Bacon Wrapped Spiral Cut Hot Dogs

Bacon Wrapped Spiral Cut Hot Dogs

These epic bacon wrapped, spiral cut, hot dogs will be the talk of your next cookout or summer party.  What’s more American than a great hot dog with lots of toppings?  Nothing I can think of.  And this wiener has it all.  You've got all that saltiness from the crisp bacon and hot dog itself; and the mustard, sweet pickle relish, onions and sriracha hit all the flavor notes your taste buds could ever want. 

Personally I think there are two types of hot dog people.  Those who prefer a boiled hot dog and those who like the intensification of flavor achieved by grilling or pan frying those dogs.  This recipe is for the second group.  As a matter of fact the best way to increase the surface area of a grilled hot dog is to do the spiral cut.  And whenever bacon is introduced into a recipe, great things almost always follow.  I assure you that this recipe is no exception.

It might take a bit of work upfront to cut the wieners and thread the bacon into the spiral groove but the end result can’t be beat.  These crispy dogs not only look impressive, they also do an amazing job holding on to your condiments.  You've got to give this one a try.    

Bacon Wrapped Spiral Cut Hot Dogs

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 jumbo hot dogs (I used Hebrew National)
• 4 strips of bacon
• 4 hot dog buns (I used Schar gluten free hot dog rolls)
• condiments of your choice

Video Tutorial

Instructions

1. To spiral cut the hot dogs; insert a skewer all the way through the center of the hot dog to act as a guide so your knife can’t sever that hot dog as you cut the spiral.
2. Holding your knife at an angle, work the knife around the hot dog cutting straight down to the skewer as you go around and the angle of the knife will determine how tight the spiral pattern is. (see the video tutorial above)
3. Remove the skewer and secured the bacon to one end with a toothpick then work the bacon into the groove all the way down the hot dog before securing the other end with a toothpick. 
4. Pan fry in a cast iron skillet over a medium heat turning every few minutes until the entire surface had a golden char and the bacon is crisp.
5. Drain on paper towels for a minute before adding it to a hot dog roll with your favorite condiments.