Ultimate Ballpark Hot Dogs (6 ways)

Get ready to experience the ultimate ballpark hot dogs, classic favourites taken to new heights of deliciousness. These hot dogs are a celebration of all things savoury, tangy, and downright irresistible. Start with high-quality, juicy beef hot dogs nestled in soft and fluffy buns. The hot dogs are grilled to perfection, ensuring a slightly charred and smoky flavour that adds depth to every bite. The grilling process infuses the hot dogs with a delightful smokiness that will transport you to a sunny day at the ballpark. But what truly sets these hot dogs apart is the irresistible medley of toppings done 6 different ways.

Once you take your first bite of these ultimate ballpark hot dogs, you'll understand why they're a classic tradition. Each element of the hot dog, from the perfectly grilled meat to the harmonious combination of toppings, work together to create a culinary experience that is both nostalgic and utterly satisfying. Whether you're cheering on your favourite team or simply enjoying a casual backyard gathering, these ultimate ballpark hot dogs will be the star of the show. So, fire up the grill, gather your loved ones, and prepare to savour the iconic flavours of these hot dogs.

The Pit Boss Navigator Series Pellet Grill from Home Hardware provided the ultimate grilling experience.

Servings: 4 per hot dog style (24 total)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Directions

Preheat your grill to 400ºF (204ºC). Place the hot dogs on the grill and grill for 8-12 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes or so until you reach an internal temperature of 160ºF (71ºC). Place the hot dog buns on the grill for the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking time to warm them. Remove the hot dogs and the buns from the grill and transfer to a platter.

Toronto Street Dog

The Toronto Street dog captures the essence of the 6ix with a bacon-wrapped hot dog that is drizzled with mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup, topped with grilled onions and peppers, and finished off with Hickory sticks for an added crunch. If you’re a fan of sauerkraut, I recommend adding some to this dog.

Ingredients:

• 4 all-beef hot dogs

• 4 hot dog buns

• 4 strips thin-cut bacon, optional

• 2 bell peppers of choice, sliced

• 1 onion, sliced

• Sauerkraut, optional

• Ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise

• Hickory sticks (original potato sticks), as needed

Directions:

Place a cast-iron skillet on the grill and let it heat up for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook until softened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Wrap a slice of bacon around each hot dog and grill for 8-12 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes or so until you have reached an internal temperature of 160ºF (71ºC). Assemble the hot dogs by placing one bacon wrapped hot dog inside each bun followed by onions and peppers, drizzle with ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and top with Hickory sticks. If you’re a fan of sauerkraut, I recommend adding some to these dogs.

Chicago-Style Dog

The Chicago-Style dog has all the classic fixing of mustard, pickle relish, diced onions, tomato wedges, pickle spears, sport peppers, celery salt, and the addition of poppyseeds sprinkled over top.

Ingredients:

• 4 all-beef hot dogs

• 4 hot dog buns

• 4 tbsp yellow mustard

• 4 tbsp Chicago style relish or pickle relish

• 4 tbsp onions, diced

• 8 tomato wedges

• 4 dill pickle spears

• 8 sport peppers

• Celery salt, as needed

• Poppyseeds, for topping

Directions:

Once your hot dogs are fully cooked, assemble the Chicago-style dogs by placing one hot dog inside each bun. Drizzle yellow mustard on the hot dogs, then spoon the pickle relish over the mustard, followed by the diced onions. Tuck two tomato wedges per hot dog between the hot dog and the bun. Tuck a pickle spear on the other side of the hot dog. Top each hot dog with sport peppers, as much celery salt as desired, and serve.

Mexican Street Dog

Embark on a culinary adventure and experience the vibrant flavors of Mexico with a mouth-watering Mexican Street dog. This dog is topped with all the familiar flavors of Street corn; a medley of charred corn, jalapeño, lime juice, Cotija cheese, chili powder, and cilantro. The flavors are then elevated with a sprinkling of Tajin, drizzled with a smoky chipotle mayonnaise, and finished off with cilantro.

