Chili Dog, Spradlin's Dairy Delight (Arkansas)

By: Sara Ventiera

Chili Dog, Spradlin's Dairy Delight (Arkansas) 

One of those dishes of unknown origin, the Frito Chili Pie — corn chips topped with bold chili, cheese and crisp onion — is claimed by many places throughout the South and Southwest. This 1957 England, Arkansas, dairy is one. Owner Claude Spradlin claims that infamous dish has been on the menu for more than a half-century. And while he still serves plenty of chili-topped Fritos, he sells a lot more hot dogs coated in that same sauce. Spradlin's chili dogs follow the Arkansas ethos, its footlong dog topped with mustard, chili and slaw with optional additions of American cheese, pickled jalapenos and raw onions. And, of course, Fritos are available on the side.

Reindeer Dog, International House of Hot Dogs (Alaska)

By: Sara Ventiera

Reindeer Dog, International House of Hot Dogs (Alaska)

Long before the wild game sausage trend took over gastropub menus across the United States, Anchorage residents where noshing on dogs showcasing one locally ubiquitous, otherwise rare ingredient: reindeer. Reindeer has been a summertime street cart specialty in the Last Frontier for more than two decades. But International House of Hot Dogs serves its McKinley Dog throughout the year - sleigh-pulling season included. It starts with a hearty and heavily spiced Polish-style reindeer sausage in a bun with a simple combination of sauteed onions and a sweet and smoky homemade chipotle sauce.

Sonoran Hot Dog, Aqui con el Nene (Arizona)

By Sara Ventiera

Sonoran Hot Dog, Aqui con el Nene (Arizona)

Peddled by hundreds of restaurants and street cart-pushing hotdogueros throughout Tucson and Phoenix, Sonoran hot dogs are so common in Arizona, they might as well be called Grand Canyon wieners. Beef franks are swaddled in bacon and griddled until they fuse together like a carnivorous candy cane. Those flavorful franks are cradled in a fluffy Mexican baguette, then topped with a whole shebang of toppings like pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard and spicy salsa. At Aqui con el Nene in Tucson, those exceptional dogs are served chilipon-style with a toasted bun and melted cheese with all the old reliables and a world-class jalapeno sauce.

Birmingham Hot Dog, Gus's Hot Dogs (Alabama)

By Sara Ventiera

One of the oldest hot dog stands in a city that was once home to countless frank purveyors, Gus’s is the place to try the Birmingham hot dog developed by the city’s early Greek immigrants. Both the regular and the "special" dogs feature a half pork-half beef weenie charred on the 70-year-old grill and served in a steamed standard issue bun with yellow mustard, chopped white onion, sauerkraut and spice-scented special sauce that’s like a sweeter, tangier version of New York pushcart-style onions. The special, with the addition of ground beef, is city’s storied hot dog claim to fame, as owner Lee Pantazis sees it. "A small piece of history wedged in a bun covered in sauce," he says.

Copycat Whistle Dog

Iö

Author: Tara Noland

This Copycat Whistle Dog is taken from A&W who no longer have this on their menu. You can now make your own at home!

Hot dogs, all beef, sliced down the middle but not all the way through

Hot dog bun, toasted

Cheddar Cheese, grated

Bacon, cooked crisp

Sweet Relish

White onion, finely chopped

Add toppings to your personal preference

To Make

Heat up the bbq to medium and grill the hot dogs on both sides until nice grill marks appear. Toast the buns on the grill, open side down. Place one hot dog in each bun and fill the hot dog with cheese. Run it under a broiler to melt. Top with crisp bacon, relish and onion if desired. Serve immediately.

The Classic Dog

When Pat and Gina Neely went on a hunt for some of the best eats around Kansas City on Road Tasted with the Neelys, they stopped by Fritz' s Meat & Superior Sausage for a taste of its prized smoked bacon. But this small Leawood, Kansas, butcher shop is known for way more than its luscious cured pork belly. As one of Kansas Cityâ s oldest smokehouses, established in 1927, all of the meats and sausages sold from this butcher are top notch - including its hot dogs. During lunch, locals lineup for housemade all-beef dogs simply served with mustard and sauerkraut or dressed up with a bacon wrap, deep-fried and gussied up like a BLT in the HDBLT.

