Call them what you want – frankfurters, tube steaks, sausages, bangers, or wieners (and, unless your
pronunciation starts that last word with a hard ‘v’ sound, it may be best to avoid it altogether) – hot
dogs are one of those foods that are definitely better than the sum of their parts. To some, the process
of grinding various meats and fats and extruding them into tubular casings is so unappetizing that the
phrase “seeing how the sausage is made” has become synonymous with learning about any number of
potentially unsavory activities that usually take place outside the public’s view.
That said, humans have been grinding and consuming sausages for thousands of years. The practice is
nearly ubiquitous around the world, each culture adding their own seasonings and methods to the
sausage making – think chorizo in Mexico, haggis in Scotland, andouille in France, bratwurst in Germany,
salami in Italy, xiangchang in Taiwan, and many, many, many more.
The hot dog as we know it was likely first introduced to America by German immigrants in New York in
the mid-1800’s. It wasn’t long before hot dogs became a baseball game staple and spread across the
country from there.
Hot dogs are comfort food at their finest – quick to assemble, easy to eat on the go, satisfyingly fatty
and salty, and infinitely customizable. I wouldn’t say I consume hot dogs on a regular basis, as I care
about my long-term prospects on this planet, but occasionally the urge hits and I can be found happy
with hot dog in hand at J Dawgs or a Costco food court (seriously, $1.50 for a very sizeable dog and a
drink?? That price hasn’t changed since it was introduced in 1985, and it is hands down one of the best
values in the food world.) So, when I learned there’s a food truck called Utah Killer Dogs, I had to check
it out.
As I pulled up to where Utah Killer Dogs was parked for lunch, I realized food “truck” is a bit of a
misnomer. This was a compact trailer towed behind a suburban, but I was not fazed. Some of the best
food is found in the humblest of locations. As I talked with Tim, a retired bank executive, I learned that
Utah Killer Dogs is family owned and operated. From what I gathered, the business belongs to Tim and
his sons. Tim’s sons have a strong tradition of service with a police officer and two service members
among their ranks.
The menu at Utah Killer Dogs is straightforward: decide if you want an all-beef hot dog, all-beef Polish
dog, or pork bratwurst, then decide how to top it. The hot dogs and Polish dogs are purchased
commercially, but the bratwurst are handmade by Tim’s daughter-in-law and the recipe was procured
by his son who fell in love with them while serving at Ramstein Air Base. You then select the toppings for
your dog of choice: anything from mustard and ketchup, onions, peppers, chili, cheese, and even pulled
pork. The pulled pork is made by Tim’s wife and sounded amazing – unfortunately, they hadn’t made
any the day I visited.
I knew I had to try the bratwurst, so I ordered one of those first, along with chips and a drink. They offer
two specialty sauces – their “killer sauce” (which starts sweet and ends with a little heat. I thought it was
reminiscent of molasses followed by cayenne, though I don’t know what is actually in it) or their “sweet
smokey” sauce, which tasted like a good BBQ sauce. Tim layered my condiments of choice in the bun
first – killer sauce, onions, mayo, jalapenos, and banana peppers – before adding the brat. If I have one
complaint, it’s that the brat was not as long as the bun, but it’s a small complaint. Biting into that brat
was pure, porky heaven. I don’t know how Tim’s son managed to get that recipe when he was in
Germany, but it’s the kind of trade secret that should be locked in a vault, it was that good! Every bite
was as delicious as the first.
With the brat being a major win, I walked back up to the trailer to test my luck again. This time, I went
with a Polish dog with the sweet smokey sauce, deli mustard, onions, jalapenos, and a hefty amount of
chili and cheese. The Polish dogs are huge – protruding proudly from both ends of the bun. This was
good too and, had I had it first, I would have been satisfied – it’s a solid Polish dog. But the brat is better
– absolutely worth tracking down the truck for.
Know Before You Go: Check social media or their website skdogs.com to see where they’ll be on any
given day. Pricing seemed a little on the high end (a bratwurst, Polish, chips, and drink came out to
$21.43), but the bratwurst made it all worth it. Utah Killer Dogs also advertises that they cater events
from small to large, so if you have a wedding, bris, or something else that screams for phallic foods, Utah
Killer Dogs can get the job done.
