Smoked Hot Dogs

This ingenious way of cooking hot dogs has incredible flavor and will delight your guests. smoked hot dogs are the best possible way to make this iconic American meat on a bun.

After eating just one bite of these, you will never snub your nose at a hot dog again. These are not only gorgeous in presentation (yes, impress those cookout friends!) but the simple rub takes the flavor profile from simple dog to a new family favorite.

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🌭 Ingredients

Ball Park Beef Franks – A high-quality, 100% all-beef frank makes my favorite smoked hot dog. However, you can use turkey dogs as long as you go with quality as listed below. There are plenty of quality brands you can purchase and the superior taste is worth the price.

Dry Rub – We used an all-purpose rub from Meat Church called The Gospel for our smoked hot dogs, but any all-purpose rub you have will work.

Buns and Condiments – Here you get to pick what you like! Grab top-loading buns, regular hot dog buns, or gluten-free buns. Make sure you have your family’s favorite condiments ready to go.

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Smoker | Our family favorite is the Big Green Egg or the Traeger. These work perfectly on the Masterbuilt, Camp Chef, Costco Smoker, or Char Broil. If you have a smoker, it will work. If you don’t have a smoker, a gas grill, charcoal grill, or pellet grill with a smoker box to achieve the same results.

Sharp Knife | To score the hot dogs.

Instant Read Thermometer | A meat thermometer is a must-have if you want to get the perfect doneness every time.

Slot Dog | This is an optional (but VERY cool) tool to speed up making slot dogs. You stick your frank in the tool and press down. It creates evenly spaced cross-hatches with less effort than slicing with a knife. I’ll show you how to do it with a knife, but this tool will certainly do it faster!

🔥 Instructions

Step One: Score the hot dogs. I like to do criss-cross scoring. This is called cross-hatching and will speed up the cooking process. It also allows the smoke flavor to be infused throughout the meat.

Step Two: Place the scored hot dogs on a pan with edges.

Step Three: Season with your favorite all-purpose rub by pouring the dry rub into the pan and then rolling the hot dogs for even coverage. We used the all-purpose dry rub for grilling, which I usually make in bulk to have it ready at all times.

Step Four: Place the hot dogs on a grill grate in your smoker and smoke for 60-90 minutes at 250º F.

Consult our free wood smoking chart, pick your favorite smoke flavor and enjoy!

Step Five: Your hot dogs are finished when they reach an internal temp of 155º F. Test them with an Instant Read Thermometer. You might think 60 minutes is too long to spend on a hotdog, but remember this process is completely hands-off!

Note: You’ll notice them open up along the score marks and that increased surface area will take on more of the smoky flavor.

Step Six: Serve hot.

🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

You might be wondering how long do hot dogs last in the fridge?

If you have leftover smoked hot dogs they can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave or in a skillet.

🍴What To Serve With Smoked Hot Dogs

Hot dogs pair well with most BBQ sides, just like grilled and smoked meats.

Try making a smoked side dish at the same time. For instance, you can make smoked potato salad in thirty to fifty minutes. Both of these dishes are hands-off, so you can set it and forget it until it’s time to eat.

There are many more smoked sides you can make along the hot dogs. Smoked butternut squash, smoked sweet potatoes, and smoked corn on the cob, are also wonderful choices.

Turn it into a comforting meal with a classic BBQ side like Smoked Mac and Cheese or grilled baked beans.

Feeling adventurous? Here are more sides for hot dogs I’m sure you’ll love!

♨️ More Sausage & Hot Dog Recipes

Make bacon-wrapped hot dogs, grilled beer brats, grilled Kielbasa, or grilled sausage and peppers for variety at your next party. They’re also ready much faster which is great for large gatherings.

Instead of using brisket or another beef cut, make hot dog burnt ends.

These smoked shotgun shells make a delicious snack or appetizer no one will be able to pass up.

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