In something I never expected to have to clarify, this is a hot dog recipe but it is not a recipe for hot dogs. I know that I have a history of making foods from scratch that most sane people do not feel the need to — cream cheese, fig newtons, bagels, vanilla extract, and [coming soon] almond extract too — but I do still leave “grinding meat with spices, salt, and curing agents into a smooth, fine emulsion” before being “stuffed into casings and smoked” to the experts, usually at Hebrew National.
So while the Smitten Kitchen’s very first hot dog recipe isn’t a recipe for making hot dogs, phew, it is a recipe for my favorite way to prepare them. And on this, as with so many other things, I’m full of opinions.
→ Butterflied is best: I like my hot dogs butterflied, i.e. split down the center but leaving the last bit hinged together, then flattened and cooked on a grill or in a pan. This method allows the hot dog to get browned and more crisp from the inside out. There are also structural benefits: less rolling around as it cooks, and — this is key — better topping support.
→ Vinegared Iceberg: While I also love all of the classic hot dog toppings — yellow mustard, ketchup, minced raw onions — I’ve got two other favorites: First, I like cold, crisp iceberg lettuce, but I like it a little pickled first, vinegared, if you will. My mother in-law makes pickled iceberg and I’m not going to rest until I convince everyone that there’s no superior sandwich or frank topping. It adds the exact chill, crunch, and acidity I want on a hot day, but also all days.
→ Potato Chips: And if you’re not putting crumbled potato chips on your hot dogs, this is a perfect time to start. I first learned about this from a travel show about Venezuela* decades ago [I’d previously only experienced potato chips wedged into a pb&j sandwich in the school lunchroom, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it], but I’ve learned it’s just as popular throughout Latin America. The ultra-thin “potato sticks” type of chip are more common at ballparks, but I promise that crumbled kettle chips are excellent here too.
As a heat dome descends on the eastern US, I would be remiss to not mention that if you’re okay with skipping the Great American Tradition of cooking over hot metal grates in triple-digit temperatures to make use of that perfectly good kitchen we keep inside, you can, in fact, make all parts of this hot dog recipe there. See also: Oven Ribs, Dry Rub Oven Chicken, Crispy Oven Pulled Pork, and every last one of my slaws and potato salads. Happy cook = happy everyone.
* Venezuela was hit by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake last weekend, and rescue teams are working around the clock under catastrophic conditions to find survivors. If you’d like to help from afar, one of the Smitten Kitchen’s favorite charities, World Central Kitchen, is on the ground serving hot meals to impacted families and first responders, and are requesting donations to help them reach more people faster. You can contribute here.
Hot Dogs with Vinegared Iceberg and Potato Chips
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond brand; use half of any other)
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Half a small head of iceberg, cut into 1/4-inch ribbons (about 2 cups)
- 6 hot dogs
- 6 buns, ideally top-split, toasted
- Minced white onion
- Ketchup and yellow mustard
- Crumbled potato chips
- Freshly ground black pepper
Iceberg
Assembly
Cook your hot dogs: Split each of your hot dogs down the center, but leave the bottom hinge intact. Open and place cut side-down on a grill or in a griddle pan on the stove. [I’m using these presses as a weight for extra browning.] Hot dogs are already fully cooked from the package so you’re cooking until you get the sizzle, color, and browned crisp that you want. For extra crisp, you can flip the butterflied hot dogs over and cook on the skin side too.
Assemble: Fold each hot dog back together and arrange split side up in a bun. Add ketchup and mustard. Use tongs to grab some of the vinegared iceberg, shaking off the extra liquid, and pile on top. Top with white onion, crumbled chips, and freshly ground black pepper. Eat right away. Make more as soon as possible.
Previously
6 months ago: Winter Cabbage Salad with Mandarins and Cashews
1 year ago: Cucumber Crunch Salad with Tofu
2 years ago: Easy Basque Cheesecake and Blistered Peas-in-the-Pod
3 years ago: Sliced Egg Sandwich
4 years ago: Summer Ricotta with Grilled Vegetables
5 years ago: Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
6 years ago: Smashed Potatoes with Sweet Corn Relish
7 years ago: Chocolate Budino
8 years ago: Garlic-Lime Steak and Noodle Salad
9 years ago: Grilled Pepper and Torn Mozzarella Panzanella
10 years ago: The Consummate Chocolate Chip Cookie, Revisited
11 years ago: Crispy Frizzled Artichokes
12 years ago: Coconut Brown Butter Cookies
13 years ago: Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies
14 years ago: Asparagus with Almonds and Yogurt Dressing
15 years ago: Fudge Popsicles
16 years ago: Spring Asparagus Pancetta Hash
17 years ago: Grilled Shrimp Cocktail and Graham Crackers
18 years ago: S’more Pie
19 years ago: Zucchini Carpaccio Salad
Favorite hot dog?
I was using Boar’s Head while testing with this recipe; Serious Eats had recommended it way back and we found it solid. But I’m sure there’s better out there too.
Favorite store bought bun??!
I don’t have one at this time; I’m mostly looking for top-split.
Go ahead, make Deb’s amazing burger buns – and shape as hot dog buns – they are so good! I make them for every cookout I am invited to – and people remember the bread!
Vinagered lettuce sounds like it would be wonderful on a BLT with ripe summer tomatoes.
In fact, I have a BLT recipe with it in my third cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Keepers. So I wholeheartedly agree!