Pickle Hot Dogs

Nothing beats a hot dog straight off the grill, mounded high with fresh toppings. These simple pickle dogs have a great contrast between the beef hot dog and the crunch and bite of fresh cucumber, dill pickle, and relish. Sure, you’ve put pickle relish on your hot dogs before, but this takes that idea to a whole new level. It’s like having a taste of summer in each bite. These are what summer is all about: grilling outside and fresh ingredients.

Pickle Hot Dogs

Fresh. Crunchy. Delicious.

I topped some of these hot dogs with yellow mustard, but honestly, they’re great without it. You really don’t need to add any condiments beyond the dill pickle relish that’s already there.

I like to keep the cucumber and pickle pieces large. I don’t want to turn them into relish or even salsa. For me, I’m looking for nice big chunks that I can bite into and really get the flavor from. And I prefer them to be a little cold, too. So I’ll toss them into the fridge for 15 minutes or so just before it’s time to start chopping them.

Slicing your hot dogs before cooking helps ensure that the toppings don’t slide off. And that’s a good thing!

Also try my pizza hot dogs. Pizza. Dogs. Good stuff!

Pickle Hot Dogs
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5 from 1 vote

Pickle Hot Dogs

Nothing beats a hot dog straight off the grill, topped with fresh toppings. These simple pickle dogs have a great contrast between the beef hot dog and the crunch and bite of fresh cucumber, dill pickle, and relish. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 244kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook dogs and heat the buns as desired. Place dogs into the buns.
  • In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients and spoon over the dogs.
  • Serve with yellow mustard if desired (you can also mix the mustard in with the pickle mixture).

Notes

Cut a long narrow slit in your dogs before cooking to give the toppings a great place to go!

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cherry Doctor Pepper BBQ Sauce

I smoked some pork shoulders this weekend that were injected and basted with Cherry Doctor Pepper. The end result was the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. Everyone that ate it said it was fantastic. Super tender, super moist, and just the right smoke flavor. Along with the pulled pork I served this great Cherry Doctor Pepper BBQ sauce.

Cherry Dr Pepper Pulled Pork

Sauce On The Side, Please

I like to serve (and be served) Cherry Doctor Pepper BBQ sauce on the side. First, you get to add as little or as much as you want. Second, it doesn’t let you hide less-than-perfect meat. I always sample meats first before saucing them. A good sauce can cover up for over-cooked, under-smoked meat, so order yours “dry” (sauce on the side).

Also try my Dr Pepper hot wings!

This recipe is based on a recipe from The Smoking Pit.

Cherry Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
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Cherry Doctor Pepper BBQ Sauce

I like to serve (and be served) Cherry Doctor Pepper BBQ sauce on the side. First, you get to add as little or as much as you want. Second, it doesn’t let you hide less-than-perfect meat. 
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword BBQ, sauce
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 3 cups
Calories 390kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the soda and BBQ sauce in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
  • Whisk in the brown sugar and honey.
  • Let simmer until the desired thickness is achieved.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Also try other flavors of Dr. Pepper. Just don’t use diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1487mg | Potassium: 359mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 85g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Scalloped Potatoes

Nothing beats cooking on the grill (I used my Weber charcoal grill). Great flavors and easy cleanup. Like this awesome grilled scalloped potatoes dish. Super cheesy, mushroom-y and buttery. Made in a foil packet, you won’t have to worry about a mess. Just sit down and enjoy a fantastic side dish!

Grilled Scalloped Potatoes

Make Room! Potatoes Coming Through!

This recipe for grilled scalloped potatoes doubles easily, just make sure you have space on your grill for the extra packets. If you don’t, that’s ok. Just cook them in batches. The potatoes will stay warm in the packets as you cook the remaining ones.

I use a mandolin to cut my potatoes thin. When I first started cooking I was afraid that I’d lop off a finger with a mandolin. Practice makes perfect and I still have all of my digits! You can use a knife instead of course, but try to keep the slices a consistent thickness so that the potatoes cook evenly.

Also try my grilled new potato packets.

Grilled Scalloped Potatoes
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Scalloped Potatoes

Nothing beats cooking on the grill. Great flavors and easy cleanup. Like this awesome grilled scalloped potatoes dish. Super cheesy, mushroomy and buttery. Made in a foil packet, you won’t have to worry about a mess
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword grilled, potatoes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 362kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your grill for indirect cooking.
  • Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the soup, onion, cheese, and mushrooms.
  • Add pepper and garlic salt and stir.
  • Working in layers, add some of the potatoes to foil (leaving plenty of room around the edges to fold into a packet) and then spoon some of the soup mixture over the top. Continue until done.
  • Top with butter pats and seal foil into a packet.
  • Cook over indirect heat at least 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
  • Serve with a few dollops of sour cream.

