It's A Day to Celebrate the Hot Dog

Ah yes, right on the heels of National Junk Food Day, we roll right into National Hot Dog Day. Ain't life sweet?

The hot dog is as American as apple pie. A cookout is not complete without hot dogs. A couple times a year, my campground has a hot dog cookout and sells out every time.

Yes, a cookout needs hamburgers, spiedies and sausages, but hot dogs should be the staple of a cookout in my opinion. My favorite type of hot dog is a foot long. I've tried White Hots, but not really into it. Nor do I like corn dogs. Many people do, but I just can't get into it. I also like cutting up cooked hot dog into small pieces and tossing them into a bowl of Boston baked beans with a dash of brown sugar. That's a great meal on a cold day. The after effects? Well, you know, not so good.

I enjoy cooking hot dogs in a variety of ways. But my preference for cooking them is on a barbecue grill. Some like to throw a hot dog in boiling water, but that just doesn't do the hot dog any justice. In the winter, if it's too much trouble to fire up the barbecue grill in my backyard, I will toss them in the toaster oven. Yea, I know it's not the same as a good tasting barbecue grill cooked hot dog.

Now, for the real questions. How do you cook your hot dogs? I prefer to slice them just a bit from top to bottom (is there a top or bottom to a hot dog?) That way, I have more room to put in the toppings. A radio personality at one of our sister radio stations - WYRK in Buffalo, likes his hot dogs as Spider Dogs. I had never heard of that, but it looks like a cool way to prepare a hot dog.

As for toppings, America is split between mustard and ketchup. Don't judge me, but I prefer ketchup. Although my favorite way to dress a hot dog is with a dab of mustard, onion and piled high with chili (hold the beans, please.) Yep, I tend to get chili, mustard and onion all over my shirt, but I tell ya, it's worth it. Happy National Hot Dog Day!

via WYRK