24 Best Ways To Upgrade Boring Hot Dogs

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"To every thing there is a season," we are told, and the same is true for hot dogs. In the United States, the three months spanning Memorial Day through Labor Day are regarded as "hot dog season,"  peaking on July 4 when we scarf a cool 150 million of them, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.

Putting a pin for a moment in the specific regional styles of the U.S. hot dog, the most basic of its kind combines a holy trinity of ingredients: the bun, the dog, and the topping. Together, they can hit the spot like nothing else, whether it's Costco's iconic $1.50 combo or one from a family cookout, eaten while watching the ball game. But for everyone who has had their fill of a store-bought hot dog sausage in a white bun, doused with ketchup and mustard, here are some of the best ways to upgrade boring hot dogs.

There is almost no situation that cannot be improved by adding bacon, and so it goes with the humble hot dog. One of the quickest, easiest ways to elevate a boring dog is to wrap a slice of bacon around it. Of course, the next question is: "What kind?"

You can go for a slice of American bacon for a patriotic snack, or try Canadian, British or even Irish bacon — they all taste great. Thinking outside the box, you could try turkey bacon, like Applegate's hickory unsmoked kind, or if you have deeper pockets, wrap a strip of this wild boar bacon around your dog.

Much of what makes a hot dog great is the flavor but texture plays an important role, too. That's why spiral-cutting your dog can make it a more interesting eat, plus you have more chance of biting into an end-to-end meaty sausage rather than orphaned bits of ketchup-soaked bread. Those ridges and valleys are also great places for condiments to gather, making each mouthful a taste explosion.

Learning how to spiral cut a sausage, using a skewer and tracing round it with a sharp knife, might take a little practice (watch your fingers!). But once you've mastered the technique, your BBQ guests will never stop thanking you.

Poaching hot dogs in beef stock can boost their flavor, as does cooking them on a BBQ, but there's one method that may have escaped your attention: the air fryer. Though you probably already know it's a smart tool for many recipes.

For hot dogs in particular, the air fryer is a great way to cook them. First, air can circulate around each dog, ensuring even cooking. Second, they get a delicious crunchy exterior that will have everyone coming back for more. Finally, there's almost no clean up — just wipe the basket with a cloth and you're done.

It wasn't such a long time ago that cookouts and BBQs were the preserve of carnivores alone. Vegetarians and vegans — if they ever attended such gatherings — were left to chew on bowls of salad and not much else. Today, everyone can dig in, thanks to the wide range of meat-free options available, including hot dogs.

There are plant-based hot dogs such as these from Field Roast, or Loma Linda's Big Franks, and they even come in bigger sizes, like this Lightlife pack of Smart Dogs. You don't even need to follow a plant-based diet to enjoy a meatless hot dog. Give them a whirl and who knows? You may never pick up a beef dog again.

If you're looking to upgrade the frank in your dogs to something completely different, swap it for a carrot. The secret is in the sauce they're cooked in. Mix vegetable stock with apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, alongside maple syrup, ketchup, and liquid smoke, and pour it over carrots that have been peeled to look like dogs.

Bring them to the boil then simmer for around 25 minutes and voilà: You'll have 100% veggie dogs that taste amazing. It's not the only veggie you can slip into your hot dog bun, either. Delicious alternatives include dry-rubbed portobello mushrooms or grilled avocado.

The hot dog bun has dual roles to play in this iconic food. It brings heft to what would be a relatively meager meal, while making the whole thing conveniently portable. But you don't have to settle for the same old bread every time you have hot dogs. Among the many options out there is the delicious pretzel bun.

If you can't get your hands on some from Costco, don't despair. PRETZILLA has manufactured pretzel buns specifically for hot dogs, and customers say they are soft enough to be an easy bite without being mushy. They'll also keep fresh for a couple of days, too, so even if you have a beer budget, you can still gussy up your hot dogs.

Fed up with traditional hot dog bread? Then look to France for inspo and swap it out for a delicious, buttery croissant. If you have the time and patience to spend making flaky pastry, by all means go ahead and make your own. Alternatively, you can pick up the pre-made stuff, fresh or frozen, from your local deli or supermarket.

