Is the Wagyu Hot Dog Worth the Price? We Tasted It to Find Out

At a summer cookout, I prefer a snappy hot dog to a juicy burger. It might be a controversial take, but my love for these links started when I learned how to make them by hand. 

During culinary school, I was tasked with turning lots of scrap pork into hot dogs. I added the chunks of meat, cold lard, ice, seasonings, and curing salts into a buffalo chopper (a bowl with a blade that emulsifies large quantities of ingredients), and ground the mixture to a smooth paste. I fed the mixture into casings and then tied them off into links before smoking and poaching. There were no strange ingredients: no pig snouts, no organs (aside from sheep intestines for the casings), and no fillers. The resulting hot dog was unforgettable: juicy, succulent, and pork-forward. 

I was reminded of that long-ago dog when I first heard of KC Cattle Company’s Wagyu hot dogs. 

A hot dog made with Wagyu beef

KC Cattle Company was founded in 2016 by former Army Ranger Patrick Montgomery, who spent three years breeding and developing a herd of genetically superior Wagyu cattle. The result is highly marbled, distinctively buttery, ultra-tender cuts of steak including rib eye, filet mignon, brisket, and sirloin. And that same high-quality beef goes into its World Famous Wagyu Gourmet Hot Dogs. 

While the beef is undeniably the star, these hot dogs also include water, vinegar, salt, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, potato starch, and beet powder. They are fully cooked, thicker (and plumper) than traditional hot dogs, and have a tan color rather than the reddish hue of a store-bought wiener.

KC Cattle Company ships its hot dogs nationwide, but the quality comes at a cost: A pack of eight costs $19.99, significantly more than your average grocery store pack. I fired up my grill to find out if they’re worth the price.

Trying the hot dogs 

KC Cattle Company shipped me a box of its Wagyu hot dogs frozen in an insulated box with plenty of ice packs. After I thawed them in the refrigerator, it was time to taste the hot dogs

I prepared them using different methods: grilled, seared in a cast-iron skillet, boiled, and cooked in an air fryer. While the hot dogs are fully cooked, I always like to cook any frank to at least 145°F. For the grill, air fryer, and skillet, I made sure to brown the outside well for a proper snap.

Here’s a quick rundown on the methods I used: 

• Grilling: I cooked them on a charcoal grill over medium-high heat, uncovered, flipping occasionally, until slightly charred on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pan-frying: I heated about 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. I added the hot dogs and cooked, flipping occasionally, until they were well-browned on all sides, adjusting the heat to avoid burning, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Air-frying: I preheated an air fryer to 400°F. I placed the hot dogs in the basket and cooked until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Boiling: I brought a medium pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. I added the hot dogs and reduced the temperature to maintain a low simmer, until the hot dogs were hot, 3 to 4 minutes. 

The best method for these Wagyu hot dogs is grilled or pan-fried. The light char gives a pleasant toasty flavor and the casings develop a nice crisp bite. For both methods, I recommend cooking the dogs on a slightly lower heat than you would a regular hot dog. A lower temperature will crisp up the outside without overcooking the inside. 

My review of KC Cattle Company’s World Famous Wagyu Hot Dogs

I thought nothing could compare to those hot dogs I made in culinary school. But that first bite of a lightly charred, grilled Wagyu dog took me by surprise.

The snap was crisp without a hint of rubberiness, and the flavor was all beef, like a buttery steak or an umami-rich braised brisket. These franks were also noticeably juicier and more tender than traditional dogs you’d find at your local grocery store. Their thicker size meant that the center stayed juicy and plump, even when the exterior was rendered and slightly charred. They had a mild kick of spice with noticeable hints of garlic and onion throughout.

Were these the best hot dogs I ever tasted? Yes. I will say, they were quite salty. They have 870 milligrams of sodium per dog (compared to 480 milligrams of sodium for Hebrew National’s Beef Franks, for example). That saltiness made them feel like a special-occasion treat rather than an everyday cookout wiener. Since they’re also relatively expensive, these probably belong at a summer party with your food-loving friends, but not little kids.

Still, if you’ve never tried an all-Wagyu beef hot dog, you need to experience the steak-like, rich umami flavor and buttery texture. KC Cattle Company isn’t the only company that produces Wagyu hot dogs, with companies like Snake River Farms and Booth Creek also offering Wagyu hot dogs for nationwide delivery. But this purpose-driven company is worth supporting. It donates a portion of proceeds to support Folds of Honor, a foundation offering scholarships to families of fallen and service members with disabilities, and it provides discounts for current and former military members. $19.99 for an 8-pack; kccattlecompany.com