Back In Love With Hot Dogs

[thirdeye]

I've always liked hot dogs, and have cooked my fair share of them. For several months my 3 buddies and I have been putting together ideas for an Eggfest charity cook which took place last weekend. The cooks buy their own food, so we were mindful of cost, but since we were basically showing off in order to raise money, we wanted some flair too. We had decided on pulled pork, flat iron steaks, marinated chicken breasts, pizza and cheese burgers.... but wanted one more item. The servings are "taster" sizes, not full portions and there were 10 cooks grilling food.

Anyways..... I found a video for spiral dogs, basically a fancy way to cut the dog, but it's more..... this technique allows for more seasoning area, and more area to char. They cook a little faster, grow about an inch or so and stay straight as an arrow when cooking. These two below were a test cook the night before the event. I did them in a pan on the stove top, to get a feel for the process. WOW, I was sold. Following cutting I seasoned with seasoned salt and a beef BBQ rub and sprayed with olive oil. We served them with a full condiment tray. Folks from 8 to 80 snapped them up, some even declined the bun!! I think I cooked around 40 and they were gone in no time. So, if you like hot dogs, or have kids that like them.... you have to give this a try.

Here is a

video with the how-to.

[lispeej]

I don't eat hot dogs often, but I may have to give it a shot if it looks like that! Good job!

[harvey lee]

Great lookin dogs.

[KEN W]

That looks interesting.Did you use skinless or skin-on dogs?

[reinhard1]

Great idea Third Eye!!lots of places for those condiments to hide in also. good luck.

[Jim Almquist]

What a great place to hide the onions and mustard as well as something the kraut can hang on to so it dose not fall off.

[thirdeye]

That looks interesting.Did you use skinless or skin-on dogs?

Those were Ball Park all beef hot dogs, and I don't think those have actual skins do they? I thought during processing of hot dogs, the sheath is cut away from most hot dogs after they are cooked.

I'm waiting to try this method on some Nathan's or Hebrew National dogs because they seem to have more of a "snap" to them.... do these have a different skin?

[Whoaru99]

Love me some hot dogs, skin-on, and particularly Ambassadors (for commercial brand, anyway).

[Jim Almquist]

Love me some hot dogs, skin-on, and particularly Ambassadors (for commercial brand, anyway).

My favorite brand!!!!

Old Fashion skin on hot dogs!!

[Leaky]

Love this. Could have some fun with my daughter. But there is still nothing like the snap of a slightly charred skin on weiner.

[Mid-Lake Rock]

I'm a hot dog fanatic. I like them from the small town meat markets, but if I have to get them from a grocery story I prefer the Kirkland Signature dogs at Costco. I will be preparing these at an upcoming family vacation where all the little nieces and nephews will be looking for some dogs on the grill.

While doing some searches on spiral dogs, I found this recipe.

Purchase a package of dogs and spiral them, leave the spiral dog on the wood skewer (or put it on one). Space the spirals about 1/4 to 3/8 apart.

Mix warm cream cheese, crisp or real bacon bits fine grind, fine shred sharp cheddar cheese, very fine chopped and towel dried Jalapenos. needs to be very soft.

Grab your beef jerky gun with the small tube attachment, fill the spirals and wrap/roll in wax paper and chill. I squeeze the cheese mix to fill in the air pockets.

Prepare your favorite corm meal batter mix mix, for corn dog consistency

Dip your corn dogs and deep fry them!

[Leaky]

Oooooohhhh Boy! I think you would make a killing at the State Fair.

[KEN W]

I agree.....ballpark franks don't have a casing.My family only eats Ambassador hot dogs also.Not sure this would work with them.

[reinhard1]

you could butterfly the skin on wieners instead of spirel and fill them with that mixture of Midrock's reciepe and then batter them and deep fry them. just throwing it out there for i have never done this but Thirdeye's idea got me thinking as well. good luck.