You’ve spoken and we’ve listened. We’ve prepared a special summer classic for our Kettle Club members this month, uncured all beef hot dogs! But what does “uncured” mean anyway? And why are they considered healthier than cured meats?

Cured vs. Uncured

A typical hot dog that you buy in the store has most likely been cured unless otherwise labeled. This means that a form of nitrates and nitrites have been added to enhance the color, flavor and shelf life. These are still important qualities that we all want in our hot dogs, but we can get the same results by adding nitrates in their more natural state. At Kettle Range, our butchers prepare your delicious hot dogs by adding celery juice powder. This helps stabilize the meat and adds flavor. These naturally occurring nitrates tend to be healthier as well. According to the Mayo Clinic and other health sources, artificial forms of sodium nitrates can be detrimental to your health and may cause damage to veins and arteries.

Does this method of preservation mean you need to cook your hot dogs any differently? Nope! The dogs are fully cooked and ready to be grilled or heated.