Why Spiralizing Your Hot Dogs Is A Game Changer

I’m a big fan of hot dogs. So much so, I once won the annual hot dog eating contest at the Columbia County Fair in New York’s Hudson Valley by scarfing down 6 ½ in three minutes. While that’s nothing compared to what world-famous competitive eater Joey Chestnut has devoured at Nathan’s hot dog eating contest at Coney Island, it was enough for me to beat the competition. Over the years, I’ve tried various cooking techniques for preparing franks, including the two-step method of poaching and grilling hot dogs on a high flame. But by far the easiest and most rewarding hack has been to spiralize my hot dogs before cooking them.

This simple technique gives the hot dog more surface area, which means that whether you’re grilling or pan frying them, you’ll end up with crispier, more caramelized meat. Spiralized dogs also cook faster, which helps keep them juicy. A spiral cut frank perfectly fits onto a bun and the open spaces create pockets to keep condiments in the dog — rather than on your shirt — as you’re eating.

There’s two basic ways to spiralize your hot dogs. The first involves running a wooden skewer through the hot dog lengthwise and cutting the dog at a slight angle as you roll it away from you. The second technique is the one I prefer since it only requires a knife and a cutting board. Slice the hot dog about halfway through crosswise about every ¼ inch. Be sure not to cut too deeply. You can use two chopsticks on each side of the dog to prevent cutting all the way through. Then, turn the hot dog over and slice it at a 45-degree angle, again about every ¼ inch and about half way through. 

Using a spiralizer to make a banh mi hot dog marries all the goodness of the Vietnamese sandwich (pickled veggies, sriracha mayo, cilantro) with the classic American frank. For an even more decadent version, I add a schmeer of pâté. Whatever way you prefer your hot dog — plain, with a few condiments, or Chicago-style with peppers, tomatoes, a dill spear, and neon relish — spiralizing them beforehand is a simple but effective technique for the crispiest, juiciest dogs ever.