Spring ranks in my top two favorite seasons. As I typed that first sentence, I realized how wacky that sounds considering there are only four seasons--but it’s true. Give me a year entirely made up of spring and fall with a sprinkling of “float the river” days and “braised meat and mulled cider” days and I would be a satisfied gal.
I like the unpredictability of the transitions--wildly varying weather with hints of either the warm summer to come or the nip of winter as the sunsets. Spring also brings with it the start of one of my favorite (non-canonical) seasons: Baseball! Oh, how I have missed baseball. It always hits me in mid-January--mild nostalgia (remember when it was last baseball season) and anticipation. No food is quite as ubiquitous at a baseball game as the hot dog.
So in honor of Opening Day, here is my salute to the mighty dog. I have some highly cultivated opinions when it comes to hot dogs: 1. Mustard is better than Ketchup 2. Jumbo size or bun-length dogs are where it is at 3. I’m an “all-beef ” hot dog gal 4. Premium buns are preferred But ultimately, I am up for a hot dog whatever the topping, and I promise I won’t shame you for your hot dog choices (ketchup).
I also have a preferred cooking method for hot dogs (and other sausages). While you can totally get away with just throwing a hot dog on a grill, heating a dog in a flavorful liquid until warmed-through before grilling ensures that your hot dog stays plump and doesn’t split open. This technique is especially useful with raw sausages. By simmering your sausages in liquid before grilling, you avoid the tragedy that is a bratwurst that is charred on the outside and still raw in the middle.
For the liquid, you can use anything flavorful (beer, chicken stock, bean broth). Make sure to season thoroughly with salt and feel free to add other ingredients like onions, sauerkraut, bay leaves, and mustard. The sky's the limit! Combine 2 cups of liquid with your seasoning ingredients into a pan, add your sausages & hot dogs, and bring to a simmer directly over the hot side of the grill. Cook until you reach a core temperature of around 140 degrees. You can hold your hot cooked hot dogs in the warming liquid until you are ready to eat. Then place the sausage directly on the hot side of the grill and crisp it up on all sides.
Now is the best part… Hot Dog Toppings!
Again, there is no wrong or right way to top a hot dog. I am going to tell you about some of my favorites!
Chicago-ish Dog
Celery Salt, Tomatoes, Onions, Mustard, and a pepper
Bahn Mi Dog Bacon Wrapped
Quick-pickled carrots and cucumbers, Jalapeno, Cilantro, Sriracha Mayo
Peanut Butter and Jelly Dog
Bacon-Wrapped Peanut Butter and Lattin Farms Jalaberry Jam
Jalapeno Popper Dog
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno, Cream Cheese, Cheddar
Mexican Street Corn Dog
Grilled Corn, Chile Powder, Mayo, Cilantro, Sand Hill Dairy Queso Fresco
Steakhouse Dog
Bacon-Wrapped Bleu Cheese, Grilled Onions, Steakhouse seasoning
The possibilities are endless! Top it as you will - but let us all lift our buns in salute to the spring, to baseball, and the mighty hot dog.
Kelli Kelly - Slinger of produce. Slurper of dumplings. Person of the bean.
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