Considering July kicks off with Independence Day and is National Hot Dog month, it seems only right that it should end with a celebration of meat in tube form.
Food truck roundup extraordinaires Burger Beast and Food Truck Invasion are arranging a trio of Hot Dog Fests across South Florida. One is slated for July 21 at Abacoa Town Center in Jupiter from Noon to 5 p.m. and a Broward bash is set for July 28 at Plantation Heritage Park also from noon to 5 p.m.
The fest is partnering with North Miami-based meat distributors National Deli for the obligatory hot dog eating contest and nearly three dozen South Florida food trucks will be dishing out the bites.
"There are burger events everywhere, it seems like someone comes up with one for any reason," said Burger Beast, Sef Gonzalez. "We were surprised there hasn't been a hot dog event anywhere."
Among the participating trucks Ms. Cheezious and Pescado Unidos will be stuffing their own sausages for the events. Pescados will be dishing out a Seven Sea's Diver Dogs filled with Mahi Mahi, mango and habanero peppers served with mango mustard, smoked tomato ketchup and tomatillo aioli. Owner Kevin Dreifuss said he'll also have a sweet and sour duck sausage filled with orange and cherries with kimchi in a potato roll.
Ms. Cheezious' Brian Mullins said they'll be doing a pork and garlic sausage on a baguette topped with a carbonara mac and cheese.
Despite the thrill of eating sausage not made en masse in a factory, it begs the question why do it yourself? Mullins estimated that he'll make at least 200 pounds of sausage for both events.
"Last year we made 200 pounds and ran out," he said.
Dreifuss said he'll turn out 120 pounds, which comes to about 400 links
The lengthy process of grinding meat, seasoning it, chilling it and then grinding and chilling a second or third time to achieve the right consistency can be therapeutic.
"'We're running around crazy all the time, this isn't something you can do quickly," Mullins said. "We get to showcase something that we enjoy doing, but that we don't always do on the truck."
For Dreifuss, it's a way to set himself apart from the rainbow of trucks rolling around South Florida.
"It's very tedious, and I don't see anyone copying us because it takes too much time."
Hot Dog Fest is a three part event happening July 13 at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave. in Downtown Miami; July 21 at Abacoa Town Center, 1200 University Blvd. in Jupiter; and July 28 at Plantation Heritage Park, 1100 S. Fig Tree Lane in Plantation.
For more follow Zach on Twitter @ZachIsWeird.
Follow @CleanPlateBPB
