When I start talking about hot dogs I've made road trips for, one that always comes to mind is Rutt's Hut in Clifton, NJ, and their famous Rippers. These are deep fried hot dogs that are cooked until they are golden brown and starting to rip open. I spent several hours on a road trip there and back one day, and found them very interesting.
I have always liked my hot dogs well done. As a kid I wanted to improve on NYC's dirty water dogs which, while they tasted great, had just too soft a texture for me. At home I would always put my franks on a skewer and toast them over the flame on the stove until they got brown, crispy, and started to burn and split open. Well, Rutt's Hut takes this one step further with their Rippers. Personally I found the hot dog itself to be the player here. The heavy potato rolls were a bit too much for the frank, and the condiments left a lot to be desired. This was a lifetime first, where I actually just wanted a few Rippers, or even the super well done Cremators, served on a plate with some decent spicy brown mustard like Nathan's. I could go on about them, pros and cons, but so many others have that I will let you hear their views as well.. Here's some links to articles and reviews about getting Ripped at Rutt's.
Jane & Michael Stern's Roadfood on Rutt's Hut
Holly Eat's Rippers
The New York Times tried Rippers ten years ago
Wikipedia mentions them
You can watch about them on You Tube
More than once on You Tube
They got dissed on Chowhound.com
6-21-2008 @10:08AM R. P. McMurphy said... MAX's or Windmill in Long Branch takes the top prize in this category in NJ.
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6-21-2008 @7:59PM Kenboy said... Jimmy Buff's in West Orange for THE original and best Italian Hot Dog; Amazing Hot Dog in Verona for everything else.
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6-21-2008 @8:51PM bubblejet said... My favorite hot dogs are at the Galloping Hill Inn (Five Points), in Union NJ. Make sure to get yours with extra relish.
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6-26-2008 @8:14PM AlexFalk said... So yeah, I tried deep frying a hot dog.
Black and crispy on the outside, juicy and steamy on the inside.
I actually abhor hot dogs that have been BBQ'd, as they seem insanely more salty, to the point of tasting nothing but the salt.
I prefer steamed or boiled, but the deep fried gave me the crispness of the BBQ, yet the softer more hot doggy flavor of the steamed.
Mustard, mayo and some diced white onions, and I made a meal of it.
Not however, something for a regular meal.
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7-02-2008 @8:47AM LAW said... Although I am now a Jersey resident, I have to recommend the hot dogs and coneys at Heid's in Liverpool NY. They are by far the best I have found anywhere. Crisp outside, firm inside, moist, chewy, flavorful, on soft buns. Good mustard at the end of the serving line.
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7-02-2008 @10:14AM spfunbath said... As a lifelong devotee of Rutt's, I contend that you cannot dismiss their famous hot dog relish, with or without the mustard, as cavalierly as this newcomer. Anyone ignoring that relish on a ripper or weller is missing out on the Rutt's experience. Try the onion rings well done - you'll like them!
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