Hey vegans and future vegans! The meat industry is horrifying but there is one product that is sure to terrify you. Weenies. Weenies is the synonym for hot dogs or sausage. If you are a meat-eater, you should be familiar with it. They have almost become a staple.
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs annually. This is calculated to be roughly 70 hot dogs per person. In this blog, you will learn what are weenies made of and what part of the meat is used to make them.
What are hotdogs/weenies made of?
If you were a kid or someone who did not know what ‘hot dogs’ were, you’d assume it was related to dogs. Funnily enough, being called that, it does not contain dog meat, nor is it made specifically for dogs.
Hot dogs or weenies are made from the wasteful parts of the animals like; pork, chicken, veal, or beef. The bones, head, eyes, tendons, and other parts are considered to be ‘disgusting to eat’. They are ground up with condiments, water, and fats.
What animal parts are used in weenies?
The animal parts used for making weenies are called trimmings. The leftovers from the good cut of meat like steaks are used to make sausages and are called trimmings.
Head, feet, eyes, optical nerves, leftover muscles, and bones are used to make weenies or hot dogs. They are ground into a slurry with spices, condiments, fats, and water.
It visually looks similar to soft-serve strawberry ice-creams, but it’s just raw meaty muck.
What are alternatives to weenies?
Do not worry about never having weenies in your mouth again. Luckily, many vegan options look and taste like your average hot dog, but just cruelty-free and healthy.
They are made from cellulose and plant-based fillings like soy protein, pea protein, or gluten.
Are hot dogs bad?
There are several reasons as to why weenies or hot dogs are bad for you:
- High sodium content: Weenies need a lot of additives and flavors to make them palatable. For this reason, a lot of different spices are added and this includes salt too.
- Highly cured and processed meat: The animal protein has to be processed for a long time to make it ‘safe to eat’. Unfortunately, all of these processing makes the weenies carcinogenic. Eating it for a long time and making it a part of your routine diet will make you prone to cancer.
- High-fat content: Hot dogs require 30% to 50% fat to make. This plays a big role in adding flavor to the weenies and turning it into a paste. So, this makes it unhealthy for everyday consumption.
- Animal cruelty: The useless meat and the carcasses of animals are used to make weenies. These poor animals probably did not lead a good life before they met the sad ending. The way animals are treated in the slaughter industry is as horrifying as how weenies are made.
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Conclusion
That was the horrible story of how weenies are made and although what people eat is not something to be discussed, how it is sourced and how it is prepared should be the talk of the table.
It’s not like there are no vegan alternatives to weenies. Vegan weenies are animal cruelty-free, and sanitary and do not blend up carcasses of dead innocent animals to increase the profitability of the meat industry.
FAQs
1. What parts of animals are in hot dogs?
Meat from heat, feet, bones, livers, fatty tissue, and all of the rejected cuts of the meat is used to make hot dogs.
2. Which animal meat is used in a hot dog?
Usually pork, beef, and chicken are used to make hot dogs.
3. Are all hot dogs pork?
No, all hot dogs are not pork. There are other animal protein-based hot dogs and also vegan hot dogs.
4. Do hot dogs contain organic meat?
Yes, hot dogs contain organic meat too.
5. What bacteria is in hot dogs?
Listeria is a common bacteria that contaminates hot dogs.