German Dog Recipe

Remove franks from refrigerator to come closer to room temperature (10–15 minutes) so they cook evenly.

Drain sauerkraut in a fine mesh strainer and press lightly to remove excess liquid; set aside.

Thinly slice onion, tomatoes, and pickles; slice hot peppers if whole. Tear or fold Swiss slices in half if necessary to fit buns.

Cook bacon

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until crispy but still pliable, 6–9 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep skillet with bacon fat for toasting buns if desired; otherwise wipe and add butter.

Toast buns

Spread butter (or use reserved bacon fat) on the cut sides of buns. Return skillet to medium-low heat and toast buns cut-side down until golden and crisp, about 1–2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Using the same skillet (wipe out excess fat if too much remains), increase heat to medium-high. Add franks and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and heated through, about 5–7 minutes. Alternatively, grill over medium heat for the same time, turning to char lightly on all sides.

If you prefer melted cheese, during the last minute of cooking place Swiss slices over each hot dog and cover skillet (or close grill) to melt the cheese.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the drained sauerkraut with the horseradish and a pinch of black pepper for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until heated through. Taste and adjust horseradish (add more if you want extra heat). Keep warm.

Spread 1 tsp mayonnaise on the inside top of each toasted bun and 1 tsp mustard on the inside bottom of each bun.

Place a cooked frank into each bun. Lay two slices of bacon (or fold to fit) over each frank.

Top each frank with a generous spoonful (about 2–3 tbsp) of warm sauerkraut mixed with horseradish.

Add thinly sliced onion (about 1–2 tbsp per dog), a few pickle slices, a slice of tomato (halved if large), and 3/4 tablespoon of hot pickled peppers per dog, arranging as desired.

Season tomato and onion lightly with a pinch of salt and a small grind of black pepper.

Serve the German Dogs hot with extra mustard, mayonnaise, and hot peppers on the side. Provide napkins—these are hearty and slightly messy.