In a clarification I never anticipated needing to make, this is a hot dog recipe, but it is not designed to create hot dogs themselves. While I have a track record of preparing foods from scratch that most rational individuals would not — such as cream cheese, fig newtons, bagels, vanilla extract, and soon-to-come almond extract — I still leave the task of “grinding meat with spices, salt, and curing agents into a smooth, fine emulsion” before being “stuffed into casings and smoked” to the professionals, typically at Hebrew National.
So, while the very first hot dog recipe from Smitten Kitchen isn’t for actually making hot dogs, it is, thankfully, a recipe for my preferred method of preparing them. And I have quite a few opinions on this topic.
→ Butterflied is best: I prefer my hot dogs butterflied, meaning split down the center but leaving the end connected, then flattened and cooked on a grill or in a skillet. This technique allows the hot dog to brown and become crisp from the inside out. It also has structural advantages: it rolls around less during cooking and — importantly — provides better support for toppings.
→ Vinegared Iceberg: Although I enjoy all the classic hot dog toppings — yellow mustard, ketchup, minced raw onions — I have two extra favorites: First, I like cold, crunchy iceberg lettuce, but I prefer it slightly pickled or vinegared first. My mother-in-law makes pickled iceberg, and I am determined to convince everyone that it is the ultimate sandwich or frank topping. It adds the perfect chill, crunch, and acidity that I crave on a hot day, or any day for that matter.
→ Potato Chips: If you aren't already adding crumbled potato chips to your hot dogs, now is the perfect time to start. I first discovered this from a travel show about Venezuela decades ago* [prior to that, my only experience with potato chips was wedged into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at school—don’t dismiss it until you've tried it], but I have found it to be quite popular across Latin America as well. While the ultra-thin “potato sticks” variety are common at ballparks, crumbled kettle chips are also fantastic in this context.
As a heat dome settles over the eastern US, I would be remiss not to mention that if you're okay with skipping the Great American Tradition of cooking on hot metal grates in sweltering temperatures, you can actually prepare all parts of this hot dog recipe in that perfectly good kitchen we have indoors. See also: Oven Ribs, Dry Rub Oven Chicken, Crispy Oven Pulled Pork, and all of my slaws and potato salads. A happy cook equals happy everyone.
* Venezuela experienced a 4.8 magnitude earthquake last weekend, and rescue teams are tirelessly working in devastating conditions to locate survivors. If you wish to help from a distance, one of Smitten Kitchen’s favorite charities, World Central Kitchen, is providing hot meals to affected families and first responders and is seeking donations to assist them in reaching more people quickly. You can contribute here.
A recipe for hot dogs just the way I enjoy them: butterflied and garnished with vinegared iceberg lettuce, chopped onion, and crunchy crumbled potato chips.
