Frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie, sausage, or more commonly known as the “All-American” hot dog, these delectable dogs are the perfect quick fix for a hearty meal.
And whether fixing for just yourself or serving a crowd, hot dogs can be a fast meal, picnic food or a bar-b-que staple, however, we have some suggestions for turning a traditional hotdog into a gourmet delight.
Buns: Store-bought, sesame rolls, flour tortillas, and French rolls are great choices; or why not try the baked buns with herbs and spices? If you are loading your hotdog with a variety of condiments, make sure that you select an oversized bun like Garlic Texas Toast to handle all of the toppings. To warm your buns, you can butter and slap them on the grill or simply wrap in aluminum foil and heat at 350 degrees for twenty minutes or leave in a warm oven until needed.
Toppings: A traditional hot dog calls for ketchup, mustard, pickle relish (either sweet or dill), and onion. Or you can pick and choose your toppings and make it a culinary creation. Sauerkraut, jalapenos, capers, sautéed peppers and onions, chili, banana peppers, Monterrey jack cheese, sautéed mushrooms, nacho cheese, bacon, or unexpected gourmet cheeses such as feta or smoked Gouda are an excellent choice.
Sides: With a loaded hotdog, it is best to keep things simple. Potato salad, coleslaw, or corn on the cob make excellent choices. Baked beans are a nice addition and if you don’t want to take away from the beauty of your hot dog masterpiece, a bag of chips will always suffice.
Quick Tip: Nothing beats a grilled hot dog, but if you’re cooking for a crowd, a fast way to cook a lot of hot dogs is to bake them in the oven. First, use a knife to make a slit along the length of each hot dog, just ¼ inch deep. Then line a cookie sheet with tin foil, arrange a single row(s) with hot dogs, and bake on 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
My favorite variation is to sub the brown sugar for maple syrup (I do a bit less than 1/4 cup, as maple syrup is sweeter).