Notes

Yellow potatoes are great in this dish too.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 1628mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Sausage with Potatoes and Green Beans

I’m a big fan of grilled packet dishes. Anything from simple sides to entire meals can be made quite easily in an aluminum foil packet. They don’t always look fru-fru, but they always taste great, like this grilled sausage with potatoes and green beans. The beauty of this packet meal (and really any packet meal) is that as everything cooks together the flavors all blend together. The sausage seasons the potatoes and beans. The potatoes get some of that bean love. In the end, its a packet of food happiness!

Grilled Sausage with Potatoes and Green Beans

Nothing Boring Here.

This meal-in-a-packet idea really has great flavor. The sausage, beans, potatoes and onion all steam and cook up together, creating a nice broth. Grilled sausage with potatoes and green beans isn’t anything fancy, but it’ll fill you up and it tastes great. And it’s easy. Very easy.

I sprinkled this with smoked black pepper for a little added flavor. The pepper is not crunchy or overwhelmingly strong, it just adds a nice little smoky taste as it cooks down inside the steamy packet.

Also try my green bean casserole.

Grilled Sausage with Potatoes and Green Beans
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4 from 1 vote

Grilled Sausage with Potatoes and Green Beans

I’m a big fan of grilled packet dishes. Anything from simple sides to entire meals can be made quite easily in an aluminum foil packet. They don’t always look fru-fru, but they always taste great, like this grilled sausage with potatoes and green beans.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword green beans, grilled, potatoes, sausage
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 445kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set up your grill for indirect cooking.
  • Tear off a large piece of aluminum foil.
  • Add the green beans, potatoes, onion, and sausage.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Drizzle with the oil, and top with the butter
  • Pour water over mixture and seal up the foil into a packet.
  • Place packet onto grill over indirect heat for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Notes

You can substitute kielbasa for the sausage. Or try beef hot dogs or andouille.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1567mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 596IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Cincinnati Hot Dog

Ah, hot dogs. One of my favorite things. And you can put almost anything on them. Lately, I’ve been making more traditional hot dogs, such as the Boston hot dog, or the Chicago dog. Like the others, this grilled Cincinnati hot dog is very tasty, and very easy.

Grilled Cincinnati Hot Dog

Real Cincinnati Chili Is Required

The key to a great grilled Cincinnati hot dog is to use real Cincinnati chili, which has a hint of cinnamon. I used some chili I picked up from Skyline Chili. If you don’t have a Skyline Chili near you, check the canned chili section of your local grocery store as Skyline also sells a canned version of their famous chili but you can also make my slow cooker Cincinnati chili.

Also make up a few of my grilled Cuban hot dogs.

Grilled Cincinnati Hot Dog
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Cincinnati Hot Dog

The key to a great grilled Cincinnati hot dog is to use real Cincinnati chili, which has a hint of cinnamon.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 308kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the dogs in the buns and heap on the chili. Don’t be shy.
  • Add cheese, onion and mustard and get ready for some yummy dogs!

Notes

I like to make a shallow cut down the length of my dogs. The cut will open up slightly during cooking, giving the toppings a place to go!

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 855mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Boston Hot Dogs

Ya know, I love hot dogs. Any way, any time. After recently making some grilled Chicago dogs and Seattle Dogs, I decided I had to make grilled Boston hot dogs next. They’re super easy, and very, very tasty. These are not some wimpy, skimpy-on-the-toppings hot dogs. So don’t grab some wimpy el cheapo hot dog buns to serve them on. Grab those big deli ones. The strong ones. You’ll need them!

Grilled Boston Hot Dogs

The Perfect Combination

You can’t beat the combination of hot dog relish, baked beans, chopped onions, mustard, and ketchup. There’s an explosion of flavor in every bite, but they’re still simple dogs. You could easily throw all of the ingredients into a small cooler and head to the local park and grill up a quick tasty lunch.

I used Hebrew National’s jumbo beef franks for these grilled Boston hot dogs. They have great flavor.

Also try my grilled cheesy hot dogs with onions.

Grilled Boston Hot Dogs
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Boston Hot Dog

You can’t beat the combination of hot dog relish, baked beans, chopped onions, mustard, and ketchup. There’s an explosion of flavor in every bite, but they’re still simple dogs. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 304kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the dogs in the buns and top with the beans, onion, relish, mustard and ketchup.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

I liked to cut a shallow slit down the length of my hot dogs before cooking. They open up slightly, giving the toppings a place to go!

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 784mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Seattle-Style Hot Dogs

Mmmmmm. Oh my goodness. Where have I been that I didn’t know that slathering cream cheese on a hot dog is just about the best thing ever? This simple approach to Seattle-style hot dogs is a fantastic way to jazz up your ‘usual’ hot dog.

Seattle-Style Hot Dogs

Fancy. And Good.

I used pickled pepper rings, but you can substitute jalapenos instead for a little kick. To make your Seattle-style hot dogs look a bit out-of-the-ordinary, cut a ‘+’ pattern in the ends before tossing them onto the grill. The ends will separate and give the dogs a different look. You can also cut them into spirals and amaze everyone (plus they hold ingredients better!).

