Posted on 08/15/2011 2:58:42 PM PDT by Hunton Peck
CHICAGO (AP) — The nation's two largest hot dog makers took their legal beefs on Monday to federal court, where a judge will determine whether Oscar Mayer or Ball Park franks broke false-advertising laws in their efforts to become top dog.
As the bench trial got under way, U.S. Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow cast his eyes across the Chicago courtroom, where half a dozen attorneys were at opposing tables, and said, "Let the wiener wars begin."
The battle pits Chicago-area companies Sara Lee Corp., which makes Ball Park franks, against Kraft Foods Inc., which makes Oscar Mayer, in a case that could clarify how far companies can go when boasting that their product is better than a competitor's.
Despite the light-hearted remark by the judge, attorneys for the food makers struck a serious tone.
"There's never been anything of this scope . . . in the entire history of hot dogs," said Sara Lee's attorney, Richard Leighton, about what he described as Kraft's false and deceptive ad claims about making a better-tasting frank.
Sara Lee had fired the first volley in a 2009 lawsuit singling out Oscar Mayer ads that brag its dogs beat Ball Park franks in a national taste test. Leighton argued the tests were deeply flawed, including by serving the hot dogs to participants without buns or condiments.
"They were served boiled hot dogs on a white paper plate," he complained. He added that Sara Lee's hot dogs may well have tasted too salty or smoky eaten sans buns.
Kraft filed its own lawsuit in 2009, alleging that Sara Lee ran false and deceptive ads including a campaign in which Ball Parks are heralded as "America's Best Franks." The ad further asserts that other hot dogs "aren't even in the same league."
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Hebrew National is the only dog I’ll eat. Learned how to heat them up properly from a guy who did an incredible hotdog cart business by selling them ... along the main street in Ridgefield CT.
Put 1/4 to 1/2 an inch of water into a pot, bring to a boil, remove into another burner set to medium-low and drop in the dogs. Takes about 4 minutes for one dog (thawed - frozen takes about 6), add a minute for each additional one.
The goal is to let the combination of hot (but NOT boiling) water and steam bring the dogs’ temperature up.
Hebrew National. No other hotdog is fit to eat. Let them sue each other into oblivion.
Hebrew National: No butts, just beef!!!!! I love them!
I think in a case like this, the only winners will be the attorneys. I’m sure umpteen attorneys on each side are spending many man-hours of time getting ready to go to court.
Another rule of thumb, the bigger the hotdog, the worse it tastes. (Doesn't apply to bratwurst/mettwurst). We used to sell these fat hotdogs at Riverfront stadium during football season. They didn't sell nearly as well as the Kahn's weiners sold during baseball season.
The best hot dogs I have ever had were around 40 years ago. This was a little hole in the wall place run by a bunch of Greeks.
I even tried to figure out how they made them. I did discover the wieners came in large white boxes marked “Swift”. They grilled them and the buns were regular ones the same as they sell in the super market.
I finally decided it was the sauce they called chili but it was not like regular chile. Also the onions were grated really fine and were not strong. I never did figure out exactly how they did it.
It’s a bench trial; there is no jury.
I’ve often wondered why Hebrew National weiners come in packages of 7 while all buns are packages of 8? (I think there’s an ethnic joke in there somewhere...) The OM ‘Selects’ without nitrates or nitrites are quite good and come in packages of 8.
I’ll go Thumann’s out of Jersey I think, a really good hot dog brand. Hebrew National and Nathan’s would be next, then all the others.
Of course there are plenty of great hot dog joints in the NE too, I think I favour the Patterson dogs like Johnny and Hanges and Libby’s.
Those Thumann’s come in tied links with natural casings, we call ‘em rippers ‘cause they split on the grill.
Freegards
The best one is the brand on sale that week.
But wiat. I thought nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee. Apparently, Kraft doesn’t like Sara Lee.
Another false advertising claim revealed!
What company manufactures Hebrew National brand and where are they located ?
Need a good homemade recipe for hot dogs if anyone has em.
.....thanks ahead of time !
The Oscar Meyer Angus remind me of the weiners we used to get from a small town meat market as a kid. I tend to buy
these over the Hebrew brand.
I’m pretty certain that ConAgra bought Hebrew National some years ago (no guarantees, sorry), but, whoever bought them — the flavour of the franks hasn’t changed one bit, as far as I can tell. All beef, all the time, and FANtastic!
I have eaten one hot dog in 5 years. It was an Angus and pretty darn good.
I eat brats. Got spoiled while living in Wisconsin. Brats made at Glenn’s Market and Catering in Watertown, WI. Pepper cheese brats, Sheboygan brats, bacon cheese brats, buffalo wing brats, and the list goes on and on. About once per year we travel to cheeseland for an event and we always return with a load of Glenn’s brats.
The first time I had the pepper cheese brats, my son and I kept licking them like popsicles as the cheese oozed through the casings.
My wife likes their cranberry brats and wild rice brats but if you ever met me, you know she has lousy tastes.
Thanks for the info....stay safe !
I am truly conflicted here, since i can’t eat piggy based dogs, though I used to love OM dogs.
I lean towards kraft, but my favourite tube steak is Sinai Kosher Polish, which are Sarah Lee!
Dang, food is complicated
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