hebrew National was gluten free.

You don't want to know how laws and SAUSAGEs are made!

Ever heard this one:

As a 5 yr old, it used to freak me out! Why would they want us lil kids to learn that song??

(I still ate hot dogs, though!) I remember going shopping with my mom, and she asked me to pick up a pack of hot dogs. After hearing that song, I read the ingredients. "Moose lips" were on the list. Sure, it was 1970, and I reasoned that lips were a muscle, so it was OK.

I first learned it in summer camp, 6 or 7 years old. We 'marched' through the woods to it.

Was a lifelong devotee of Hebrew national. Then I noticed some sort of 'other' (not meat or spices) ingredient, and the carb count was higher than an all-meat product should be. The Nathan's taste pretty close, and I'm happy with their options (beside, my Dad grew up in Coney Island, and we would go to Nathan's all the time!).

Dad used to tell us stories about when Nathan's first opened. Back then, prices were so low that you could not eat a dollar's worth! During my childhood on Long Island, we would go to one in Oceanside, and dinner would be one dog, one burger, and one slice of pretty-good pizza. The grownup would also get fried clams.Then on to the kiddie rides at the little amusement park next door. Oh no, I forgot the frozen custard!!!! Pure heaven.

LOVE fried clams; not sure if I met them first in Oceanside or @ Howard Johnson's. AND was a great clam chowder (Manhattan style, of course!) @ 'our' Oceanside spot.

My family lived first in Hempstead Village, then moved to North Bellmore. I raised my kids in Wantagh.
As I got older, I also frequented the Nathan's in Westbury, and used to go there with my sister to play pinball. I worked for the county in Mineola, and often drove to Nathan's for a quick lunch..as a low-carber, I would get two dogs, chuck the buns, and fill up my plate with the sauerkraut. Where were you?

after moving from Brooklyn in '54. 'Left' after college.

I had an aunt who lived there, in what seemed like a mansion to me (my parents had a tiny starter home back then0, near a golf course. My mother still lives in North Bellmore and my brother in Westbury.
But best of all, my daughter has just moved to a nice new apartment in...Brooklyn!

Hebrew Nationals have hydrolized soy protein as an ingredient, and each dog has 2 grams of carbohydrate.
Nathans have hydrolized corn protein, and each dog has but one gram of carbohydrate. Not really that much of a difference, i guess, but when I'm being careful with carbs, I would just go to the lower number, since I never eat just one. And I find the taste to be pretty similar.

After twenty years of cheap dogs, nothin' else tastes right!