My number one pick for a hot dog was found in a German rathskeller. A "Frankfurter Wurstchen" (Frankfurter Sausage) is a thin smoked then boiled sausage made from pure pork meat in a sheep's casing. Traditionally, it's served very simply, on a plate with hearty brown bread, mustard, and sometimes horseradish. You know it's great sausage when a frank can be served solo without a pile of toppings to drown out the taste. The name "Frankfurter Wurstchen" is protected in Germany, since 1860, as a denomination of geographical origin and may only be used for sausages from the region around Frankfurt am Main, aka just Frankfurt. BTW, this sausage has been around since 13th century Frankfurt.
Here in the US, there are so many packaged hotdogs in varieties made from beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and let's not forget soy. I have found in the US that most local butchers carry 'frankly' a better quality wiener and are even better when they make their own signature links. A good example of a German-style butcher frankfurter done well in the US is Forest Pork Store in Huntington LI, which is as close to an authentic "Frankfurter Wurstchen" as you can get on these shores.
However, if you are in a pinch and your butcher is closed, follow my top criteria for packaged hotdogs. You want to taste the meat and not the fillers, check the ingredient label and avoid fillers and other ingredients that contain non-food listings you've never heard of. Hebrew National makes an all-natural promise - no fillers or by-products, no artificial flavors or colors and comes close to fulfilling that statement.
If at home and grillin' "Frankfurter Wurstchen"— I use New York's Brooklyn Hot Dog brand; it's an all-beef smoked hot dog — just about the best of the wurst between a bun. This frankfurter has just the right amount of snap, with a meaty flavor with zero aftertastes. Grill them just right and top with spicy mustard and kraut too!
In Germany, the frank is served solo with dipping mustard on the side, a sure sign it's something good. It makes you wonder why in the US, everything from kraut, onions, chili, pickles, relish, salsa, tapenade, and faux cheese toppings makes its way to top off a hotdog? That's got to be the reason we are not allowed to call it "Frankfurter Wurstchen"