19 Grocery Store Hot Dogs That Are 100% Beef

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We love hot dogs in America. They're as much a cultural institution as a food, and inseparable from fun pastimes like sports or family get-togethers. In 2024, it's been reported that Americans ate 20 billion hot dogs a year. That's a lot of hot dogs, and in a country where 93% of the population admits to eating them, it's no wonder there are tons of choices.

Grocery stores are stuffed with numerous brands of hot dog, many are made from a blend of chicken, turkey, and pork trimmings. Some contain organ meats and must be clearly labeled as such so there are no surprises — while many of them also contain additives and preservatives. However, if you want nothing but red meat in your hot dogs, here are 19 grocery store brands that are 100% beef through and through.

German immigrants originally brought the hot dog to the United States, including the iconic white version, but Nathan Handwerker from Poland is behind this brand, established in 1916. According to the company, the entire range of Nathan's Famous hot dogs are made from 100% beef and to this day, they're cooked to Handwerker's original recipe.

The All Natural Uncured Beef Franks give being healthy their best shot. As well as being made from pure beef, you won't find any artificial ingredients, fillers, or by-products within their skins. These hot dogs also contain zero nitrates and not a drop of corn syrup. 

Eating like a caveman has never been easier or tastier, thanks to Whole Foods' paleo friendly 365 Organic Uncured Grass Fed Beef Hot Dogs. While early humans didn't have soft buns and all the bells-and-whistles-toppings, they probably would have enjoyed the pure beef in this dog.

Hot dogs don't have a great reputation in the health food stakes, but Whole Foods' beef dogs get a respectable foodscore of 4.5 from EWG. The grass-fed beef gives the hot dogs a nutritional boost, while the high levels of healthy fats and low carbs make it ideal for keto diet followers — or anyone who just wants a beefy dog. Described as having excellent flavor, one reviewer enthused: "These are great hot dogs. The flavor is awesome. They have a good snap and they are juicy."

Uncle and nephew Oscar Abeles and Leopold Heymann took a risk in 1954 when they launched their kosher charcuterie, sausages, and hot dogs but it has paid off — and how! Their range includes knockwurst, and reduced fat and salt versions, but A&H all beef kosher hot dogs are their top-selling type, and which they say is "sure to impress even the choosiest of eaters."

Made from 100% beef and gluten-free, they made their debut in Trader Joe's outlets in 2024, to the delight of many a hot dog devotee. Although they're on the pricey side, at between $13 and $15 per 14-ounce pack, their rich, smoky flavor is perfect when added to a risotto, sliced into a tomatoey ragu, or simply slid between the folds of a soft, fresh and yummy bun.

The beef industry, both in the United States and globally, has a major impact on the environment – but there are growing numbers of brands trying to minimize that. Among them is Applegate. Their 100% beef Applegate Naturals The Do Good Dog is made from grass-fed cows that have been raised using regenerative practices, including "holistic managed grazing," to prove to consumers that animals can have a positive impact on the land.

The result is a pure beef hot dog that not only tastes amazing, you can also feel good that you're doing your bit to help combat climate change. Applegate also makes the Naturals Beef Hot Dog, which doesn't contain added extras. They describe it as: "100 percent grass-fed beef equals 1,000 percent delicious. We did the math."

In 1976, German discount brand Aldi opened its first United States' outlet in southeast Iowa. Today there are more than 2,500 stores across the country, and hot dog devotees living nearby can get their hands on the company's Simply Nature organic beef hot dogs. Aldi says their 100% beef dogs are free from gluten and any GMO ingredients, plus they don't have nitrates, antibiotics or hormones.

At less than $5 for 10 ounces of meat, they're a cost-effective, not to mention tasty addition to a cookout or barbecue. Whether their recommended toppings of "relish, tomatoes, mustard, ketchup, and onions," really does make for the perfect hot dog, is an argument that will keep going until the BBQ coals go cold.

"Goes great with ball games, tailgates, and friends," says Teton Waters Ranch about their 100% grass-fed beef bun length hot dogs. The company uses natural ingredients. If the "Certified Humane Raised and Handled" label doesn't grab you, maybe knowing each packet of five links is made without fillers, nitrites, sugar, or gluten will. Even better, their meat doesn't contain hormones or antibiotics — just beefy deliciousness in every snappy bite.

