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Beef

Hot! Dogs

Holy Grail Hot Dogs

Intrigued by the word “hot” in the term “hot dogs”, I set out to take it literally and turn the heat up on the traditional All-American fave–just in case the extreme summer heatwave wasn’t enough!

The Holy Grail package arrived with the very special American Wagyu Beef Frankfurters and Hamburgers. These babies alone don’t need any toppings, and yet, of course, added an amazing base taste to the “Hot! Dogs”. For those new to Wagyu, the term “Wagyu” refers to a specific breed of cattle originally from Japan. The word “Wagyu” translates to “Japanese cow” (wa = Japanese, gyu = cow). Both Japanese and American Wagyu cattle trace their origins back to four main breeds: Japanese Black (Kuroge Washu), Japanese Brown (Akage Washu), Japanese Shorthorn (Nihon Tankaku Washu), and Japanese Polled (Mukaku Washu). The prized characteristic of Wagyu beef is its high level of intramuscular fat, known as marbling. This marbling gives the beef a tender and buttery texture with a rich flavor. The way cattle are fed and raised impacts the taste and quality of the beef. Wagyu cattle follow a very controlled and traditional husbandry and are fed a specific diet that includes high-quality grains, rice straw, and sometimes even beer or sake mash.

Holy Grail - Hot Dogs and Wagu Hamubrgers

Hot Dog RecipesNow that we understand Wagyu, it’s time for the Hot! Dogs. In today’s lineup, we have 3 styles of heat-packing franks: The Buffalo Dog, the Wagyu Chili Dog, and Hot Pepper Dog.

Hot Dog Recipes

The Buffalo Dog transforms the traditional Buffalo chicken wing into a spicy, cheesy delight, basted with Buffalo Sauce and topped with crumbled bleu cheese and minced celery on a pretzel bun. Each bite was packed with all the familiar buffalo wing flavors, plus the sweet tanginess of the Wagyu created a delicious combo fit for the fearless on game day.

>> Recipe Here

For the Wagyu Chili Dog, I first made chili using one of the Wagyu Burger Patties I had on hand leftover from the “Wagyu Smashburgers on Another Level” Blog. This was a quick recipe, taking about only 30 minutes. It consisted of the Wagyu, black beans, diced tomatoes, beef broth, chili powder, and crushed chili flakes. While this was simmering, the hot dog was grilled and then placed in a brioche hot dog bun. The chili was scooped on top with a handful of sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and topped with a few leaves of fresh cilantro. The double Wagyu taste here was phenomenal with the added chili punch, resulting in a top ten dog for sure!

>> Recipe Here

Lastly, the Hot Pepper Dog called for the frankfurter to be butterflied while grilling to make room for the grilled jalapeno and yellow hot peppers to be stuffed in when done. Once in the bun, this was then topped with pepper Jack cheese and drizzled with sriracha sauce. Certainly not for the faint of heart, this was a fiery frankfurter and each bite packed the heat.

>> Recipe Here

So that’s my hot take on “hot” dogs. Let us know on social media which one is YOUR favorite.

Check out our 1000+ Recipes section here on Barbecue Bible.Com

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