Sausages, brats, whatever you like to call them… Time for some Epic Hot Dogs! It’s #nationalhotdogmonth, and these are the most mouth watering dogs. From bacon wrapped brats to cheese stuffed and loaded weiners there is enough inspiration to get you through every day of the month without doubling up.
Bring on the hot dogs!
Looking for a big bold dog to toss on the grill this weekend while you celebrate the hard-earned independence of our fine nation? Stock up on the best hot dogs your money can buy and load up the toppings bar because these are the weenies you’ve been waiting for.
Serve them alongside a fun platter of nachos, grilled wings, and an ice-cold cocktail (for the +21 crowd). Oh, and of course a burger or two.
What Makes A Hot Dog Epic?
First, you need to start with the right hot dog or brat. After that, it comes down to building the flavors on flavors to achieve that perfect balance of meat and filling.
You can do the regional specials, like the Chicago style with the bright green relish and French fries. Or you can go with the classics like slathering chili over a simple hot dog.
The sweet simplicity of hot dog (or brat) and bun allows endless creativity. I offer thirty recipes here, but let’s face it, that isn’t even scratching the surface of possibilities.
So let this be your guide to creating more inspiration. No need to ever be bored with a hot dog and bun ever again. That’s a promise.
Selecting The Right Hot Dogs And Brats
For hot dogs lovers, and not talking those folks that do the hot dog competitions. Not sure that is about flavor so much as it is about the chance to nearly kill oneself for a bit of glory. However, most people agree a hot dog should have a bit of snap, plenty of juiciness, and actually taste like meat.
Unless of course you are going the veggie dog route. But this is about meaty dogs and brats. Look for the dogs and brats with the least added ingredients like colorants and “by products” of meat. Which is just an oblique way of saying you might be eating parts of the animal no civilized person would consider without being extremely inebriated.
All Pork Vs All Beef Franks
This comes down to purely a matter of taste. Some folks love the juiciness of all pork, while others prefer the big beef flavor. Niman Ranch does a nice all pork dog. Oscar Meyer is a pork and beef mix and is a classic frank for a reason. Nathans also gets great ratings, but leave the speed eating to the pros.
30 Epic Hot Dog Recipes
Whether you want hot dogs to feed the family or something over the top to grill while hanging out with the guys, we have all the recipes from smoked to stuffed to layered, wrapped and loaded. Fire up the grills it's #nationalhotdogmonth.
Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs with Salsa Verde and Queso Fresco {Whole Wheat, High Protein, Low Fat}
Cheesy Southwestern Jalapeno Beer Brat Dog and a Family Vacation in New Orleans Continues
More Great Items For Summer Grilling
I use my grill all year long, but for those of you that only come out to grill when weather permits easier grilling, here is some inspiration for firing up the grill!
- Perfect-char-grilled-steak
- Charcoal-grilled-pork-roast
- How-to-grill-pork-tenderloin
- How-to-grill-salmon
Adam J. Holland says
Those are epic indeed. Glad to see one of my dogs on that awesome list. Thank you.