Hot Dogs, Brats, and Sausages
Hedgehog Hot Dogs
I always feel awkward about including a hot dog recipe in a cookbook. After all, hot dogs are the first food most of us grilled, and you don’t need a cookbook to show you how. What special technique could I possibly bring to a food that’s essentially ready to eat when it comes out of the package? Hedgehogging dramatically increases the ratio of crisp smoky crust to center meat. Tip o’ the hat to Russ Faulk of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet for this singular scoring technique and the idea of grilling the hot dog buns with mayonnaise and remoulade sauce. He calls his version a “Po’ Dog.” Amen.
More Hot Dog and Sausage Recipes:
Hedgehog Hot Dogs
Recipe Notes
- Active Prep: 15 minutes
- Grill Time: 8 to 10 minutes
- Yield: Makes 8 and can be multiplied as desired
- Method: Direct grilling
- Equipment: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas.
Ingredients
- 8 best-quality all-beef hot dogs
- 8 bakery-fresh hot dog rolls, preferably brioche rolls
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s or Best Foods
- Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
- Creole Mustard Sauce
- Baby arugula or other micro-greens
- 2 luscious red ripe tomatoes or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
Recipe Steps
Step 1: Using a paring knife, make a series of crosshatch cuts on the surface of each hot dog, about ⅛ inch deep and ¼ inch apart, on all sides. (This will expose more of the hot dog to the direct heat of the grill.)
Step 2: Slather the cut insides of the rolls with mayonnaise.
Step 3: Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well. Arrange the hot dogs on the grate. Grill until the exterior is sizzling, crisp, and browned, about 2 minutes per side, 6 to 8 minutes in all. While you’re at it, grill the mayonnaise-slathered rolls until toasted, 1 minute per side.
Step 4: Slather the rolls with Creole Mustard Sauce. Add the hot dogs, baby arugula, and tomato slices, and any other condiment you may fancy. This may be the best hot dog you’ve ever tasted.
Recipe Tips
These hot dogs use a technique called “hedgehogging,” in which you score the surface of the hot dogs in a crosshatch pattern. The edges puff and char during grilling, giving you an exceptionally crusty exterior and adding more wood smoke flavor. They also look cool as all get-out.
SHOP: Lots of options for hot dogs here. Wagyu beef dogs if you’re feeling extravagant. Applegate if you want a natural nitrite-free hot dog. Hebrew National if you like the salty tang of tradition.