Online buyers are enthusiastic in their praise, describing them as "Great for bbqs or just at home dinner or lunch," and "Definitely a level up from other hot dogs." If you prefer to stock up on packets of Teton Waters Ranch hot dogs in person, they have a handy store locator on their site. As with all plastic-packaged hot dogs, don't forget this simple step before cooking.

If the recipe for a nationally-beloved product hasn't changed in over a century, the company behind it has to be doing something right. So it goes for Hebrew National's All Natural Uncured Beef Franks. The company uses 100% kosher beef to create these hot dogs, which also contain only naturally occurring nitrites from celery powder and sea salt.

Digging into the ingredients for Hebrew National's original spice blend, the list includes paprika, garlic powder, and the enigmatic "spice," which is defined as: "An aromatic vegetable substance in the whole, broken, or ground form," adding it's used for seasoning and not nutrition. People with dietary sensitivities should know that other products in the range, including the Jumbo Beef Franks, contain hydrolyzed soy protein. 

Trader Joe's passion for the all-American hot dog is on full display in the wordy description for its Uncured Beef Hot Dogs. Made from 100% beef and containing only the nitrates from sea salt and cultured celery powder, they're a snip at $3.99 for an 11-ounce packet. TJ's writes they are: "To be enjoyed in whatever preparation you prefer-from sea to shining sea."

If your taste buds are hankering for something fancier, Trader Joe's Organic Grass-Fed Uncured Beef Hot Dogs will hit the spot. They cook in a flash, according to the company, and have a "sweet, smoky aroma, savory beef flavor and that classic hot dog snap." Top them with the classic ketchup-mustard blend or you can try one of TJ's suggestions: Truffle ketchup, chili lime mayo, or dill pickle mustard.

Oscar Mayer has gone from a 19th-century businessman to the name on millions of people's lips when it comes to hot dogs. The company's range of 100% beef dogs includes Classic Beef Franks, Jumbo versions, and the Natural Bun-Length Angus Beef Uncured Franks. You could probably eat the latter faster than naming it, but it's worth savoring the 100% Angus beef used to make them, whether you're rustling up a speedy weeknight dinner or chowing down at a neighborly BBQ.

As with many all-beef dogs on the market, Oscar Mayer's nitrates only come from the cultured celery juice and they even contain 8 milligrams of calcium. You can buy them at supermarkets all over the country, and the company recommends trying sauerkraut or chili toppings, or you could try something iconic from Iceland.

Some brands wax lyrical on their websites about their hot dogs but Costco cuts right to the chase with its Kirkland Signature Beef Hot Dogs. These wildly popular dogs are made with 100% beef, while the product description confirms they are also gluten free, and contain no fillers, by-products or corn syrup.

Short and to the point Costco may be, but their hot dogs are tasty and good value for money. One packet contains 12 bun-size hot dogs and you can buy three packs for under $19. Have plenty of pickles and sharp-flavored toppings on standby, because they are very salty — clocking up a hefty 530 milligrams. 

Type this brand and their hotdogs into a search engine and lots of outlets selling them will pop up, from local stores to Kroger. Curiously, you won't find Uncured Beef Hot Dogs listed on Grass Run Farms' site itself. If you can get your hands on a packet and you want your 100% beef dogs made from grass-fed cows and pretty much nothing else, they're worth tracking down.

The animals are raised with no hormones or antibiotics, while the dogs contain no added or other nitrides apart from naturally occurring ones. They're also sweetened with turbinado sugar — also known as raw sugar — which is less refined and processed than its white counterpart. 

"Hearty. Meaty. Season-y." Three words that sum up Ball Park's Angus Beef Hot Dogs perfectly. Made from 100% Angus beef and containing no nitrates — other than those found naturally in celery juice powder and sea salt — these bun-length dogs are sold with the brand's savory grill master seasoning. There's no indication what it could be but "extractives of paprika" is listed among the ingredients.

These jumbo dogs are ideal for chowing down while watching the ball game with family or friends, or serving up at a cookout. That said, if you or someone you know is watching their waistline or salt intake, it's worth casting an eye over the ingredients: Ball Park's Angus beef hot dogs contain corn syrup and an eye-watering 780 milligrams of sodium. 

