The Slicing Trick For The Absolute Best Fried Hot Dogs Is A Game Changer

Hot dogs are a summertime around-the-campfire staple as well as an all-year-round anytime snack. With a bevy of grocery store hot dog brands to choose from, you'll find a tube-shaped meat or plant-based product to satisfy just about anyone's desires. If you've got an adventurous mind and a curious palate, then take a page from the late Anthony Bourdain's playbook, and give fried hot dogs a try. Among the many hot dog hacks you wish you'd known sooner, thinly slicing and frying hot dogs either on the stovetop or in an air fryer might just top the list as the absolute best way to enjoy a hot dog any time of year.

The concept might sound a little odd, but then again, hot dogs themselves have always been a little odd and that's exactly what makes them so beloved. Whether you fancy an all-beef frank, a plant-based version, or a blend of pork and miscellaneous ingredients, this slicing trick will take your fried hot dogs to the next level and beyond. This method takes all the goodness and flavors of your favorite hot dogs and condenses them into a conveniently fried strip. Whether frying in a pan on the stove or adding to your air fryer, thinly sliced hot dogs will make a perfect snack and can also be used as a topping for sandwiches, salads, and more.

If you've been wondering why you need a mandoline slicer, it's worth noting that one would come in especially handy for this hot dog preparation. You can also use a vegetable peeler provided you take proper safety precautions. While hot dogs are typically fully cooked, it helps to keep your slices uniformly thin to ensure consistent frying for optimal crunchy consistency. When air frying the hot dog strips, you shouldn't need more than five minutes to get everything to the right level of crispness. On a stovetop, you don't need extra oil for hot dogs made of animal proteins but might want to add a splash of a high smoke point oil for any plant-based selections. The frying process also only takes around five minutes to get your hot dog strips to the right texture. From there, all that's left is to determine the best way to serve it.

For traditional hot dog fans, loading your fried strips into a fluffy bun might just do the trick. If you want to chop the pieces up even smaller into finger foods, it would make an excellent snack. On a plate, try topping a heap of these fried hot dog strips with your favorite condiments such as mustard, relish, or ketchup. In a mode creative twist, crumbling up hot Cheetos or other similar crunch foods would make a nice pairing of textures. Any way you slice it, this hot dog bacon is fabulous.