Three-Chili Wild Boar Sausage with Chipotle Dijonnaise and Cheese-Stuffed Hot Peppers

I was beginning to worry that since writing this blog I would not experience a sausage above a 4 rating. Thank (Insert Deity of choice here) that isn’t the case.

This particular one was very spicy, it may have something to do with the three peppers and the 3 chili’s in the sausage itself. Now it was probably not as spicy as my counterparts sausage. His had side effects. This one however was the perfect amount of spiciness.

All of the ingredients have a certain amount of heat to bring to the table so when they are combined it was a wonderful compilation. The chipotle dijonnaise was a just the right flavor to combine with the peppers with the boar.

But I have to say the standout ingredient was the cheese stuffed hot peppers. Their stuffed with a Dutch style cheese. I couldn’t identify it right away about it was very similar to a muenster. But it was the standout.

All in all and wonderful experience

8.5

Calvados-Infused Smoked Duck Sausage with Blood Orange Mustard and St. Pete’s Blue Cheese drizzled with Honey

Usually when we go to Doug’s it is a grand experience where everyone in my group just raves about the sausage and we can discuss and break them down like a book or a fine wine.  Also we typically rave about the flavors, texture and the overall experience.  Today was a bit different.  The sausage that I chose today was the Calvados-Infused Smoked Duck Sausage with Blood Orange Mustard and St. Pete’s Blue Cheese drizzled with Honey.  Breaking it down I really enjoyed the sausage portion, the Blood orange mustard had a bit of a hint of citrus with the honey providing a reminder of sweetness.  Usually the cheeses served are pretty good.  Usually the blue cheeses that Doug gets are very sharp and often are the dominant flavor.  This batch however was a bit off.  It wasn’t the usually potency but rather a dry cheese and it really detracted from the flavor of the sausage.

I think that I would have really enjoyed this sausage if it was served with a different cheese, or even some of the St. Pete’s that was a bit fresher, maybe I just didn’t luck out and got a hunk off the end but in this case the cheese really ruined the party for me.

Overall since we have started this blog this has been my least favorite sausage and I’m going to give it a straight 4 out of 10 on the Doug’s scale.  Which is unfortunate because this sausage really had a lot going for it.  Who knows I may give it another chance the next time that it cycles around.

Jalapeño Smoked Chicken Sausage with Mole à la Carlos and Cotija Cheese

Definition of insanity , repeating the same action and anticipating a different result. I do not care for smoked sausage, whether it be pork, shrimp, or chicken. I know I don’t care for it, but I end up ordering it anyway.

This sausage was not one of my favorites, Maybe because It found the smokey flavor over powering or that the mole sauce had a bit of a carbon taste that I didn’t enjoy.  This was a healthy sized sausage so you won’t go hungry that’s for sure. It had a smooth texture, which you would expect in a chicken sausage.

The mole sauce is where I take issue. It tasted almost burnt. Now I am not a mole expert so I don’t know if that was the flavor intention or not so I won’t criticize. I also do not like my food blackened so that may be be why I didn’t enjoy it.

All in all It was ok, not good, not great, but also not bad either. It was just.. meh.

3 out of 10 Rating in my book.

The Dog – A Seasoning of Faiths Perfection

The Dog. When I moved to The Greater Chicagoland Metropolitan Area the first time, I sampled what I thought was a Chicago Style Hot Dog. I was mistaken. Usually when one wants a CSHD (Patent Pending) you have to go into a Jack of All Trades (Master of None) style shop. These places usually Serve CSHD’s, Gryos, Pizza Puffs, Italian Beef, and the like. Now don’t get me wrong I eat at these places too. There is one by my office where I can get two dogs. Fries and a Soda (not pop, that is the guy married to mom) for like $3. It also happens to be worth exactly that, $3. The Dogs are wrapped so tight that everything squished together and the hot dog they use I’m sure reads on the package (Contains up to 50% real meat)

At Hot Doug’s The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium they make a proper CSHD. Fresh bun, hotdog that reaches the end of the bun, pickle spear, sport peppers, tomatoes, Neon Relish, and Celery Salt, all recogizable and you can taste their flavors in every bite. Check out the picture and ask yourself when the last time a stand dog looked like that?

Fries of awesomeness +1

My counter part said all that really needs to be said about the orgasmic nature of duck fat fries. I love me some french fries from waffle to steak, McDonalds (r) to Wendy’s (r) I have eaten the best fries out there. These are like Usain Bolt turning around and waving at the other 100m sprinters better than any I have ever had. No more words to say about it. This Friday get off your butt, put away that lovely leftover dish you brought from home and get over to Hot Doug’s The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium

Let’s Talk Fries

There are fries and there are FRIES.  Some people like the style of french fries from McDonald’s which are good in their own right.  Some people prefer thick heavy steak fries and there are some who prefer tater tots (I myself prefer crispy crowns to tater tots).  There are some fries that are so good that they deserve their own post and category on Ask Me About My Wiener.

