What is actually in a hot dog? There can be beef, pork, chicken and ... other stuff. We love hot dogs. But we've all heard those stories about what might go into them. As inspection and quality control standards increased, hot dogs became a menu mainstay in kitchens and ballparks – and earned an exalted place at cookouts and gatherings on holidays such as the Fourth of July. Americans ate about 3.7 billion hot dogs in the 12 months ending May 2022, according to The NPD Group, a research firm. Most of those – 3.1 billion – are eaten at home, NPD says. Click the link in our bio for more on the classic July 4 food.