Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOGS WERE PREFERRED OVER OSCAR MAYER IN A
TASTE TEST AMONG 150 NEW YORKERS.
BUT MOSTLY THEY'RE MADE, SOLD, AND LOVINGLY CONSUMED PRIMARILY
IN NORTH CAROLINA'S COASTAL PLAIN AND THE EASTERN HALF OF
THE PIEDMONT, AS THEY HAVE BEEN SINCE 1941.
>> IT'S JUST A CULT-LIKE FOLLOWING.
AND WE'VE GOT GREAT CUSTOMERS, YOU KNOW, FROM -- FROM -- WE
ACTUALLY SELL FROM GREENSBORO TO THE COAST.
BUT IT'S AMAZING WHAT PEOPLE GREW UP ON AS A CHILD.
I GREW UP HERE IN SMITHFIELD, AND THAT'S ALL I KNEW WAS A RED
BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOG.
I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A BROWN HOT DOG TILL I WENT OFF TO
COLLEGE.
>> MOST ALL HOT DOGS WERE RED IN YEARS PAST.
BRIGHT LEAF CONTINUES TO COLOR ITS FRANKS RED WITH A SAFE RED
DYE BECAUSE IT'S BECOME SORT OF A TRADEMARK.
BUT WHAT ELSE MAKES THESE PARTICULAR HOT DOGS SO POPULAR?
>> A BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOG IS TRULY AN OLD-FASHIONED HOT DOG.
IT'S MADE THE WAY PEOPLE USED TO MAKE HOT DOGS 25 OR 30 YEARS
AGO.
IT'S MADE WITH BEEF AND PORK.
BEEF GIVES IT A LITTLE BIT STRONGER FLAVOR.
THE PORK GIVES IT A LITTLE BIT OF SWEET FLAVOR.
BUT THEN IT'S GOT ITS -- ITS SPICES THAT KIND OF SET IT
APART.
>> NOT TO GET TOO TECHNICAL HERE, BUT BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOGS
ARE SKINLESS, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE FORMED AND PRECOOKED IN
A TEMPORARY CASING.
>> IT'S FORMED WITH A CELLULOSE CASING, AND WHEN THE PRODUCT IS
COOKED AND CHILLED, WE HAVE TO REMOVE THAT CELLULOSE SO ALL WE
DO IS RUN IT THROUGH A FRANK SKINNER AND SKIN IT AND THAT'S
WHY IT'S CALLED SKINLESS.
>> WITH NO SKIN TO GET IN THE WAY, IT'S THE MEAT OF THE HOT
DOG THAT GETS CRISPY WHEN IT'S GRILLED OR COOKED IN FAT, WHICH
EXPERTS SAY IS THE BEST WAY TO COOK THEM.
JONES CAFÉ IN CLAYTON IS FAMOUS FOR THE WAY IT'S BEEN PREPARING
BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOGS SINCE 1958.
BURR JONES IS THE THIRD GENERATION OWNER AND CHIEF COOK.
>> IT'S A RECIPE MY GRANDDADDY COME UP WITH BACK IN '58, UM.
HE MIXES TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF OIL IN THE WATER, AND
IT'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THAT OIL AND WATER.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS.
IT JUST MAKES THEM HOT DOGS GOOD.
I LIKE TO DO A REAL SLOW SIMMER.
IF THEY GET IN THERE AND GET BOILING TOO MUCH, THE HOT DOGS
WILL SPLIT AND THEY GET SOFT AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT GOOD.
IF YOU KEEP IT ON A LOW SIMMER, GOTTA HAVE THE RIGHT POP WHEN
YOU BITE THEM.
>> GENERATIONS OF BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOG LOVERS HAVEN'T EVEN
INSISTED THAT THE DOGS BE HOT, INCLUDING ONE WHO GREW UP TO BE
CAROLINA PACKERS' PLANT MANAGER.
>> MY PERSONAL STORY WITH BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOGS AS A LITTLE CHILD
IS GOING TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE, AND SHE WOULD HAVE A BAG
IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
MY BROTHER AND I WOULD START EARLY IN THE MORNING.