Grilled Link Hot Dogs with Homemade Pickle Relish

Recipe courtesy of

Bobby Flay

Ingredients

8 link hot dogs

Assorted mustards (brown, horseradish, sweet and hot, Dijon, etc.)

Ketchup

Best-quality hot dog buns

Homemade Pickle Relish, recipe follows

Homemade Pickle Relish:

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

2 tablespoons sugar

8 large dill pickles (sour, not half-sour), finely diced

1 small red pepper, grilled, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

1 small yellow pepper, grilled, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

1 small white onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

To Make

Heat grill to high. Grill the hot dogs until golden brown on all sides. Place in buns and top with your favorite mustard and the Homemade Pickle Relish.

Homemade Pickle Relish:

Bring vinegar, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds to a boil in a medium non-reactive saucepan on the grates of the grill; cook until reduced to by half and slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat, add the remaining ingredients, and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Show: Boy Meets Grill

Episode: Take Me Out to the Ballgame

West Virginia-Style Hot Dog

Directions

Grilled or Boiled Hot Dog

Cook on hot oiled grates, turning, until charred, about 5 minutes. Or cook in boiling water or beer, 4 to 6 minutes.

Chili

Combine 1 pound ground beef, 1/2 grated onion, 1 cup tomato sauce and one 6-ounce can tomato paste in a large pot. Stir in 1 tablespoon each chili powder and sugar, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon each pepper and garlic salt and 1 cup water. Add 1 bay leaf, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until thick, about 2 hours. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar and simmer 30 more minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Coleslaw

Yellow Mustard

Photograph by Levi Brown

Recipe courtesy of Katie Lee for Food Network Magazine

From: Food Network Magazine

Spicy Bacon Hot Dog

Directions

Pan-Fried Hot Dog

Cook in a hot cast-iron skillet with a little oil, butter or bacon fat, about 5 minutes.

Bacon and Onions

Cook 4 chopped bacon slices in a skillet over medium-high heat until the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 thinly sliced onion; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon each soy sauce and lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.

Mayonnaise

Spicy Chips

Spread 1 cup lightly crushed tortilla chips on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chili-lime powder (such as Tajen brand) and toss to coat. Bake at 350 degrees F until lightly toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool.

Ketchup

Yellow Mustard

Photograph by Levi Brown

Recipe courtesy of Marcela Valladolid for Food Network Magazine

From: Food Network Magazine

New York Street-Cart Dog

Cook in boiling water or beer, 4 to 6 minutes.

Onion Sauce

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons honey and 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and chili powder; cook 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Spicy Brown Mustard

Sauerkraut

Photograph by Levi Brown

Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay for Food Network Magazine

From: Food Network Magazine

Chicago Dogs

Chicago Dogs

Serve boiled hot dogs on poppy-seed buns with dill pickle and cucumber spears, sliced tomatoes, sweet pickle relish, pickled peppers, diced onion and yellow mustard. Sprinkle with celery salt.

British Chippie Style Dog with Brown Sauce and Pickled Onions

by Gordon Hamilton

Cook Time

Prep time: 20 min*

Cook time: 5 min*

Ready in: 25 min*

Yields: One serving

*Does not include chip cooking/preparation times

Ingredients

• 1 dog
• 2 tablespoon self-raising/rising flour
• Salt
• 1 sub roll
• Homemade chips to serve
• Pickled onions to serve
• Brown sauce

Instructions

1. The bacon storing plastic dish featured further up this page as a means of storing hot dogs in the fridge is also a great dish for battering hot dogs. Add the flour, a good pinch of salt and very slowly begin adding cold water as you whisk with a fork.
2. When you have a batter the consistency of thick cream, put the dish in to the fridge for the batter to rest for fifteen minutes. (Added too much water? Simply add a little bit more flour)
3. Bring a deep frier or deep pan of oil up to a high heat.
4. Dip the sausage in the batter ensuring it is evenly coated. Allow any excess to briefly drip off before carefully lowering in to the hot oil.
5. Deep fry the hot dog for about five or six minutes until the batter is nicely crisp and golden. Lift to a plate covered with kitchen paper for a minute or so to drain.
6. Sit the battered dog in the opened sub roll, drizzle with brown sauce and served with the chips and pickled onions.

