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    TaraTeaspoon » Course » Main Dish » Beef

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    Published: by

    Fancy Hot Dogs & Sausages

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Jump to Comments
    Fancy Dog with Cheese and Peppers
    Fancy Dog with Mustard and Onion
    Fancy Dogs with Avocado Chimichurri
    fancy hot dogs
    fancy hot dogs

    Forget plain hot dogs and up your game with these fancy hot dogs! In this guide, I'm sharing my go-to gourmet hot dogs plus my favorite hot dog toppings.


    My dad loves hot dogs. I mean, he loves a lot of things, but he has a fondness for hot dogs; let's put it that way. I'm excited to share some of his favorite hot dog recipes I've created. Bonus: Mix things up and use delicious sausages too.

    Overhead view of four fancy Hot Dogs in paper holders
    Jump to:
    • Growing Up Hot Dog Recipes For Dinner
    • 1. Beer Brat + Toppings
    • 2. Chicken Sausage + Toppings
    • 3. Bison Sausage + Toppings
    • 4. Wild Game Sausage + Toppings
    • Ready to Make Fancy Hot Dogs?
    • Fancy Hot Dogs

    Growing Up Hot Dog Recipes For Dinner

    We grew up with beanie wienies on dad's night to cook, snacking on cold hot dogs from the fridge, and of course the good old, fire-charred cookout hot dog at the cabin in the summer.

    (Please note, the charring of the hot dog was purely due to my lack of fire cooking skills and not my father's doing.)

    These days my hot dog of choice is still one cooked over the fire, one night a year, at the cabin. However I've become quite a fan of eating fancy sausages like hot dogs, and boy oh boy do I like coming up with gourmet hot dog toppings.

    Now, of course, you can top a regular old plain hot dog with awesome ingredients. It will seriously be delicious (I've tried it).

    But get a load of some of the fun sausages out there and try your hand at packing on the flavor for fancy specialty hot dogs.

    Hot Dog Side Dishes

    Of course with these hot dogs, I have some of my favorite side dishes to make the meal complete. My go-to hot dog dinner sides are Boston Baked Beans and Corn Fritters.

    Now, let's dive into dad's and my favorite gourmet hot dogs, and my go-to hot dog topping ideas for each. If you're unsure what to put on hot dogs, you're in the right place!

    1. Beer Brat + Toppings

    A gourmet hot dog topped with sauerkraut, bacon and grainy mustard.

    The beer brat is classic. A bratwurst is a type of German sausage. In Wisconsin and other states that want to do it up right, a beer brat is soaked in beer before or after grilling.

    For me, just a great flavorful brat is fine without the beer, but try it for extra flavor. Try Saag's brats, a Hillshire Farm, or Johnsonville brand for authentic flavor.

    My fancy sausage toppings include sauerkraut, bacon, and grainy mustard.

    2. Chicken Sausage + Toppings

    Fancy Hot Dogs topped topped it with some spicy peppers, onions and more cheese

    If you haven't tried chicken sausage, you're missing out. Truly! There are some tasty ones out there. Plus they are a great base for so many chicken sausage toppings.

    This gourmet chicken sausage from Al Fresco is flavored with Asiago and roasted red pepper. I went ahead and intensified those flavors by topping it with some spicy peppers, onions, and more cheese!

    If you love a good kick, try these Andouille chicken sausages too. Get creative with the chicken sausage hot dog toppings--I love cooked peppers, onions, and even shredded iceberg lettuce. Grill them of course, they love a bit of char.

    3. Bison Sausage + Toppings

    Overhead view of a gourmet hot dog topped with cheese, some charred onions and yellow mustard

    Oh, Mamacita! These are my favorite. Bison sausage is packed with meaty flavor and pairs well with just about any hot dog topping.

    Some charred onions and yellow mustard are all it takes to make these into truly gourmet hot dogs. Otherwise, I love adding cheese.

    Try these Bison sausages from High Plains Bison.

    4. Wild Game Sausage + Toppings

    A gourmet hot dog with duck, rabbit, veal and wild boar

    If you've really gone off the hot dog wagon and are on to sausages, try game sausage.

    Dartagnan has a game sampler that is pretty out of this world with duck, rabbit, veal and wild boar. They really get your taste buds going.

    Try topping your wild game sausages with chimichurri, or avocado.

    Ready to Make Fancy Hot Dogs?

    Now that you have a few gourmet hot dog topping ideas tucked up your sleeve, you're ready to kindle the campfire, or the grill and get cooking! Your fancy hot dog recipes will be the hit of the BBQ, I can guarantee it.

    If you want to round out the meal with a few campfire sides, try making my Asian Slaw or Shredded Carrot Salad.

    What is a Gourmet Hot Dog?

    A gourmet hot dog is taking a plain old hot dog, or even better, a sausage, and topping it with delicious hot dog toppings like cooked peppers, onions, cheese, relish, spicy peppers, and even shredded iceberg!
    Try toppings like chimichurri and sauerkraut too.

    How Do You Upgrade Hot Dogs?

    I like to upgrade my hot dogs at home by cooking them in my cast iron skillet or on my grill, or grill pan for a charred, smoky flavor. Add gourmet hot dog toppings, like spicy peppers, sauerkraut, and pickled red onions for the best speciality hot dogs.

    Let me know in the comments below which of the fancy hot dog ideas I've shared in this post sounds best to you!

    Fancy Dogs feature recipe image

    Fancy Hot Dogs

    Tara Teaspoon
    Forget the plain hot dogs of your youth and up your game with these fancy hot dogs! In this guide, I'm sharing my go-to gourmet hot dogs recipe plus my favorite hot dog toppings.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people

    Ingredients
      

    Beer Brats

    • Cooked bacon
    • Sauerkraut
    • Grainy Mustard

    Chicken Sausage

    • Swiss or Asiago cheese
    • Roasted peppers and onions
    • Pickled peperoncini

    Bison Sausage

    • Grilled onions
    • Mustard

    Wild Game Sausage

    • Chimichurri
    • Grilled avocado

    Instructions
     

    • Top your grilled hot dogs or sausages with a variety of toppings using the guide above. Get creative and make your own as well.
    Want to watch videos to show you how to cook?Check out our Youtube and try this recipe and more.

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    About Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in the food publishing business for over 20 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television & advertising. Order my new cookbook & stick around for amazing things to eat.

    Find out more!

    Recipes Tara Teaspoon. Originally published LHJ 6/11. Photography Yunhee Kim. Updated May 2023.

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    Filed Under: BBQ, Beef, Course, Cuisine, Grilling and Smoking, Main Dish, Pork, Sandwiches and Burgers, Summertime Favorites Tagged With: beer brats, bison, brat, brats, bratwurst, fancy dogs, fancy hot dogs, game sausages, grilling, hot dogs, outdoor, sausage

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mary says

      July 19, 2018 at 12:20 pm

      Such fun toppings! Great ideas!

      Reply
    2. Britney F says

      August 19, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      I'm a sucker for a good hot dog, and these ones just elevated the game! Such fun and delicious variations!

      Reply
    3. Julie says

      August 20, 2021 at 10:13 am

      I'm co-hosting a b-day party today and plan on using a few of these suggestions to make our dogs & brats special. Can't wait - let the grilling begin!

      Reply
    4. Beck and Bulow says

      March 06, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      So yummy and easy! Will make again and please visit us: https://www.beckandbulow.com

      Reply

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