On Fridays and Saturdays Hot Doug’s Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium serve a twist on the conventional french fries.  That’s right in addition to the normal fries offered on the menu for $3.50 you can experience the heavenly bliss of Duck Fat Fries.  These delectable morsels of goodness are cut a bit thinner than the regular fries but they are then deep fried to perfection using rendered Duck Fat.  I believe that they are even fried twice at two different temperatures but I do not have confirmation of that fact.

You’ll find that these fries are a bit richer than regular fries but they are really quite addicting.  Even though it is a very large order (I recommend one order to split amongst two people) you may find yourself scraping the bottom of the paper boat for the little burned end pieces at the bottom which we call “little crispys.”  You may even take it one step further by licking the bottom just to make sure that you have it all.  This compulsive behavior may be enhanced by the opium sea salt that is sprinkled over each order.  These fries are awesome.

If you have an opportunity to go pick up an order on Friday or Saturday you should take it.  Be warned that if you are planning a trip out to California and Roscoe you should start early as very long lines form on “Duck Fry-Day” and Saturday.  If you try to go between noon and 1:00 be prepared to wait.  I also recommend getting an order of the regular fries to go along with it as a taste test.  Some people really can’t appreciate how good these fries really are unless they can try several side by side.

Make the trip.  I’m sure that you will be glad that you did.  Also for the dozen of you that may actually read this blog please post some of your favorite fries in the comment section below.

Brandy-Infused Portuguese Chorizo with Saffron Rouille and 12-Month Montelarreina Cheese

The sausage that I had for lunch today at Hot Doug’s was the Brandy-Infused Portuguese Chorizo with Saffron Rouille and 12-Month Montelarreina Cheese.   I was expecting the Portuguese Chorizo to be similar in flavor and spicy like the Mexican Chorizo that I am familiar with but the Portuguese variety was a bit smoother and had an almost creamy texture similar to the Portuguese Linguica.  The Chorizo had a bit of spice to it, not so much as it was overpowering as it was mild but you did notice it.  Complimenting the sausage was a Saffron Rouille.  A Rouille sauce usually consists of olive oil, breadcrumbs, garlic along with some chili peppers for heat.  This sauce had a bit of Saffron added which turned the sauce into a shade of yellow that I would usually associate with a mustard.  Like I described the sausage as having an almost creamy texture the Rouille sauce enhanced that effect with a creamy texture of its own.  Topping the sausage was a 12-Month Montelarreina Cheese.  I’ll be the first one to admit that I have no idea of what
Montelarreina Cheese is but it is a hard cheese which to me tastes a
bit like Parmesan cheese except a bit milder.   Like a lot of the cheeses served on sausages this one was there for enhancement of the total flavor and wasn’t meant to take center stage.

Overall I enjoyed the Brandy-Infused Portuguese Chorizo and while not my favorite sausage of all time at Hot Doug’s I think that this one has a lot of merit if you’re looking for something a bit milder with a more complex flavor.  I think that I will give this sausage a 5.5 on the top scale.  While 5.5 doesn’t seem very high for a sauage that I really enjoy I am comparing a Hot Doug’s sausage to other Hot Doug’s sausages so they must be compared critically.  One of these days I’ll put together a post explaining my rating system.  If you think of something to use as a visual rating let me know in the comments below.

White Wine and Dijon Rabbit Sausage with Fines Herbes Sauce Moutarde, Armagnac-Truffle Pâté and Truffle Balsamic Cream Drizzle

So as you will find by my posts, I am fond of the game sausages. I will usually try those first before standard fare of chicken or pork. Today I had the White wine and Dijon Rabbit. This particular delite has not only a fine rabbit sausage but it is topped with two sauces and an excellent truffle pate. The taste when getting all the ingrediants at once is hard to explain, you first get the hint of rabbit, very subtle and mild, then the soft salty texture of the pate. After that comes the dual sauce combination, like the binary liquids that are the reason I can’t take shampoo on a plane, when these two come together is a full flavor explosion. The Mustard mixed with the Balsamic Cream is pure joy. I highly recommend this treat. It is however very rich so keep that in mind if you plan on doing double sausage duty.

Merlot and Blueberry Venison Sausage with Pomegranate-Blueberry Mustard Cream and Smoked Gouda Cheese

I found this sausage to be a great combination of flavors. The Pomegranate-Blueberry Cream Sauce really makes this particular dish. The sweet sauce mixed with the slight game flavor of the venison was ideal. Also, smoked Gouda, need I say more? I followed this exceptional sausage with one of Doug’s corn dogs. His corn dogs are the best I have had. Maize wrapped goodness, on a steeek!

Corndog

The Corndog at Doug’s is one of the best Corndogs that I have ever had in my life.  I often substitute a Corndog for the hand-cut fries when I just want a little bit extra.  There is also a Veggie Corndog on the menu but since it is a veggie dog I will not review it on this blog.

I believe that the Corndog uses the same hot dogs as the regular menu however they are dipped in a batter, which does contain real corn, and deep fried to a golden brown.  The outer breading yields gently to a moist interior which melts in your mouth along with the meaty flavor of the Hot Dog.  Often I find that no condiments are needed but I do enjoy simple yellow mustard as a compliment to the flavor.

If you’re looking for something a bit different than the fries as a side dish to your next sausage experience I recommend a Corndog.  Heck you could even get two or three for a meal.