A Hot {Dog} Secret!

Just in time for the 4th of July - one of my favorite holidays - I have a secret for you.

If you are of the dwindling population that still eats hot dogs, despite Food, Inc and wild internet reports about what's actually inside the processed, allegedly all-beef meat, then keep reading....

Whitney, a Vol dog and yours truly

I know. I eat hot dogs sometimes, too. There's likely no nutritional value, but hey, there's also no shame.

I'm about to tell you how to make your backyard hot dogs taste like ballpark franks.

All this time you thought the reason that hot dog you enjoy at Camden Yards or Neyland Stadium was SO GOOD because you were eating it at Camden Yards or Neyland Stadium. It's not that simple.

Well...it actually is.

The secret to the perfect hot dog is......PICKLE JUICE.

Your sweaty, smelly $6 hot dog was boiled in water and pickle juice. Pickle juice is what seperates the men from the boys when it comes to weiners. Hee.

An insider who spends plenty of time in the ballparks confirms this for me, and to you, I can confirm that I have tested this theory at home. Just a dash in your pot....like olive oil to pasta. It changes everything.

 Trust me. Try it.

I won't be eating hot dogs on the 4th of July  (though according to People magazine, 150 million other people will). I'm heading to the beach for a 4th of July with my grillmaster father. His famous chicken wings, steaks and a pork butt will be on the menu. I'll be making homemade ice-cream, a recipe I'll share next week...

Happy Fireworks!