Hot dogs, man. What more can I say about them that hasn't already been said? They're emphatically trashy, they're a punchline, they're not cool (which means they kind of are), they're a pure dose of uncut Americana, and I love them. Grilling them at home always gives me the welcome opportunity to experiment beyond ketchup and mustard, so we brought some friends in on the challenge of re-inventing the hot dog topping. The results of that party were a Hawaiian-style pineapple & pepper dog, a combo that involved crunchy peanut butter AND Cracker Jacks (a fantastically weird pairing which made my pregnant-lady heart sing with joy)....and these two regionally-flavored inventions below.
The Southern Comfort
I have never lived in the South, but I’ve always had an affinity for their amazing comfort foods. After all, show me a person who doesn’t love rich, creamy pimento cheese spread, crisp slaw, and the decadent-but-lowbrow crunch of pork rinds, right? I decided to combine all these contrasting tastes and textures with my number one comfort food, the hot dog. The sweet layer of caramelized onions glazed in cola (you could go super-local and use a Southern classic, since Coca Cola is based in Atlanta...but any cola will do) tempers the heat of the pimento cheese & slaw perfectly. Get these all up in your grill, y’all. You're welcome.
Pimento Cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
2 tablespoons diced pimento
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Place all ingredients in bowl and mix well.
Cola-Glazed Onions
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup diced red onion
2/3 cup cola
pinch of salt
Warm a skillet over medium heat, add butter and onions and cook (about 20 minutes) until softened and brown, stirring often. Raise heat to medium high, add half the cola and reduce until liquid is almost gone. Add the rest of the cola, reduce until liquid is almost gone—the onions will be deep brown and sticky like an onion marmalade. Remove from heat; taste once cooled and add a pinch of salt as needed.
Spicy Pickle Slaw
1 cup slivered dill pickles, plus 1 tablespoon pickle juice
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon roughly chopped (1/2”) fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Crumbled Pork Rinds
Break unevenly into small pieces and crumbs with your hands. This is a very important condiment. Do not skip this step.
Open hot dog bun, spread pimento cheese along one side, top with cola-glazed onions. Nestle a perfectly cooked hot dog next to this, then spoon spicy pickle slaw into the space on the other side. Gently squeeze hot dog together, top with crumbled pork rinds, and serve with sweet tea.
The New Yorker
I used to live in New York City, where street food is king and the humble hot dog is a regular ritual. In fact, I decided to bring two NYC rituals together in one mouthful by riffing on another classic: the “everything” bagel thickly spread with cream cheese and covered in smoked salmon or lox. This breakfast-meets-whenever treat is a surprisingly harmonious new invention, worthy of being eaten while walking down the street with all the attitude you can muster.
1 hot dog bun
2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
1 perfectly cooked all-beef dog
1 oz. smoked salmon/lox, torn or sliced into ribbons
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Everything Bagel Spice (you will have extra)
1 teaspoon dehydrated onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Open hot dog bun, spread cream cheese along the sides and bottom. Place perfectly cooked hot dog in the middle, gently fold sides of bun together. Top with ribbons of smoked salmon, chives, and a hefty sprinkling of everything bagel spice. Serve, and enjoy two great New York street food traditions rolled into one!