Red Snappers
At hot dog stands throughout Maine is a distinctive dog called a red snapper. Red snappers are made with a natural lamb casing and dyed bright red. This casing is what gives the hot dogs their “snap” when bitten into.
Why dye the casing red? That’s a good question, and one that no one has a definitive answer to. Some say the bright dye was originally used as a marketing tactic and others say the practice goes back to the European practice of dyeing older sausages red. Because of changing tastes and regulations around the use of red dyes in food, producers are now reinventing the hot dog’s scarlet hue with natural coloring while preserving the flavor and snap.
Though red hot dogs are found in other parts of the country, in Maine, they became a beloved regional staple, served at campfires, fairs, bean suppers, and roadside stands across the state. They are even celebrated annually at Dexter’s Red Hot Dog Festival, where there is, of course, a red hot dog–eating contest.