Hot Dogs

Everybody can cook hot dogs, but I might be able to teach an old dog like you a new trick or two. First, turn down the heat! Set up the grill in a two-zone configuration and get the direct zone up to about 325°F. You’ll cook over the direct heat, but the hot dogs won’t split open, and you’ll be able to brown them evenly on all sides. Use that indirect zone as a safe zone to hold them when they are done.

Here’s a trick I learned from Gold Coast Dogs in Chicago: Cut an X in the ends of the dog. When they cook, the ends will curl up and get extra crispy. Another trick for more crispy surfaces is to split them lengthwise. Or spiral cut them, a technique sure to start a conversation.

If the franks are curved, bend them gently in order to straighten them out a bit. Then place them in the gap between the grates, not across the grates. This way you can roll them about a quarter turn at a time by rolling into the next gap. Yes, pinstripes look weird, but you’ll have a more evenly cooked frank. Cook the dogs over direct heat until the skin darkens a nice golden brown all around.

Meanwhile, toast the buns so they have some crunch.

Serve hot dogs hot. Don’t let them sit around and shrivel.

Have a variety of toppings for guests to try: yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, Columbia Gold (page 177), pickle relish, chopped onions, caramelized or grilled onions, pickled peppers, celery salt, sauerkraut, slaw, chopped tomato, and Yankee chili (ground meat, canned beans, sweet peppers, and brown spices in a tomato sauce).