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Firecracker Hot Dogs

Firecracker hot dogs feature spiral-scored, grill-charred beef hot dogs split open and loaded with spicy jalapeño relish, bright yellow mustard, and a sriracha drizzle. This easy summer cookout party hot dog recipe turns simple hot dogs into bold BBQ hot dogs with crispy fried onion crunch.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Hot dogs and toppings
  • 8 beef hot dogs
  • 8 hot dog buns
  • 2 tbsp butter softened
  • 0.5 cup jalapeño relish or pickled jalapeños chopped
  • 0.25 cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp sriracha
  • 0.25 cup crispy fried onions
  • ketchup for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Score the hot dogs
  1. Score each hot dog with diagonal cuts or a spiral cut to help them char and open on the grill in the same spots as the scoring.
  2. Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, keeping the cooking surface hot before you add the hot dogs.
Grill until charred and split
  1. Cook the hot dogs for 8–10 minutes, turning frequently, until charred and split open slightly.
Toast the buns
  1. Butter the inside of each bun and toast on the grill for 1–2 minutes until golden.
Build and serve
  1. Place a hot dog in each toasted bun and top with jalapeño relish.
  2. Add a squeeze of yellow mustard over the relish for bright, tangy flavor.
  3. Drizzle sriracha over each hot dog to finish the firecracker heat.
  4. Finish with crispy fried onions and serve immediately with ketchup on the side.

Notes

Pro tip: score deeper than you think so the hot dogs reliably char and split open on the grill. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days, but re-toasting buns and adding fresh fried onions will restore crunch; freeze hot dogs only (up to 2 months), and plan to rebuild with fresh relish and toppings for best texture. For a milder option, use sweet pickled jalapeños or reduce the sriracha to 1 tbsp.