Sausage master serves up hot dog tips for Labour Day

As Calgarians preparefor backyard barbecues and tailgate parties this Labour Day, a third-generation sausage maker answers the age old question:boiled or grilled?

RockySchermer, who operates Rocky's Sausage House in Bridgeland, told the CalgaryEyeopenerthat myths surrounding what's in a hot dog have been blown out of proportion over the years, includingrumours that hot dogs are filled withundesirable ingredientslikehooves and lips.

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"I hear it all the time,"Schermer said.

"Your average hot dog is normal meat like anything else. It could be pork, it could be beef;some have chicken in them as well. It's not crazy like people think."

Schermer saidless nefarious filler ingredients likebread crumbs, corn starches and wheat floursare used to cut costs when making hot dogs.

"It's Canada's favourite sausage, let's face it. So everybody wants them and [manufacturers are] always trying to compete for price."

'We love our hot dogs'

Schermersaid the origins of the commonhot dog are traced back to the European wiener, which is traditionally made with pork.

The most popular variety of wiener in Canada isthe all-beef hot dog, Schermer said, adding it's hisfavourite hot dog but also themost difficult to get right.

Schermerhas perfected his all-beef recipe after years of practice and said the key ingredientto his hot dog spice is coriander.

The least popular hot dogs are made of chicken, andSchermersaid cheaper store-bought chicken dogs are less appetizingbecausethe meat is"mechanically separated" from bone in a centrifugeusing "some sort of liquid."

"I haven't seen the actual process,"Schermersaid."I don't think I want to."

Schermersaid there are some gourmet dogs on the market but nothing beats a good, old-fashioned hot dog.

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"I've used some fancy meats for some custom work before,and it's a hot dog. We love our hot dogs, but do we really want to pay a lot for ground meat and fat? That's what it is."

Grilled or boiled?

Schermersaid the hot dog, like most European wieners, was made to be boiled because it keeps the dog from drying out.

"I like to grill them, too.I eat them grilled. But I think, in the end I think they're made to be steamed,"Schermersaid.

"Personally, I like a good sausage on the barbecuerather than a hot dog. I'd steam my hot dog and I'd barbecue my smokies."

Schermer said he enjoys a grilled hot dog as much as the next person and has three words of advice when barbecuing wieners: "low and slow."

Even though he literally knows "how the sausage gets made," Schermer said he is also a fan of some store-bought brands.

"I've been caught purchasing the Ball Park dogs,"Schermersaid with a laugh.

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With files from the Calgary Eyeopener