Do Hot Dogs Have Gluten?

Last Updated on July 3, 2024

We all know that hot dog buns are made from wheat flour, so absolutely not gluten-free. But what about the hot dogs themselves? Are they gluten-free? Let’s take a look.

Ingredients In Hot Dogs

Hot dogs can be made with a variety of meats (and are often made with more than one meat), but the most common ingredients are:

• Meat trimming (pork and beef are the most common meats)
• Meat fat
• Flavorings (such as salt, garlic, paprika)
• Preservatives (usually sodium erythorbate and sodium nitrite)

This list is by no means extensive, and sometimes additives can make their way into the list of ingredients. We’ll be taking a look at what those may be, later in this post.

Is There Gluten In Hot Dogs?

The answer is – sometimes. The gluten-free label of a hot dog changes from one company to another. This is because the ingredients in each brand can differ. So the only way to truly know is to check the label before making any purchases.

Hot dogs can contain preservatives, flavoring agents, and thickeners – which may contain gluten cereal grains, such as wheat. And also there’s the possible risk of cross-contact. This is when a product does not contain any gluten ingredients, but due to the preparation and manufacturing methods with gluten-containing products, the end product may not be free from gluten.

This is why it’s always best to opt for foods that carry a “gluten-free” label, as there is no chance of cross-contact.

What Hot Dogs Are Gluten-Free?

But if like me, you’re an avid hot dog fan, there’s no need to worry! There’s a huge selection of gluten-free hot dogs available. More often than not, the sausages in hot dogs are gluten-free, but it’s always best to check.
The price of hot dog sausages is usually a good indicator as to whether it contains gluten. Cheaper meats tend to fill out their sausages with additives like breadcrumbs – which makes them not safe for gluten-free consumption.

Gluten-Free Hot Dogs

If you’re looking to fill your hot dog craving, look no further. Here’s a round-up of some of the best gluten-free hot dogs available. You may be surprised to see some of the most well-known hot dog sausage brands are actually gluten-free!

Dietz & Watson

This is one of the safest brands on the gluten-free market. Dietz and Watson are certified gluten-free. This means that each product goes through vigorous testing and meets strict guidelines set by the FDA to ensure the end product is free from gluten. There are a few gluten-free options available. These include:

• Franks
• Beef Franks
• Natural Casing New York Franks

The ingredients you’ll typically find in their beef franks are:

“Beef, Water, Mustard Powder, Garlic Puree, Salt, Organic Sugar, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Potassium Chloride, Potato Starch, , Paprika”.

No gluten in sight! However, it’s important to note that the company does produce some gluten-containing foods, so please do not assume that everything from Dietz and Watson is gluten-free, and always read the ingredients labels as ingredients can change at any time.

Sabrett

This is another certified gluten-free brand, which means it’s as safe as possibly can be. Sabrett has a great allergen tab on their website, which makes it super easy to navigate which of their products do or do not contain gluten. They have a huge selection of gluten-free sausages, including:

• All Beef Frankfurter
• Hot and Spicy Frankfurter
• Hot Sausage
• Italian Sausage
• Pork and Beef Frankfurter
• Sauerkraut
• Skinless Beef Cocktail Franks
• All Natural Skinless Beef Cocktail Franks
• Beef and Cheddar Skinless Beef Cocktail Franks
• Bratwurst Skinless Beef Cocktail Franks
• All Natural Uncured Beef Frankfurters

The only product from Sabrett that is not gluten-free is their Cocktail Franks in Pastry, so be sure to avoid them when shopping the Sabrett brand.

Bar S

Whilst Bar S may not be certified, their hot dogs are all labeled gluten-free, which is something you should always opt for if you can when buying any food products. They have a huge selection of gluten-free hot dog sausages, including:

• Beef Bun Length Franks
• Beef Franks
• Chicken Franks
• Bun Length Franks
• Classic Franks
• Jumbo Franks
• Classic Red Franks
• Jumbo Beef Franks
• Premium Hickory Bacon and Cheddar Franks
• Turkey Franks

It’s important to note that their corn dogs do contain gluten and should not be eaten when following a gluten-free diet.

This list is by no means extensive and some other gluten-free brands are:

• Applegate Farms
• Boar’s Head
• Kunzler
• Nathan’s Famous
• Wellshire Farms

These all carry a gluten-free label – so go and enjoy some hot dogs!

Conclusion

I hope this has helped you become more familiar with the amazing selection of gluten-free hot dog sausages there are available. It’s also worth noting that if you’re particularly sensitive to gluten or celiac, you may want to stick with eating Sabrett and Dietz and Watson sausages. This is because those brands are certified and 100% safe.

As long as you’re checking labels regularly, and shopping “gluten-free” when you can, you’ll be able to enjoy hot dogs with ease. But hot dog buns are a different story!

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