If you’re grilling this summer, keep an open mind about hot dogs.
When I grill for friends and family, the hot dogs are usually for the kids. But as the folks at Weber know, you can buy high-quality hot dogs and spiff them up with fancy toppings that could steal the show from the hamburgers.
On the other hand, you could use the toppings for this hot dog, especially the avocado mayo, to step up your everyday burger. If you're looking for more creative burger ideas, go to food.blog.austin360.com to find the winning recipes from our backyard burger contest a few years ago.
Patagonia Hot Dogs with Avocado Mayo
At the southern end of South America, hot dog fanatics in Patagonia, Argentina, revel in a colorful variation that involves sauerkraut, chopped tomatoes and a creamy avocado mayo. Although it’s a combination we probably never would have imagined on our own, it has made it into this collection for a good reason: It tastes great!
— Jamie Purviance
For the mayo:
1 Hass avocado, roughly chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 jalapeño chili pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 best-quality all-beef hot dogs with natural casings (slightly longer than the buns)
8 hot dog buns, split
1 jar or bag (1 pound) sauerkraut, drained
1 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
In a food processor combine all the mayo ingredients (avocado through black pepper) and puree until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350 to 450 degrees). Cut a few well-spaced diagonal shallow slashes crosswise along one side of each hot dog.
Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until lightly marked on the outside and hot all the way to the center, 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally. During the last 30 seconds to 1 minute of grilling time, toast the buns, cut side down, over direct heat. Remove from the grill.
Generously spread the avocado mayo inside each bun. (You will not need all of it, but the unused amount will keep in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for up to two days.) Place a hot dog in each bun and add some sauerkraut, tomatoes, cilantro and onion. Serve warm. Serves 8.
— From "Weber's Greatest Hits: 125 Beloved Recipes for Every Grill and Everyone" by Jamie Purviance (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $24.99)
About the Author
