👨🍳🧑🍳 Happy Monday, Chefs!
We kick off this week with a salute to the all American hot dog!
A hot dog rarely gets an overnight marinade. Maybe that’s been the problem all along.
These Swamp Dogs from AllRecipes start with a clever little move: score the hot dogs before soaking them overnight with Italian dressing, Worcestershire, Cajun seasoning, and sliced onions.
The next day, everything hits a screaming-hot skillet. The dogs get browned, the onions go tender, and the marinade becomes the foundation for a glossy ketchup-and-mustard pan sauce.
It’s backyard food with considerably better technique.
👇 Scroll down for a major hot dog upgrade.
Cheers,
~ thebacklabel crew 🍷🔥
P.S. We all know the backyard BBQ isn’t complete without the potato salad & baked beans!
Recipe By: Allrecipes
🌭 Fun Fact: Scoring the hot dogs gives you more browned edges while also giving that overnight marinade more surface area to work with.
🎥 WATCH The Video
Ingredients
Swamp Dogs
8 hot dogs
2/3 cup Italian dressing
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
8 hot dog buns
Step By Step
1️⃣ Score The Dogs
Using a sharp knife, make shallow diagonal cuts across one side of each hot dog, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep and 1/4 inch apart.
2️⃣ Marinate Overnight
Place the scored hot dogs in a large resealable bag. Add the Italian dressing, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, and onions. Seal tightly and turn to coat everything thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight for the best flavor, flipping the bag occasionally.
3️⃣ Get The Skillet Hot
Preheat a large cast-iron or metal skillet over medium-high heat.
4️⃣ Build The Char
Remove the hot dogs from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Reserve the onions and marinade. Add the hot dogs to the hot skillet and cook undisturbed until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Rotate and cook until mostly browned, another 2–3 minutes.
5️⃣ Make Those Onions Saucy
Add the reserved marinade and onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
6️⃣ Deglaze + Simmer
Add the water and stir, scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender.
7️⃣ Finish The Sauce
Stir in the ketchup and mustard and simmer for a few minutes longer.
8️⃣ Load ’Em Up
Place the hot dogs in the buns and top generously with the saucy onions. Napkins strongly encouraged.