It’s full-on summer grilling time and with the Fourth of July weekend rapidly approaching, I wanted to post one of my favorite EASY ways to make hot dogs, Spiral Hot Dogs!
My guess is that if you are lighting grills this summer, especially if you have kids, hot dogs will be on the menu at some point! It’s probably the thing Americans turn to first if they are looking for a quick grilling meal.
If you are feeling spry though, do me a favor and try out these spiral hot dogs to kick off grilling season! Arguments for trying them include:
- They look amazing.
- They taste even more amazing b/c they get crispy and can hold more toppings.
- Surprisingly easy to make!
Mostly though, you should make them because SPIRAL HOT DOGS!!!
What Hot Dogs Work Best for Spiraling
In theory any sausage or hot dog can be cut in a spiral, but I prefer an all-beef hot dog with a natural casing if you can find one. They will have the best snap and get really crispy and delicious on the edges.
Also, if it’s your first time spiraling a hot dog, it’s easier to spiral cut a slightly fatter hot dog than the long thin ones. Either can work if you are careful though.
If you aren’t a fan of beef, you can spiral cut a chicken sausage as well or even a kielbasa sausage!
You could spiral cut these Caramelized Onion Sausages, for example!
My Tip for Cutting the Spiral
Do me a favor and don’t try to make these by holding a hot dog straight up in the air and slicing it down the side. It would probably make a cool Youtube Video FAIL, but will result in pieces of hot dogs and not a beautifully perfect spiral.
To do it right you just need a wooden skewer. Not rocket science!
Just insert the skewer down the middle of the hot dog. Try to get it as centered as possible. Then use a small knife to start cutting around the hot dog at an angle. You can chop through the hot dog because of the skewer and it will keep you on track for the spiral.
When I did this, I had a hard time making my spiral narrow enough to look awesome. Mine always ended up slightly wider. Like this:
If that happens to you, don’t worry about it. Just repeat the spiral on the same hot dog but starting on the other side of the hot dog. So basically you are cutting two spirals that run around the hot dog and never intersect.
Sounds complicated, but it’s just cool.
Once you’re done you can slide the skewer out. I was surprised at how sturdy the dogs were. They were easy to handle and I didn’t break a single one in half!
You know the next step. Toss them on a hot grill!
Grilling the Spiral Hot Dogs
These should be cooked on a hot grill over direct heat. They get so crispy and the spiral opens up which is awesome for toppings! They will need a few minutes per side and be ready to go!
Serve these spiral hot dogs hot off the grill, on toasted buns, loaded with toppings!
Other options for cooking these hot dogs
If you don’t have a grill, no worries! You can cook spiral hot dogs in a variety of ways.
If you want, you can bake the hot dogs (check out my three baked hot dog ideas for some fun topping ideas).
You can also cook them in a skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. That will cause them to crisp up and work basically like a grill.
Finally, you can absolutely cook these in an air fryer for 5-6 minutes at 375˚F.
Hard to go wrong with spiral hot dogs!!
Any spiral hot dog fans out there?! I’m gonna have a hard time grilling a normal hot dog now that I know the joys of the spiral version!
Spiral Cut Hot Dogs
Ingredients
- 8 Hot dogs
- 8 Buns
- Toppings galore
- Wooden Skewers
- Sharp Knife
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Working with one hot dog at a time, run a skewer through the middle of the dog.
- Using a sharp paring knife, slice the hot dog down until you hit the skewer, at a 45 degree angle. Turn the hot dog, cutting a spiral into the hot dog.
- If the spiral is too wide, you can do a second spiral by starting it on the opposite side and repeating the spiral cut.
- Carefully remove the skewer from the hot dog. Grill hot dogs to your liking and serve with toasted buns and lots of toppings!
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Jan S
Ohhhh….. Spiral hot dogs have changed our lives! Many thanks! OK so we’re kinda easily amused, but seriously, these are great. If I’m gonna eat a hot dog, this is how I want it for the rest of my life.
Karly Campbell
What is it about hot dogs that I just can’t grow out of?! Not that I’m complaining. Can’t wait to see my kids’ face when they see these cute spiral dogs!
SueSchneid22
Love this idea! Can’t wait to indulge!!! Thanks. Nick!
Sarah Anderson
I have never seen hot dogs spiraled like this before, and is something I should try. It seems like it is, as you said, easier to keep toppings in the bun because they get stuck in the dog instead of just being pushed out of the way. I’ll probably find some way to screw it up, but hopefully your skewer trick is able to minimize that!
Jeanne
Those hot dogs look great spiraled, the condiments can slip in between the slits -can’t wait to serve them. Thank you so much !