Hot Dog !!

[dlaslo]

Well, a while ago, we had a backyard BBQ and I put some hot dogs on the upper heating rack of the gas grill, closed the lid, and forgot about them. When I finally remembered them, they were shriveled and almost black. But they were the tastiest dogs I had in my lifetime.

What likely made those forgotten hot dogs so good was a perfect storm of slow rendering, deep browning (Maillard reaction), and maybe even concentrated smoky flavor.

And a few attempts to duplicate the accident didn't work. Probably not enough time.

So last weekend, I threw a bunch of dogs in the smoker at 225F and let them cook for a couple of hours. It wasn't as above but they were deep brown and very good.

I'm getting close. I guess this is going to be a trial and error.

Any ideas????

[WI Bubba]

I would try the smoker again, but run a higher temp.

[STEbbq]

Up the temp to 275 and retry for a couple of hours.

[Oak Smoke]

I actually put a good savory rub on hotdogs and slowly grill them to an almost black color. The trick is the temp. If the fire is too hot the interior isn’t rendered right and the flavor is wrong. I can’t give you an exact temp but when it’s right they can cook for at least a minute before being turned. I like to turn mine so that they brown on 4 sides. That takes a few minutes but besides getting them completely covered in good color it gets the interior where it needs to be. Done this way they are wonderful

[dlaslo]

I would try the smoker again, but run a higher temp.

OK...this weekend....275 and 3 hours

[LA Pork Butt]

Doing them as Slotdogs (Diamond Shaped Crosscutting them - I bought a device that does it and the grandkids do loved them) might bump it up a notch.

[Santamarina]

I saw one of those cutters. My knee jerk reaction was “gimmick” but the more I look at them the more I want one. So much more surface area for browning…and also a great way to get a rub to stick to a dog!

[LA Pork Butt]

Santamarina It is a convenience. You can crosscut them manually, but may patience level doesn’t allow them to come out uniformly. Also, you can run a skewer through them and spiral cut them. But again my patience level.

[Santamarina]

My favorite quick dog method for the last year or two involves a pan and bacon!

Pan fry a few pieces of bacon - because bacon makes a dog SO much better - then fry the dogs in the rendered bacon fat. Beautiful color, fantastic flavor.

I like this low and slow idea too. Might have to wrap a few dogs in bacon and toss’em in the smoker!

[HawkerXP]

We need pictures please.

[dlaslo]

We need pictures please.

Well......I ended up with 250F and 2 hours in the smoker. The dogs were nicely colored and super tasty.

[WI Bubba]

Those are some great looking dogs.

[fzxdoc]

Sounds like the perfect pitmaster snack during a long brisket cook...

Kathryn

[dlaslo]

Unfortunately, my wife is from Chicago and claims there is only one way to cook hot dogs (in boiling water). So any experimenting is for me onlly and I couldn't even get her to taste my "dark dogs."

[WI Bubba]

I too grew up eating Chicago dogs, so I know how she feels. You could try calling them BBQ sausages. There is more leeway there. I'd mention that ketchup is also off limits, but I'm sure she has made that very clear already.

[Draznnl]

I too am a Chicago refugee. I never heard that boiling water was the ONLY way to cook hotdogs, just the preferred way. But in your circumstances, I’d try the BBQ sausages line WI Bubba suggested.

[Brisket Syndicate]

My family prefers that I smoke hot dogs in the offset.