National Hot Dog Month Kicks Off With New Video on How Hot Dogs are Made

July is National Hot Dog Month and as Americans prepare to eat more than 150 million hot dogs during the Independence Day holiday, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) is setting out to answer the most common hot dog question of them all: how are hot dogs really made? In a new video, NHDSC President and "Queen of Wien" Janet Riley takes viewers on a tour of a hot dog plant showing the process from start to finish including the cuts of meat used in hot dogs, how the meat is ground together with spices and ice until it is a cake-like batter, stuffing the batter into casings which are then cooked and smoked and finally removing the casings and packing the finished hot dogs for shipping. The video will be featured on the NHDSC YouTube Channel.

"Stories about hot dogs are made are legendary," said Riley. "At the risk of destroying the mystique surrounding hot making, our new video will show that the actual process is much simpler, and possibly less exciting, than the rumors that have existed for decades."

Hot Dog Selfie Contest

During the summer months from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans are expected to eat seven billion hot dogs and these days many commemorate their experience with a "selfie" photo on their cell phone. During Hot Dog Month, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council wants hot dog fans to submit their best photos for its "hot dog selfie" contest. The most creative hot dog selfie photo selected by fans of the NHDSC Facebook page will win a personal hot dog ride an Airhead Double Dog ride-on inflatable plus a $100 gift card for his or her favorite hot dogs. First runner-up will win a $50 gift card for his or her favorite hot dogs and the top three favorites will all win National Hot Dog and Sausage Council T-shirts featuring the slogan Hot Dogs: Relish the Moment, chosen by hot dog fans during Hot Dog Month 2012.

"Ellen DeGeneres set the selfie bar high at the Oscars, but while that photo included some of America's favorite actors, it lacked America's favorite food," said Riley. "We decided that the only way to right that wrong is to have America send us hot dog selfies and choose the best."

As a bonus, Washington D.C. area hot dog fans who submit a selfie from iconic hot dog restaurant Ben's Chili Bowl will also have a chance to win a gift card to the restaurant. All hot dog selfie entries can be submitted to contest@hot-dog.org, by posting the photos to the NHDSC Facebook page or using #HotDogMonthSelfie on Instagram. Entries must be received by noon on July 14.

Finalists will be posted on the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council Facebook page on July 15 for fans to choose their favorite. The selfies with the most votes will be announced on National Hot Dog Day, July 23, 2014. Full contest guidelines and rules are available at http://www.hot-dog.org/.

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