Bacon Crunch Hot Dog With Creamy Slaw Recipe

Nobody ever claimed that hot dogs are healthy. In fact, the places you're most likely to eat a hot dog are almost certainly designed for indulgent food choices, like baseball games or backyard barbecues. There's no use in trying to fit hot dogs into a nutritious mold, so why not lean into the gluttony? This creation by recipe developer Michelle McGlinn loads up a charred, all-beef hot dog with an array of toppings — like creamy, mayo-based coleslaw, crispy bacon, and crunchy potato chips. Yes, you read that right: We put the potato chips right on the dog.

The result? A perfect balance of creamy and crunchy, beefy and rich, savory and refreshing. And though there are plenty of ways to cook a hot dog, this one is best suited for being butterflied and grilled for maximum topping capacity. After all, this isn't just a hot dog with ketchup — it deserves to be piled high.

For the hot dogs themselves, you'll need a good, sturdy bun (we like brioche) and thick, all-beef hot dogs. We recommend beef to balance the bacon topping, but you can easily swap it for pork. For the coleslaw, you'll need shredded green cabbage, shredded carrot, chives, mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and mustard powder. To make things a little easier, you can also swap the fresh veggies for a premade coleslaw mix. From there, just grab applewood smoked bacon, potato chips, and scallions.

Add cabbage, carrots, chives, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and mustard powder to a large bowl.

Stir well to combine, and set aside.

Place a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat.

Add bacon pieces and cook until crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Set aside.

Butterfly the hot dogs down the center.

Heat a grill to 350 F, or place a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the hot dogs cut-side down on the grates and cook on the first side until charred, about 5 minutes.

Flip and cook on the opposite side until charred, about 5 minutes.

Place hot dogs into the buns.

Divide coleslaw among the hot dogs.

Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Top with crushed potato chips and sliced scallions, and serve immediately.

Have you ever noticed that although hot dogs are fully cooked, no one actually eats them right out of the package (or not commonly, anyway)? There's a reason for that: The USDA recommends that hot dogs be served hot to avoid food-borne illnesses like listeriosis. They're sold cooked, usually, for visual purposes, so the sausages look uniform and like typical hot dogs instead of, say, Italian sausage. 

Cooking hot dogs all the way through can be a challenge, though. One popular method involves boiling, but this leaves a little to be desired texturally. Grilling is the next best option, but it can be tough to char the outsides without undercooking the middle. The solution to getting the perfect flavor experience, then, is butterflying the hot dogs. This way, both the middle and the exterior are cooked, charred, and smoky-tasting. Better yet, once added to buns, the split down the middle allows for the toppings to sit deeper in the dog, so you can pile more toppings on (or be sure they won't slide off). For a hot dog with lots of toppings, butterflying is the way to go.

If you've ever thrown together a batch of coleslaw only to be left with a watery, mushy mess, you might be making a few common coleslaw mistakes. When putting together the perfect slaw, there are a few prep steps to remember so your dish turns out perfect. If you're making slaw from scratch, remember to wash the cabbage and carrots before shredding. Shred using a mandoline for perfectly even, thin slices, or use a food processor for smaller chunks, and then leave the veggies to sit in the bowl while you prep the remainder of the recipe. To help draw out moisture from the cabbage, you can also lightly salt the vegetables, draining any excess liquid before adding the coleslaw dressing. 

There's no need to premix the dressing before adding it to the slaw, so go ahead and mix it all together in one bowl. If it's too tangy, add more mayonnaise. If it's too sweet, add a splash more vinegar. Too salty? You can fix that with a little more mayo and vinegar.