WE'D TEAR A HOLE IN THE BAG, RIP THE BAG OPEN, AND START PULLING
THE HOT DOGS OUT.
ABOUT TIME FOR SUPPER, ALL THE HOT DOGS WERE GONE, AND SHE WAS
ON ME AND MY BROTHER FOR EATING THOSE HOT DOGS UP.
>> YOU HEARD A REFERENCE TO A BAG.
BRIGHT LEAF DOESN'T VACUUM PACK MOST OF ITS HOT DOGS.
IT SIMPLY PUTS THEM IN A PLASTIC BAG OR BOX FOR QUICK DELIVERY TO
GROCERY STORES AND RESTAURANTS.
THE BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOGS YOU SEE AT THE STORE ARE FRESH.
>> WE DELIVER DIRECTLY TO THE GROCERY STORES.
WE DON'T GO THROUGH WAREHOUSES.
WE DO THROUGH SOME FOOD SERVICE COMPANIES, BUT MOST OF OUR
PRODUCT IS SOLD DIRECTLY AT THE GROCERY STORE.
WE GO DIRECTLY TO WHAT GROCERY STORE IT IS.
WE DROP IT OFF ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE MAKE IT TODAY, WE PACK IT TOMORROW, AND DELIVER IT THE
FOLLOWING TODAY.
>> CAROLINA PACKERS' EMPLOYEES ARE BOTH MAKERS AND CONSUMERS OF
BRIGHT LEAF HOT DOGS, AND THEIR PRODUCT IS VISIBLE WHEREVER THEY
GO.
>> NOT ONLY DO WE MAKE THE PRODUCT HERE, BUT WE EAT THE
PRODUCT THAT WE MAKE.
YOU CAN'T GO TO ANY GROCERY STORE IN THIS AREA AND NOT SEE
OUR PRODUCTS HERE.
2-POUND BAGS, 1-POUND BAGS.
WHETHER IT BE RED HOTS OR HOT DOGS OR SMOKED SAUSAGE OR
BOLOGNA, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THESE PRODUCTS, AND YOU'RE GOING
TO BUY THEM.
>> FOLKS WHO ARE TRAVELING IN BRIGHT LEAF'S MARKET AREA OFTEN
CALL THE COMPANY TO FIND THE LOCATION OF THE NEAREST
RETAILER, AND THAT ISN'T THE LIMIT OF CUSTOMIZED PERSONAL
SERVICE BY ANY MEANS.
>> WE HAD SO MANY FOLKS CALLING IN FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO
GREW UP IN SMITHFIELD, GREW UP IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WHO
COULDN'T GET THE PRODUCT.
WE DON'T HAVE AN AUTOMATIC ORDERING SYSTEM.
THEY CALL IN HERE.
WE ACTUALLY TALK TO THE CUSTOMER AND PLACE THE ORDER.
WE SEND IT TO THEM ON A WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY, AND THEY
GET THERE BY THE WEEKEND.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO TALK WITH THEM, FIND OUT WHERE THEY'RE
FROM.
AND I ENJOY THAT, BECAUSE I'VE ACTUALLY TALKED TO GUYS I WENT
TO SCHOOL WITH.
>> THIS IS DONE ALL THE WAY WITH MUSTARD, ONIONS, AND CHILI, PLUS
SLAW, WHICH IS THE WAY THAT I LIKE IT.
OH.
YOU KNOW, FOR SOMETHING SO SIMPLE, THAT IS JUST WONDERFUL.
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY JUST DROP THAT HOT DOG INTO A POT OF
WATER.
NO.
IT HAS SOME REAL OIL, SOME REAL FAT INVOLVED IN THE COOKING.
AND THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE SLAW AND THE CHILI AND THE MUSTARD
AND THE ONIONS AND THE BITE OF THE HOT DOG ITSELF, OH, I'M
TELLING YOU, THAT'S HEAVEN.