Grilling hot dogs is a staple for anyone who owns a grill. But, let’s be honest, grilling the same old plain hot dogs can get boring. That’s why I’m going to teach you how to take your hot dog grilling game to another level!
In this article, we’ll be focusing on stuffed hot dogs. However, if you prefer to grill plain hot dogs, you can skip the stuffing part and follow the same grilling instructions that I will outline below.
Whether you have a gas or charcoal grill, it doesn’t matter. You can make a great hot dog on either one. For direct grilling over high heat, set up your gas or charcoal grill. This means that we will be grilling right over the hot coals or heat source.
The beauty of stuffed hot dogs is that you can stuff them with anything you like. For this example, I will be stuffing the hot dogs with cheese and jalapeño slices. Start with a good thick dog if you’re stuffing them. Cut out a chunk lengthwise down the center of the hot dog, so you can stuff in all your goodies.
Once you have cut the hot dog, add a few small slices of your favorite cheese and place them inside the hot dog. Then, on top of the cheese, add 3 or 4 jalapeño slices. You might be thinking that this is all going to fall apart when you put it on the grill, but the secret is to use butcher’s string. Take a couple of small pieces of butcher’s string and tie each hot dog.
Now, it’s time to grill the hot dogs. Place them on the grill so that they run along with the bars of the grill grate. This way they are supported. Grill the hot dogs for 8 to 10 minutes until they are nicely browned on each side of the dog. Use a pair of tongs to tilt them on the grill. During the last couple of minutes of grilling, you can also turn them so they are perpendicular to the grill grate, which will give them nice grill marks.
Once the hot dogs are done, remove them from the grill and cut off the butcher’s string. A good hot dog needs a good bun, so make sure you are using a fresh baked bun. I prefer to toast mine on the grill. If you’d like to do that too, brush the inside of the buns with melted butter and place them on the grill for about one minute.
When the buns are toasted, place the hot dogs on them and serve with your favorite condiments. It’s that simple! Learning how to grill hot dogs that are kicked up to another level is easy, and the ideas for what to stuff them with are endless.
If you’re an avid hot dog griller, I highly recommend investing in a sausage basket. This tool works great for grilling hot dogs and sausages because it’s adjustable. You can adjust it to the size of the hot dogs or sausages you’re grilling. It holds the hot dogs in place, making the grilling process much easier. You can check out the one I prefer here.
In conclusion, grilling hot dogs can be an exciting experience if you try new things like stuffing them with different ingredients. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be grilling delicious, stuffed hot dogs in no time.
image courtesy of stu_spivack/flickr