Heading out to the ball park this weekend? You may have a new Hot Dog choice to salivate over. Ball Park Franks are now shipping a new all-beef, Jalapeño-infused ‘bun-length’ wienie in their eternal quest to perfect America’s National Treat!
Ball Park already has bun-length dogs in the stores. And in some actual ball parks. But the new Jalapeño-infused model may be the Cadillac of wienies. It’s all-beef and raring to take on all com-petition. It’s billed as ideal for grilling…
A new dimension in Dogs
The infusion of the Ball Park Jalapeño with spicy snap is the first case I’m aware of that a Dog maker has ventured into the spicy forum. It’s bound to appeal to the many folks who already order hot pep-pers on their tube steaks. And make both dressing and consuming their meals a lot less messy…
Just the right amount of heat
Ball Park describes the new hot dog as having ‘just the right amount of heat’, adding that the flavor of Jalapeño pepper perfectly complements the beef flavor of the frank without being too overpower-ing. I wonder how the Jalapeño zing meshes with the traditional paprika tang every hot dog worthy of the name should have. Or did Ball Park sub-out the paprika in favour of the chili pepper?
We may have to wait a week or so to see… Tyson Foods, the parent company of Ball Park, says the new Dogs are only now rolling out now to select retailers. Taking into account the overbearing influ-ence mega-retailers such as Walmart and Kroger impose upon suppliers… We can expect to see the new Jalapeño Dogs there first.
‘Bun-sized’ a retro ‘thing’
I recall that, when I was a little kid, all Hot Dogs were ‘bun-sized’. I’m guessing the buns didn’t get bigger, but the wienies got smaller over the years, leaving as much as 1/2 in / 1.25 cm of empty space at the end of each bun. Now, the whole concept has come full-circle – with Ball Park and other Dog makers trumpeting their new, bigger, bun-length wienies. Anyway…
There’s no point in comparing prices from years ago with today’s prices for the standard 8-pack of hot dogs. But I can tell you that, at the time this was written, a standard 8-pack of regular All-Beef Bun-Length Ball Park Dogs was $5.67 at Walmart and $5.99 at Kroger’s. The Japaleño version will likely be priced a little higher…
My take
The idea of building Jalapeño zing right into a Hot Dog is a great one. I wonder what Ball Park will come up with next? It opens up a new front in the eternal Hot Dog Wars. Expect the competition to reply in kind before the summer is over. Meanwhile… I wonder what Ball Park will come up with next?
~ Maggie J.