How Daniel Boulud Takes Grilled Hot Dogs To The Next Level

Hot dogs are notorious for their presence at Fourth of July gatherings, baseball games, and parties. Quite often, though, hot dogs are served with the same toppings in the same way. Nothing seems to change for the food: Chili, cheese, mustard, ketchup. Sometimes sauerkraut, relish, and tomatoes enter the game, but not often. Fortunately, Chef Daniel Boulud has a trick that will take your dogs to the next level.

The famous chef is a Michelin-star winner and restauranteur known for his elegant French restaurant, Daniel, in New York City. According to his website, Daniel Boulud. He is a leading culinary authority who has revolutionized his cuisine and culinary empire around the globe. With this high level of prestige, you may find it challenging to grasp the idea that the celebrity chef would spend time elevating a simple hot dog. Prepare to be challenged because he's done just that by providing us with a hot dog game changer.

When grilling the perfect 100% beef frank, Daniel Boulud coats each hot dog in oil, then quickly sears the outside. According to Bon Appétit, the flavorful and unexpected ingredients that the chef uses to elevate beef franks are dry, fresh rosemary and thyme. He lays the herbs out over the grill and places the hot dogs right on top. The herbs become warm and smoky, infusing the meat with their herbaceous flavors.

Next, Boulud butters and broils the hot dog buns. He justifies the butter by telling Bon Appétit, "There isn't very much fat in the hot dog, so putting a little bit of butter on your bun is okay. And it makes it more French." He continued, "This hot dog is called the 'French Bastard' because we're using a bastard sauce. It is 75% French and 25% American." The sauce is made using a combination of French mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. He claims that he sometimes adds cayenne pepper and slow-cooked onion for additional flavor. 

Boulud says the hot dog is served with a drizzle of bastard sauce, pickled veggie relish, curly chicory, and fresh radish for some kick. With a delicious hot dog recipe like this, we may be retiring the chili and cheese for a while.