Mixed Peppers and Mushroom Pizza Dog

by Gordon Hamilton

Cook Time

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ready in: 15 min

Yields: Two servings

Ingredients

• 2 hot dogs
• 2 sub rolls
• 2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper
• Small handful mixed sliced bell peppers
• 2 medium closed cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Put the tomatoes in to a small saucepan and on to a medium heat. Season with the basil, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and continue to simmer for about five minutes until thick and smooth.
2. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and stir fry the mushrooms and peppers for a couple of minutes.
3. Put your overhead grill/broiler on to preheat to high.
4. Lift the hot dogs in to the sub rolls.
5. Divide the tomato sauce between the two subs, followed by the mushroom/pepper mix and the cheese.
6. Carefully lift the dogs on to a grilling tray and grill/broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
7. Return to plates to serve.

Peanut Butter, Bacon and Banana Hot Dog - The PBB & B Dog!

by Gordon Hamilton

Cook Time
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ready in: 15 min
Yields: One serving

• 1 dog
• 3 or 4 slices of bacon (streaky bacon, UK), as required
• 1 sub roll
• 1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
• 1 small banana, medium ripeness, peeled and mashed

To Make

1. Wrap the dog in the bacon, secure with cocktail sticks/toothpicks and deep fry in hot oil for about five minutes (see first recipe above). Lift to kitchen paper covered plate to drain before carefully twisting and removing sticks.
2. While the dog is deep frying, cut open the sub roll and spread both sides with peanut butter.
3. Mash the banana in a small bowl with the back of a fork and spread in the centre of the roll.
4. Lift the bacon wrapped dog on to the banana and enjoy.

Spicy Bhuna Hot Dog in Naan Bread

by Gordon Hamilton

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon medium curry powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ½ small white onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 small to medium closed cup mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 8 ounce can chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
• 1 hot dog
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped coriander/cilantro, plus extra to garnish
• 10 inch naan bread

To Make

Pour the oil in to a large, non-stick frying pan and put on to a medium heat. Add the spices and gently fry the spices off for a couple of minutes to get rid of the harshness. Don't have the heat too high or you will burn the spices and they will become bitter.

Add the onion and mushroom to the spice mix and fry for another minute or so, just until the onions are starting to soften.

Pour in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

Lay the cold dog in the pan and carefully cover with the warm sauce. Simmer as gently as possible for five more minutes.

Heat the naan bread per the instructions on the pack. Don't overheat to make it crispy. It needs to remain pliable so that you can lift the sides up to eat the finished creation.

Lay the naan bread on a serving plate and very carefully lift the hot dog on to the centre with your cooking tongs.

Add the coriander/cilantro to the sauce and stir well, cooking for a further minute only.

Spoon the sauce over the dog, garnish with the remaining herb and to eat, simply lift the sides of the naan just as you would the two halves of a roll.

Sausage Roll Dog with Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce

by Gordon Hamilton

This is unquestionably the most unusual dog idea featured thus far. It is not served in a roll but is instead encased in puff pastry and served on a bed of baked beans in tomato sauce, requiring it be eaten with a knife and fork. Alternatively, you could bake the dog on a skewer and dip it in the beans. (If cooking with a skewer, be sure to soak the skewer in cold water for ten minutes beforehand to prevent it burning and possibly catching fire in the oven)

• 1 dog
• 2 ounces pre-made puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten in a bowl
• Little bit of vegetable oil for greasing baking tray (do not use butter - it will burn in the oven and burn/blacken the underside of the pastry)
• 8 ounce can baked beans in tomato sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

To Make

Put your oven on to preheat to 450F/220C.

Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/8th of an inch in an approximate square, wide enough to contain the hot dog.

