How To Make A Spiral-Cut Hot Dog, The Best Way To Upgrade Your Wiener

Kristen Aiken and Eva Hill
Updated

Hot dogs get a raw deal. They've never really earned a place of honor atop the grill, playing second fiddle to the gorgeous steaks and juicy burgers that rule our summers. They sit there, slowly wrinkling on their grates, just waiting for someone to pick them up. Hot dogs are like the saddest puppy at the pound, just hoping someone will choose them.

But that's about to change. If you've never spiral-cut your hot dog before, you're about to discover a whole new level of deliciousness that you didn't know was possible.

You might be wondering how cutting your hot dog can change its flavor, but let us explain. By cutting your hot dog in one nonstop motion around its circumference, you essentially turn it into a Slinky-like toy that expands and contracts. This coil creates more surface area for the hot dog to make contact with the sizzling grill, meaning more caramelization. And more caramelization means more flavor.

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(Also, who doesn't love playing with a hot dog slinky?)

Watch the video to see how it's done, and get grilling.

Story and demo by Kristen Aiken
Video shot and edited by Eva Hill


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5) Schaller’s Drive-In, Rochester, N.Y.: Meat Sauce, Mustard, Onions

A Rochester, N.Y., institution, folks come for the nostalgia and stay for the timeless fries, hamburgers, and hot dogs. It opened in 1956, so that distinct Happy Days atmosphere is in fact purely authentic. Located right on the water, Schaller’s specialty is the upstate hot dog variety known as White Hots, fat natural-casing dogs made from pork, beef, and veal, made by Zweigle’s. Top it with some of their meat-based "hot sauce," mustard, and onions, grab a handful of pickles, and you’re in summer vacation heaven. Two other locations have since opened, but the lakeside location is the one to visit. <br> <em>Photo Credit: Yelp/Pete A</a></em> <br> <a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/america-s-50-best-hot-dogs-slideshow?utm_source=huffington%2Bpost&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=hotdog" target="_hplink"><strong>Click Here to See All of America’s 50 Best Hot Dogs</strong></a>

4) Hot Doug’s, Chicago: Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage

<p>When Hot Doug&rsquo;s first opened at its original location in Roscoe Village in 2001, there were people who doubted its owner Doug Sohn&rsquo;s vision of a menu limited to hot dogs and sausages &mdash; even Sohn&rsquo;s own family. "My brother told me, 'Don&rsquo;t you think you&rsquo;ll have to sell hamburgers?'" Sohn related in an interview, adding, "I have it on very good authority that the people at Vienna gave me a few months. They came in and they were like, 'Well, this isn&rsquo;t gonna last.'" Now? Along with Doughnut Vault, Hot Doug&rsquo;s is probably Chicago&rsquo;s most famous line for food, and the entire city let out a collective audible gasp when word spread earlier this month that it would be closing its doors for good in October. <br /> While its main menu is delicious, its items can be replicated elsewhere. The specials&rsquo; flavors and ingredients, however, differentiate Hot Doug&rsquo;s. The normal menu ranges in price from $2 to $4 per order and the special sausages are $6 to $10. It is the type of place where you extend yourself monetarily and calorically because you don&rsquo;t know when the next time will be that you will be able to carve out hours for lunch on a weekday or Saturday to soak up the experience. The signature order here of course, is the foie gras and sauternes duck sausage with truffle aioli, which garnered quite a bit of press in 2006 following the banning of foie in Chicago. Defying the ban pushed by chef Charlie Trotter and Alderman Joe Moore, Sohn named the dog after Moore, was fined, but was ultimately victorious when the ban was repealed in 2008. It&rsquo;s a brilliant pairing &mdash; the snap of the dog against the creaminess of the foie &mdash; a visionary move celebrated by gout-defying offal lovers everywhere. While we&rsquo;ll miss Hot Doug&rsquo;s, we&rsquo;re sure that wherever Sohn ends up next, Chicagoans will be lining up behind him. <br /> <em>Photo Credit: Arthur Bovino </em></p>

3) Rutt’s Hut, Clifton, N.J.: The Ripper with Relish

Clifton, N.J., served their trademark Ripper, a pork-and-beef Thumann’s link that’s deep-fried in beef fat until it rips apart, out of the back of a minivan, it would still be one of the country’s most delicious hot dogs. The fact that this roadside shack has not only a counter to end all counters amid its stand-up dining room, but also an adjoining tap room where you can drink cheap beer and chat with old-timers and fellow pilgrims, propels Rutt’s Hut to legendary status. Whether you order an "In-And-Outer," (just a quick dunk in the oil), a Ripper, a well-done "Weller," or the crunchy, porky, almost-overcooked "Cremator," make sure you get it "all the way," topped with mustard and a spicy, sweet, onion- and cabbage-based relish. <br> <em>Photo Credit: © <a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/brouhahapics/" target="_hplink">Flickr / Brouhaha (Jonathan)</a></em> <br> <a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/america-s-50-best-hot-dogs-slideshow?utm_source=huffington%2Bpost&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=hotdog" target="_hplink"><strong>Click Here to See All of America’s 50 Best Hot Dogs</strong></a>

2) Katz’s Deli, New York City: Mustard and Sauerkraut

Katz's Deli, on New York's Lower East Side, is a New York institution. Their corned beef and pastrami, made on-premises and sliced to order, are legendary, and the simple act of taking your ticket, standing in line, bantering with the counterman while placing your order, and finding a table has become as New York an exercise as, well, eating a hot dog with a smear of mustard and a little sauerkraut. And it just so happens that the hot dogs here are very good. Made especially for the restaurant by Sabrett, these garlicky, natural-casing, jumbo-size all-beef dogs spend such a long time on the flat-top grill that the outside gets a nice char and snaps when you bite into it. A smear of mustard is all that's needed, but a little sauerkraut or stewed onions certainly won't hurt. <br> <em>Photo Credit: Arthur Bovino</a></em>

1) Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots, Chicago: Mighty Dog

The number one hot dog spot on this list is admittedly a bit of a sleeper, one that some Chicagoans might even do a double-take at. It’s a small, ramshackle, white-paneled hut that’s just a bit taller and just a bit wider than a canoe, on an industrial stretch of Western Avenue, a 20-minute drive from The Loop. You order through a tiny window in wonderment at how someone can fit inside the shack, after looking over a menu that includes amazing named items like the "Mother-in-Law" (a tamale on a bun with chili), a "Father-in-Law" (tamale on a bun with chili and cheese), and a tamale sundae (a tamale in a bowl of chili). If you’re noticing the tamale trend here, you might see where this is going. As every Chicago hot dog lover knows, hot dogs and tamales go hand in hand at many of the city’s storied spots (though they’re frequently not the best thing on the menu). Not so at Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots where John Pawlikowski serves the Mighty Dog — a hot dog and tamale on a bun with chili and cheese. Sounds like a monster, right? You’re right to be scared, it’s a mess. You want tomato, sport peppers, relish, and pickles on that? You bet you do. Soft steamed bun, moist tamale, fresh snap of the dog, chili, cheese, and a slice of cucumber sliced on the bias — it’s one of the best hot dogs you’ll ever have. Johnnie is celebrating 41 years this month. Go wash down a Mighty Dog with a Suicide (cola, fruit punch, grape soda, lemonade, orange, root beer, 7-UP, and strawberry soda) to celebrate. <br> <em>Photo Credit: Arthur Bovino</a></em> <br> <a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/america-s-50-best-hot-dogs-slideshow?utm_source=huffington%2Bpost&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=hotdog" target="_hplink"><strong>Click Here to See All of America’s 50 Best Hot Dogs</strong></a>

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.