5-Star Reader Comment
Great! That BBQ sauce dripping into those little slits make for the best HOT DOGS EVER! Thanks, Donya
Mary
The Hot Dog That Started a Summer Tradition
Ok, y’all, have you ever wanted sweet, smoky BBQ sauce and a hot dog in one perfect bite? Well, it’s here! I dreamed up this recipe for Barbequed Hot Dogs years ago, and it’s one of my favorite summer grilling recipes.
This somewhat “gourmet hot dog recipe” is so good! And you know, for any cookout, picnic, or potluck from Memorial Day through July and into Labor Day, these dogs, served with potato salad or baked beans, chips, and a cold drink, are required for summertime eating!
Before You Light the Grill — Read This First
How do you grill hot dogs? Score them with shallow hash marks, place them on a hot grill over medium-high heat, and turn until you see grill marks on all sides. The whole process takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
When do you brush on the BBQ sauce? Once the hot dogs have their first round of grill marks. Brush, turn, brush again. Let the sauce caramelize on the grill for about 60 seconds per side before pulling them off.
How do you keep the sauce from burning? Keep your grill at medium-high, not high. Sauce burns fast over a raging flame. The hash marks help the sauce sink in rather than sit on the surface where it chars.
Here’s What You’ll Need
- Hot Dogs: I like to use all beef hot dogs, like Nathan’s Beef Franks, but any kind (turkey dogs, too) you like will work.
- BBQ Sauce: Any store-bought barbecue sauce works great. Just use your favorite.
- BBQ Sauce Mix-ins: To elevate barbecue sauce, you’ll need apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and honey. I also add a little water to help thin the sauce.
How To Make Grilled Barbecue Hot Dogs
- Step One: Cut hash marks on the hot dogs.
- Step Two: Mix together the BBQ sauce, ketchup, honey, and apple cider vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat. I do this in a pan on the grill and toast the buns.
- Step Three: Place the hot dogs on the hot grill. Brush them with the BBQ sauce and cook until they get grill marks and are heated through.
- Step Four: Turn and coat the other side with sauce. Keep cooking until grilled on this side, then remove it and enjoy it with your favorite toppings on soft, hot dog buns! I like them with just a little yellow mustard drizzled over them.
Build Your Own Hot Dog Bar
A hot dog bar is one of the easiest ways to make a cookout feel like an event. Set it up while the grill is going and let people build their own. Here is what I put out every time:
- Chili. A bowl of my hot dog chili is non-negotiable. Warm, bold, and built exactly for this.
- Slaw. My creamy coleslaw adds cool crunch that plays beautifully against the smoky BBQ sauce.
- Baked beans. Set a pot of my crock pot baked beans right on the table. They stay warm and they go with everything.
- Onions. Raw sweet onion, diced fine. Adds bite and brightness.
- Pickles. My cucumber and onion refrigerator pickles are the perfect tangy counterpoint to that sweet BBQ glaze.
- Chips. Always. Non-negotiable. For a little something extra, add whipped ranch dip!
Delicious Recipes To Make On The Grill
Ingredients
- 1 2 lb package hot dogs or 2 one pound bags I use Nathans All Beef Hot Dogs
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup prepared BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- splash of water if needed
Instructions
- Heat gas or charcole grill to medium high heat.
- Using a sharp knife, cut hash marks in each hot dog – first going one way down, then reverse the cut for the other way. Set aside.
- In a small skillet or heat proof pan, add ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey and apple cider vinegar. Place pan on grill to the side to heat up.
- When grill comes to temperature, place hot dogs on grates. Turn hot dogs until they start to get grill marks and are heated through. Using a grill brush, gently glaze each hot dog with heated BBQ sauce.Turn links and continue to coat with sauce.
- When done, remove hot dogs from grill and serve with your favorite bun and toppings!
Video
Nutrition
What To Serve With Barbequed Hot Dogs
These grilled hot dogs are perfectly paired with classic barbecue side dishes like Creamy Southern Deviled Eggs. They’re also delicious with Mom’s Macaroni Salad, Spaghetti Salad Recipe, or my Greek Pasta Salad.
If you tried this Grilled Barbecue Hot Dog Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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Great! That BBQ sauce dripping into those little slits make for the best HOT DOGS EVER! Thanks, Donya
Thanks so much!
~Donya
Are these cut on both sides?
Hey there!
That’s a great question! I cut them into little hash marks, or X shaped cuts, along one of the sides. I don’t normally cut mine on both parallel sides just because they can tear, so I either just do one long slit or these X shapes across the top. Thank you so much for your fantastic rating, I hope you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate your support!
~Donya
I haven’t tried the hash marks on my hot dogs, but I definitely will after reading this post.
Thanks, Wayne! It’s a game changer. I love that all the sauce, mustard, ketchup, chili or whatever creeps down into the channels. YUM YUM!!
Thanks for sharing!
XO,
~Donya
Sounds great! Thank you for sharing at #HomeMattersParty