Whichever you choose, you can either push your dogs into them then bake the whole thing in the oven, microwave or air fryer to give your dog peak crispness. Alternatively, you can open up the croissant and wrap it around the sausage, preferably after you've done the same with a strip of bacon. Top with French or American mustard and ooo-la-la.

If anyone you know is on a keto diet when you send out invitations to your next cookout, they will love this upgrade to a boring hotdog. If you try it, you may very well fall for it, too. Instead of using a white bread roll, slide your preferred dog into the juicy, sharp embrace of a pickle, sliced lengthways.

Make sure you buy pickles or gherkins that are big enough to hold the sausage, and carving out a little niche will ensure it stays put. Pickles instead of rolls will give an immediate tang to your dog, not to mention giving what can be a not-so-great-for-us food a healthy twist. Your veggie and vegan friends will appreciate the gesture, too.

Sausage rolls have been a food phenom in the United Kingdom for centuries and it's easy to see why. Although the British snack's sausage meat is slightly different to American hot dogs, teaming the latter with golden, crispy puff pastry is a winner every time.

Like croissants, the puff pastry elevates the hot dog bun to another level entirely (even if it is a bit messy). If you don't fancy the time-consuming process of making it yourself, you can totally cheat and buy boxes of it pre-rolled. The question is, do you top it with the all-American ketchup and mustard, or make like the Brits and slather it in spicy HP sauce?

If it's good enough for Chicago's iconic Italian beef sandwiches, then French bread has to be good enough for a cookout hot dog. Swapping a soft white roll for this crusty, yet robust bread will change the dynamic of your hot dog completely. It would work incredibly well with a marinated carrot or a herby sausage, as well as a tangy frank.

You can also impress your family and friends by telling them this "French" hot dog is very popular in Europe. You can carve out the middle of the French bread and back fill it with the toppings of your choice before adding your dog.

Fed up with a traditional bun and want a quick, easy way to jazz up your boring hot dogs? Envelop them in a soft, flour tortilla, either store bought or made at home, even without a press. Warming the tortilla before wrapping it snugly around your dog means it's more flexible, and you won't lose any of that tasty meat or the topping, but it's not the only option.

You can also pan or air fry the tortilla-wrapped dog to give it a delicious crispy, crunchy coating. As well as looking amazing, a platter of crispy hot dogs will go down a treat with your cookout guests. It's up to you whether you open the debate about whether they're actually tacos or still hot dogs.

If you want to really mix up your fast foods, then this is the carbohydrate-based alternative for the ages: Pizza dough. Is it basically a rolled-up pizza with hot dogs for a topping? Yes, but like the fast food, it still hits all the right spots. You can either wrap your pizza dough around your dog, spiral style, or envelop them in it for complete coverage.

Have a few pots of ketchup and mustard so you can dip them in, and watch how many fly off the tables. If you're low on or out of pizza dough or don't have time to make your own, biscuit dough can also make a tasty replacement.

As toppings, mustard and ketchup hit the spot nine times out of 10 — but for that tenth time, why not add more meat to the meal? Pulled pork is one of the easiest, tastiest ways to elevate a boring hot dog. You can make it the day before your cookout or BBQ in a slow cooker, so it's ready to go when everyone's hungry.

Unlike store-bought sauces, you can decide how sweet or spicy you want the pulled pork to be. Recipes vary, but many include red wine vinegar, tomato sauce, paprika, and even Coca Cola. If you're not confident enough to whip up your own, try Katie Lee's game-changing method for pulled pork.

Cheese is a good way to upgrade up a boring hot dog, but you can take it a step further and give it a monte cristo twist. Toast the bun (or whatever alternative you're using) pop in the dog then top it up with slices of ham and a handful of Swiss cheese. Give it a few minutes under the grill before adding a splash of maple syrup, then enjoy.

The Monte Cristo is a hot dog topping you can play around with, too. Some recipes add mayonnaise to give everything a tangy kick, but if you're feeling really adventurous, you could even swap out the maple syrup for a spoonful of red fruit preserve.