Brush the pastry lightly with beaten egg and sit the cold dog on the pastry near one edge (refer to the pictures above for extra clarity) and trim that the pastry is the width of the dog.

Carefully roll the dog in the pastry, ensuring you get no air bubbles. The egg will help the pastry stick to the dog.

When the dog has rolled a full revolution, go a little bit further to have an overlap of around a ¼ inch. Trim off any excess pastry.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and sit the pastry wrapped dog on it, overlapping pastry piece on the bottom. Press down very gently just to flatten the bottom of the pastry slightly and prevent the dog rolling around in the oven.

Score two or three air vents lightly on top of the pastry and glaze with more beaten egg.

Put the baking tray in to the oven for approximately twenty to twenty-five minutes until the pastry is beautifully risen and golden.

Take the dog from the oven and rest for five minutes on a wire rack.

While the dog is resting, pour the beans in to a saucepan and add the oregano. 

Heat gently, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Arrange the beans as a bed on a serving plate and sit the sausage roll dog on top.

Hot Dog with Sauteed Cabbage, Onion and Garlic

by Gordon Hamilton

• 1 hot dog
• 1 sub roll
• 2 crisp cabbage leaves, tough central veins removed, shredded
• ½ small white onion, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Salt and pepper

To Make

Pour about a tablespoon of oil in to a non-stick frying pan and bring to a moderate heat.

Add the cabbage, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir fry for a few minutes on a medium heat until the cabbage and onion have softened.

Lay the hot dog in the sub roll and spoon on the cabbage and onion mix to serve.

Spicy Bean Chilli Dog

by Gordon Hamilton

• 1 hot dog
• 1 sub roll
• 1 red cherry pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 green chilli pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped corander/cilantro, plus a little extra to garnish
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon canned chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon canned red kidney beans, rinsed

To Make

Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in to a saucepan and gently heat. Add the chillies and garlic and fry off for a minute or so, stirring with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour in the tomatoes and add the kidney beans. Stir well and bring to a simmer for about five minutes - stirring frequently - until a thick sauce is formed.
Stir in most of the coriander at the very last minute, remembering to reserve some to garnish.

Lay the hot dog in the cut open sub roll, carefully spoon on the sauce and garnish with the last of the coriander/cilantro.

The Big Breakfast Dog with Bacon and Egg

by Gordon Hamilton

Gordon loves cooking and experimenting with food. He loves making new dishes, particularly with unusual or under-used ingredients.

Cook Time
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ready in: 25 min\
Yields: One serving

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 dog
• 3 or 4 slices of bacon, as required (UK readers: use streaky bacon, smoked or unsmoked)
• 1 sub roll
• Little bit of mayo
• White pepper
• Chopped chives to garnish

To Make

Put the eggs in to a pot of cold water and bring the water to a gentle simmer for about seven or eight minutes.

While the eggs are cooking, carefully wrap the hot dog evenly with the bacon and secure with cocktail sticks or toothpicks. Bring your deep frier or a deep pan of oil up to a medium to high heat.

Take the pot with the eggs to the sink and run cold water in it while you carefully lower the dog in to the hot oil.

Crack the shells on the eggs, peel and add to a bowl along with the mayo and some white pepper. Mash with the back of a fork.

The dog should take about five minutes to deep fry, after which time it should be lifted to a plate covered with kitchen paper to drain.

Very carefully, remove the cocktail sticks from the dog by twisting as you pull. Don't simply pull or you risk pulling the bacon off and/or damaging the dog.

Lift the dog in to the cut open sub roll, spoon on the egg mayo and garnish with the chopped chives.

Tropical Dog

Bring a vacation vibe to your backyard barbecue with a fresh pineapple and sweet red cherry pepper topper.

• 4 hot dogs 
• 4 hot dog buns 
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple 
• 1/4 cup sweet red cherry peppers (such as Peppadews) 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

To Make

Step  1
Cook the hot dogs according to the package directions.

Step 2
Split and toast or grill the buns.

Step 3
Place the hot dogs in the buns and, dividing equally, top with the pineapple, peppers, and cilantro.