Everyone has their personal favorite hot dog brand but Bar-S beef franks divide people like almost no other. They are derided as "struggle food" and tasting "like absolute sadness," in this Reddit thread, yet others praise their rock-bottom price, with a 12-ounce pack available at Walmart for less than $4. It's great value for dogs made from 100% USDA inspected beef, and without gluten, MSG, or trans fat.

At first glance, Bar-S beef franks get a mixed bag of reviews on its Walmart page, but closer inspection reveals many of the lone-star reviews are delivery issues. At the five-star end, one positive poster, who had previously avoided cheaper hot dogs, said: "Good price point for a dang good hot dog!" Another said they were "juicy and flavorful and a great value." 

Sabrett didn't fool around when it came to a website endorsement for their beef hot dogs. James Beard Award-winning chef Ken Oringer, no less, is quoted as saying: "If I had to eat a last meal, it would probably be a Sabrett hot dog with mustard and the onion sauce from the hot dog carts."

Luckily, you don't have to live in New York to enjoy the frankfurter flavor and snap of a Sabrett dog, as their wide range of hot dogs are available in a variety of stores around the country. Among the company's beef dogs are the Natural Casing Beef Frankfurters, which come in 12, 32, and 48-ounce packs. They're made from 100% pure beef and, although they're gluten free, the dogs do contain added flavorings.

Years ago, not many of us really cared where our hot dogs came from, as long as they kept coming. Today, it's a very different story. Growing consumer interest in animal welfare has paved the way for a new generation of more ethical hot dogs, such as those made by Organic Valley.

The cows providing the beef for their Uncured Grass-Fed Beef Hot Dogs are raised without the use of synthetic hormones, pesticides, or antibiotics, the company says. Likewise, there are no "fillers, nitrites/nitrates, or carrageenan," and their hardwood-smoked dogs are low in salt and sugar, and gluten free. They are a little pricier than other brands, costing around $9 for 10 ounces. 

A Chicago food legend for decades, it would be impossible to imagine a world in which they didn't exist. This iconic brand says that: "Painstaking attention to time, temperature, and technique," are behind the quality of their 100% domestic beef hot dogs. Made to a recipe that's more than 120 years old, Vienna Beef today offers a mind-boggling range of products, from chili dog kits to multipacks of their beef franks.

They are available to buy across the United States, so everyone can enjoy "the taste that means Chicago to generations of hot dog connoisseurs," according to the company. If you want to find out how good they are for yourself, expect to pay at least $90 for Vienna Beef's Hot Dog Lovers' pack.

California-based Miller's has been making hand-crafted and naturally smoked hot dogs since Ben Miller launched the business in 1910. Their 100% beef range comprises six products and they all have cool names, like The Old Fashioned and The Stretch. The Colossal is made for those with an appetite to match, the company says. It has no fillers or artificial colors or flavorings, is MSG and gluten free, is seasoned with sea salt and, like many a decent dog, is probably not one to cook in the microwave. 

Miller's hot dogs are available at Walmart or you can search the company's site for an outlet near you that sells them. Big and beefy they may be, but expect to pay in the region of $9 to $11  for a pack of eight dogs. If you're entertaining the masses at your next barbecue or family cookout, it could get a little pricey.

"We make our skinless hot dogs with 100% grass-fed organic beef, seasoned with a touch of spice. The result? A delicious, juicy hot dog loved by kids and grownups alike." So says True Story, a brand that aims to help consumers understand and care more about where the animals True Story meat comes from, and how they are treated.

Their Organic Grass-Fed Uncured Beef Hot Dogs contain a host of spices to give them their distinct flavor, including red pepper flakes, ginger, nutmeg, and paprika. What they don't contain is gluten or sugar, and they're ideal for anyone following a keto or paleo diet. As many people have come to expect from organic produce, these do cost more than your average hot dog, coming in at around $10 for a 10-ounce pack. 

Good things come in small batches: At least that's what Skylark, part of American Foods Group, and the company behind the Big City Reds skinless hotdogs believe. These frozen dogs are made from domestic beef and naturally wood smoked in the aforementioned small amounts.

A glance at the nutrition stats reveals they deliver 70% of an adult's daily vitamin C intake. Sadly that's offset by 2 grams of trans fat and a whopping 900 milligrams of salt, so moderation is key. You can buy Big City Reds beef hot dogs at Walmart, where a 2.5-pound case will set you back around $133 — but it will also set you up for a long, hot summer of barbecuing.