These are delicious hot dogs with a great twist that everyone will enjoy.

Also try my pickle hot dogs!

Seattle-Style Hot Dogs
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5 from 1 vote

Seattle-Style Hot Dogs

Mmmmmm. Oh my goodness. Where have I been that I didn’t know that slathering cream cheese on a hot dog is just about the best thing ever? 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 5
Calories 282kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 small sweet onion sliced thin
  • olive oil
  • 4 hot dogs
  • 4 hot dog buns
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • pepperoncini

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill for direct cooking.
  • Toss the onion with a little oil and salt and pepper.
  • Place over direct heat and cook until softened. Remove.
  • Grill hot dogs as desired.
  • Warm buns as desired.
  • Slather the buns with the cream cheese.
  • Add the hot dogs and top with grilled onions and pepper rings.

Notes

Cut a long narrow slit in your dogs before cooking to give the toppings a great place to go!

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Buffalo Slaw

We absolutely loved this Buffalo slaw. It is no doubt one of our favorite non-traditional slaws. It is creamy, and smooth, thanks to mayo, sour cream and blue cheese crumbles. There’s a great celery crunch. There’s just a hint of Buffalo wing sauce flavor. Served cold, this slaw complements any meal, and especially, something hot off of the grill!

Buffalo Slaw

Nice And Blue Cheesy

If you find that blue cheese is a bit too strong for you, you can substitute Gorgonzola cheese crumbles. This slaw is great with either. But it does need some tang, some funkiness. So don’t leave it out.

This slaw is great by itself. I also like it on top of a grilled chicken sandwich.

This slaw is the perfect side for our Buffalo hot dogs.

Buffalo Slaw
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5 from 1 vote

Buffalo Slaw

We absolutely loved this Buffalo slaw. It is no doubt one of our favorite non-traditional slaws. It is creamy, and smooth, thanks to mayo, sour cream and blue cheese crumbles. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword Buffalo, cole slaw, coleslaw
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 176kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place cabbage mixture into a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar and salt
  • Stir in the wing sauce and celery.
  • Add sauce to the cabbage and gently stir or toss until combined.
  • Add crumbles, to taste and stir.

Notes

Great on hot dogs!

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Glazed Kielbasa Bites

These lil glazed kielbasa bites are perfect for your next backyard get-together. They’re easy to make, grill up in just minutes, and they feed a small crowd. Every bite has a nice mix of Asian-inspired flavors, perfectly complimenting the grilled sausage. Mix things up by using different kinds of sausages, from kielbasa to smoked sausage to even andouille.

Glazed Kielbasa Bites

Great Party Bites

You can make a whole lot of these without making a big fuss. They’re a great way to fee everyone while you’re off grilling the main dish.

For little kick, substitute Sriracha sauce for the chili sauce. Any good thick sauce will work just great on these glazed kielbasa bites. Thinner sauces will not adhere well enough to stay around long enough to add flavor. Thicker is better.

Also try my mini-chicken and waffles!

Glazed Kielbasa Bites
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Glazed Kielbasa Bites

These lil glazed kielbasa bites are perfect for your next backyard get-together. They’re easy to make, grill up in just minutes, and they feed a small crowd. Every bite has a nice mix of Asian-inspired flavors, perfectly complementing the grilled sausage.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword grilled, sausage
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 288kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill.
  • Spread out the sausage pieces cut side down and grill until you get grill marks.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together the pineapple juice, Teriyaki sauce, chili sauce and honey.
  • Flip and top with a piece of pineapple. Skewer with a toothpick.
  • Brush bites with the glaze and grill until you get grill marks on the bottoms.
  • Glaze one more time and remove from the grill.

Notes

Also great made using andouille sausage!

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 993mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Pineapple Chicken Wings

I was looking for a different take on chicken wings and boy, did I find it. These pineapple chicken wings are sweeter than the “usual” wings you get, with a slight Asian flavor thanks to the soy sauce. The dipping sauce was fantastic. So good in fact that I ended up using the same sauce later for our grilled glazed kielbasa bites.

Pineapple Chicken Wings

If you have a Char-Broil Big Easy oil-less fryer, try out my Wingin’ator 3000 modification. It lets you cook a large amount of wings all at once. It’s great for cooking these pineapple chicken wings. Any wings for that matter!

Also try my delicious peach apricot wings.

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

Pineapple Chicken Wings
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4 from 1 vote

Pineapple Chicken Wings

I was looking for a different take on chicken wings and boy, did I find it. These pineapple chicken wings are sweeter than the “usual” wings you get, with a slight Asian flavor thanks to the soy sauce.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword pineapple, wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 453kcal
Author Based on a recipe from Insane Chicken

Ingredients

For the marinade

For the dipping sauce

Instructions

Notes

For a smoother dipping sauce, pulse a few times in a blender before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.