Hot Dogs Recipe
served all day: hot dogs, corn dogs, Chicago dogs, Tex-Mex dogs and chili dogs
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hot Dog Basics
Chicago-Style Dog Toppings
Corn Dogs
Tex-Mex Dog Toppings
Chili Dogs
Method
Hot Dog Basics
Toast buns
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Split buns and place cut-side down in skillet for 1–2 minutes until golden and toasted. Keep warm.
Chicago-Style Dog
Prepare the dogs: use 6 separate poppy seed buns and 6 cooked hot dogs (from Hot Dog Basics step). Place one hot dog in each bun.
Top each dog with a thin tomato slice, a quartered dill pickle spear, a few sport peppers (or slices of pickled pepperoncini), a sprinkle of chopped yellow onion (about 1 tbsp per dog), and a teaspoon of neon green or sweet relish.
Finish by sprinkling a light pinch of celery salt over each dog. Important: do not add ketchup (traditional Chicago-style). Serve immediately.
Corn Dogs
Prepare oil and skewers: pour vegetable oil into a deep pot to a depth of 2–3 inches (about 1 liter total for a medium pot). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Pat hot dogs dry and insert wooden skewers lengthwise, leaving about 3 inches of stick to hold.
Make batter: in a bowl whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. In a separate bowl whisk 1 large egg with 1 cup milk, then pour wet into dry and stir until a smooth, thick batter forms. If batter is too thin, add up to 2 tbsp flour; it should cling to the hot dog.
Coat and fry: transfer batter to a tall glass for easier dipping. Dip each skewered hot dog, rotating to coat completely. Immediately lower into hot oil, fry 3–4 minutes turning if needed until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain. Keep warm and serve with mustard or ketchup.
Tex-Mex Dog
Use a cooked hot dog and a toasted bun (from Hot Dog Basics). Place the hot dog in the bun.
Top with a generous spoonful (about 2 tbsp) of pico de gallo or salsa, a sprinkle of shredded cheddar (about 2 tbsp), some sliced jalapeños to taste, diced red onion (about 1 tbsp), and a few cilantro leaves. Squeeze a little lime over the top just before serving.
Chili Dogs
Make quick chili: heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
Season and simmer: stir in 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup beef broth (or water), 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cook 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Assemble chili dogs: place a cooked hot dog in a toasted bun, spoon 2–3 tablespoons of hot chili over each dog, and finish with shredded cheddar or American cheese. Serve immediately so cheese melts into the chili.