Upgrade Your Hot Dog Toppings This Summer By Slapping Them Right On The Grill

Summertime means hot dogs cooked on the grill for charred and smoky flavor. Covering your fresh-off-the-grill frank with mustard, ketchup, or relish is classic, but you can also be more creative with toppings. Upgrade your favorite hot dog garnishes even more by putting them on the grill too. Head Weber Grill master Dustin Green talked up the idea to The Takeout and shared how to do it with one of America's best regional hot dogs.

"Hot dog toppings get even better with a quick spin on the grill," Green told us. "Take the classic Chicago-style dog — I like to throw the onions, tomatoes, and sport peppers on the grill for an extra layer of flavor. Grilling adds depth of flavor due to the Maillard reaction, which brings out natural sweetness and savory tastes." He recommended grilling ½-inch-thick slices of tomatoes and onions over direct high heat until they have grill marks and then cutting them up so the pieces fit nicely on the bun. Cook the drained sport peppers (Chicago's favorite hot pepper) in a grill pan, also directly over the heat, for a couple of minutes, giving an occasional toss.

Green doesn't forget the bread. "For a delicious dog, grill the bun for some added warmth, texture, and flavor," he said. He also sometimes spreads on seasoning. "For a classic hot dog, I usually skip extra seasoning on the bun. But if I'm putting a twist on it — say, a Cajun-style dog — I'll mix a little blackening spice into softened butter, spread it on the inside of the bun, and toast it on the grill," he suggested.

Hot dogs with creative grilled toppings begin with a good base; try one of the highest-quality finishers in our test of grocery store hot dogs. For more veggie toppings, grill other kinds of peppers, like bells, poblanos, or jalapeños, as well as scallions, radishes, or even dill pickles. Spoon on esquites made with grilled corn. Like Mexican elote, but off the cob, this creamy and sweet topping is flavored with cilantro, cotija cheese, and chile-lime mayo. A scoop of guacamole made with grilled avocado or charred cabbage coleslaw is also an awesome finish.

For a sweet contrast, grill mango or pineapple, and top the hot dog with the chopped fruit either alone or in a salsa alongside ingredients like onion, hot peppers, and cilantro or basil. Can you top a frank with more meat? Sure! Wrap it in a bacon slice and grill it, then put it in a bun with lettuce, tomato, and a mayo swipe for a hot dog BLT. You can also briefly grill a deli ham slice, and put Swiss cheese on the bun to melt in the closed grill. Nestle in the ham and finish the frank with mustard and pickles.

Finally, season the buns with butter blended with spices or chopped fresh herbs that match your toppings. You can also mix in some grated cheese before spreading on the butter and grilling the buns. Now that you have some ideas, put out a hot dog bar with different grilled toppings at your next backyard barbecue, and let everyone create their own custom franks with double-grilled flavor!