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Dressing up a dog is as American as souping up a Chevy. Marlene Dietrich liked her wieners paired with champagne, a combo she called her favorite meal. California cooking pioneer Elena Zelayeta soused her franks with sauterne, mixed in a sauce with mustard and chili or ketchup. Another cookbook author may have imbibed something stronger on the side before developing a hot-dog crown roast, with wieners strung together upright in a circle and the center filled with packaged stuffing mix. For a manly meal—not meant for "a dainty damsel you hope to impress"—Esquire offered several suggestions in 1949, including dogs topped with a pile of mashed potatoes. Better Homes and Gardens one-upped that notion a decade later in "a new favorite for all ages" called "Nutty Pups," spread with chunky peanut butter and optional pickle relish. We enter this crowded arena with trepidation, sticking with a conservative but sensational blend of bacon, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing. We make our own dressing for this recipe, but substitute a favorite bottled variety if you wish.
SERVES 4 TO 8
THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING
| ½ | cup Enriched Mayonnaise ([>]) or other mayonnaise |
| 2 | tablespoons chili sauce (the ketchup-style sauce), Quintessential Ketchup ([>]), or other ketchup |
| 1 | tablespoon minced onion |
| 1 | tablespoon minced green bell pepper |
| 1 | tablespoon minced dill pickle, sweet pickle, or drained pickle relish |
| 2 | teaspoons minced fresh parsley |
| ¾ | cup sauerkraut |
| 8 | wieners |
| 8 | hot dog buns, preferably bakery-made |
| 3 | bacon slices, chopped and fried crisp |
Prepare the dressing, combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. (The dressing can be made several days in advance if you wish. In that case, don't add the parsley until the day you plan to grill the dogs.)
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to high (1 to 2 seconds with the hand test).
In a medium bowl, mix together the sauerkraut with the dressing.
Grill the wieners for about 3 to 5 minutes over high heat until deeply browned, rolling to crisp all surfaces. Toast the buns on the edge of the grill if you wish.
Toss the bacon with the sauerkraut mixture. Place the dogs on the buns and the souped-up sauerkraut over the dogs. Serve immediately. For an accompaniment, try Potluck Macaroni and Cheese Salad.