Ingredients:

• 4 all-beef hot dogs

• 4 hot dog buns

• 2 ears corn on the cob, shucked

• 1 tbsp jalapeño, finely chopped

• 1 tsp lime juice

• 2 tbsp Cotija or feta cheese, crumbled

• ½ tsp chili powder

• 1 tbsp cilantro plus more for garnish, finely chopped

• Tajin, for topping

• Lime wedges, for serving

Chipotle Mayo

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus 2 tsp adobo sauce

• ½ tbsp lime juice

Directions:

Place the mayonnaise, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and lime juice into a blender and blend until smooth. Brush the corn with a thin layer of vegetable oil and place the corn on the grill. Grill for about 15-20 minutes, rotating every 4-5 minutes, until bright in color and lightly charred. Remove the corn from the grill and transfer to a plate. Let the corn cool for 10 minutes before cutting the kernels off the cob. In a small bowl, combine the corn kernels, jalapeño, lime juice, Cotija cheese, chili powder, and cilantro. Once your hot dogs are fully cooked, assemble the Mexican street dogs by placing one hot dog inside each bun and top with corn salsa, sprinkle with Tajin, drizzle with chipotle mayo, and garnish with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Cuban Dog

If your heart is in Havana, then the Cuban dog has all the reminiscing flavours of a Cuban sandwich you will love. A toasted hot dog bun is layered with Black Forest ham and Swiss cheese, then comes the all-beef hot dog that is topped with pickle spears and drizzled with mustard for a symphony of flavours that will transport you to the lively streets of Havana.

Ingredients:

• 4 all-beef hot dogs

• 4 hot dog buns

• 8 sliced black forest ham

• 4 slices Swiss cheese

• 8 pickle spears

• Mustard, as needed

Directions:

Once your hot dogs are fully cooked, assemble the Cuban dogs by placing two slices of black forest ham inside each bun, followed by one slice of Swiss cheese and the hot dog on top. Tuck two pickle spears, one on each side, between the hot dog and the bun and drizzle with yellow mustard.

Signature Dog

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience with a mouth-watering Signature hot dog. A dollop of mac and cheese is placed on top of the dog followed by a generous pile of pulled pork and coleslaw and served with a side of pickles. This Signature dog is the equivalent of a BBQ meat platter with all the fixings on a bun. It's a flavour explosion that will leave you craving more.

Ingredients:

• 4 all-beef hot dogs

• 4 hot dog buns

• 1 cup prepared mac and cheese

• ½ cup prepared pulled pork, warm

• BBQ sauce, as needed

• 1 cup prepared coleslaw

• Pickles, for serving

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the warmed pulled pork with some BBQ sauce. Once your hot dogs are fully cooked, assemble the signature dogs by placing one hot dog inside each bun and top with mac and cheese, pulled pork, and coleslaw. Serve with pickles.

Chili Cheese Dog

Get ready to indulge in a classic favourite—the mouth-watering chili cheese dog. This iconic street food combines juicy hot dogs, flavorful chili, melted cheese, diced onion, and taken to the next level with crushed Frito chips all nestled in a soft, toasted bun. The flavours blend to create a comforting and indulgent timeless favourite that’s guaranteed to satisfy your cravings.

Ingredients:

• 4 all-beef hot dogs

• 4 hot dog buns

• 1 cup prepared chili, warm

• ½ cup Tostitos queso, heated or ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded and melted

• ¼ cup onion, finely diced

• Fritos, crushed, for topping

• Jalapeño, slices (optional)

Directions:

Once your hot dogs are fully cooked, assemble the chili cheese dogs by placing one hot dog inside each bun and top with a generous amount of warm chili, warm Tostitos queso, diced onion, and crushed Fritos. Top the hot dogs with jalapeño slices for an added kick of heat. If you are using shredded cheese instead of queso, top the hot dogs with the warm chili then the shredded cheese and place the hot dogs on the grill until the cheese melts, about 4-5 minutes and top with the remaining ingredients.