There is something about summertime that makes many people crave hot sausages off the grill, covered in condiments and stuffed into buns. In other words, bratwursts and hot dogs are classic summer fare. Despite the two both having German origins and consisting of meat stuffed into casings, brats and dogs have some substantial differences.
The obvious contrast is their size and shape, with hot dogs typically being much longer and skinnier than the shorter, fatter bratwursts. But the two are also made with different ingredients, don't share many flavoring spices, and have very different textures. Because of the prominent meaty, salty, and umami flavors of both hot dogs and bratwursts, they taste great with similar toppings, like mustard, sauerkraut, onions, and sweet roasted peppers.
But their differences are worth celebrating as well, because the two can be flavored very differently. While different brands of hot dogs will still taste relatively similar, bratwursts can be flavored with all sorts of unexpected spices. Not all sausages are made the same Technically, both hot dogs and bratwursts are sausages, or ground meat that is flavored and forced into thin casings.
But the meats that each are made with are rarely the same. Hot dogs can be made from a mixture of pork, beef, chicken, and turkey, while bratwursts are mainly made from pork, and sometimes contain beef or veal. The meat mixture in hot dogs is so finely ground that it becomes paste-like, or completely emulsified be.