Hot dogs have always had a reputation for being mystery meat . But this unsavory fact, plus a lot of other undesirable ingredients, still aren’t enough to keep hot dogs from being loved by kids, and kids at heart. While many markets now offer grass-fed, organic hot dogs, you can also take on the challenge of making healthier hot dogs yourself. Fresh and flavorful, homemade hot dogs can be made with meat of your choosing, taking the mystery out of it. This recipe is for all beef dogs, seasoned with a simple “hot dog” blend. You’ll need a meat grinder (unless the butcher grinds the meat for you), a food processor, and a sausage stuffer. You’ll also need natural sheep casings. Talk to your butcher ahead of time, in case they have to special order the casings. For hot dogs, sheep casings are best because they’re thinner. Is making homemade hot dogs more expensive and time consuming than just buying “healthier” hot dogs at the store? Yes and yes. But if you want to know exactly what goes