Even the most basic hot dog provides many opportunities to blend sweet-savory flavors, from the soft brioche bun married with a meaty sausage, to the combination of mustard and ketchup. Your topping can add another dimension to this world of tastes, and none more so than a sweet salsa.

The crunchy, punchy blend of onion and tropical fruit, like mango or pineapple, will take a boring hot dog to the next level (you could even add in this extra ingredient). Salsa verde, with its jalapeño boost, is an excellent alternative topping, with the added benefit that it's pretty good for us, too.

Also known as celery root, this ugly-looking ball is related to the parsnip, carrot, and parsley family and tends to be something people either love or hate. Celeriac is one of the veggies you can eat every part of, so it offers great value for money, while also making a surprisingly moreish hot dog topping.

To create your own celeriac remoulade, add several tablespoons of mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and the juice of one lemon to a bowl of shredded celeriac and mix together. Season to taste and dollop it on your hot dogs for an earthy, tangy topping that will leave you wondering where it's been all your life.

If the kids have used all the ketchup to take part in this online trend, and you want to breathe new life into a boring hot dog, make your own sauces to top them. Just mix a can of whole tomatoes with vinegar, honey, and seasoning, as well as garlic and onion powders, and paprika.

You can vary the vinegars and sweeteners (brown sugar works well) but homemade ketchup is pretty simple and will keep for around three weeks in the fridge. BBQ sauce is just as easy. Combine a can of chopped tomatoes with garlic, brown sugar, malt vinegar, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and tomato purée for an instant hot dog flavor hit.

Devotees of cowboy candy know it's a delicious twist on the sweet-savory combination that hot dogs deliver so well with a little extra heat. There are many types available online, like these from Cornaby's or Pepper Junction's for fans of heat.

If you prefer to control the intensity yourself, home-made cowboy candy is easy to rustle up. Carefully slice up some jalapeños and simmer them in a simple syrup for a few minutes, before adding spices such as chili powder, ginger, and turmeric to taste. Keep it in a jar in the fridge and you'll have delicious cowboy candy for around three months.

Pronounced "jar-din-erra," this spicy condiment is beloved among Chicago foodies who put the hot pepper sauce on the Italian beef sandwich.  It's a mouthwatering hot dog topping, too, and you can use a range of veggies to make it. Many recipes call for cauliflower, peppers, carrots, and celery either roughly or finely chopped, cooked in a pickling brine made up of white vinegar, sugar, and water.

Of course, you can always buy a jar of giardiniera, instead. It comes in mild varieties, like this one from Vienna, though if you want an authentic taste of Chicago at your next family cookout, crack open Marconi's hot giardiniera and remember to never, ever put ketchup on your dog.

The hot dog is often characterized as a humble food, but there are no rules when it comes to upgrading the toppings. What could be simpler than playing around with the sauces? Mustard and ketchup go together like PB&J (no matter what they're spread on), but you can transform your average dog with a single switcheroo: honey instead of ketchup.

Mixing honey with pretty much any kind of mustard creates a classic flavor combination: It serves sweet and savory in a way that leaves ketchup in the shade. Before grilling them, slather the glaze on your dogs — whether you're kicking it old-school or trying alternative dogs and buns — and thank us later.

Two classic food worlds combine for this alternative hot dog topping which, once tried, can never be forgotten. Most often associated with Philadelphia, where the cheesesteak originated, you can use this iconic sandwich as a way to bring a dash of pizzazz to a dull hot dog.

Cheesesteak is a combination of thinly sliced beef with cooked peppers and onions, with seasoning including chili powder and smoked paprika, that is topped with cheddar cheese. You can prepare it while the BBQ is getting warm and, when it's ready, spoon it over a freshly-cooked dog, then watch everyone's faces as they take a big bite of culinary heaven.

Some people will say that it's wrong to fool around with the classic hot dog combination of meat, bread, and onions. Others will argue — quite rightly — that there's room to take the third of those ingredients to the next level, and a boring hot dog with them.

Soften some chopped onions in a little butter in a pan, before adding a teaspoon of black mustard seeds. Stir in some brown sugar, maple syrup, cider vinegar, and a spoon of Dijon mustard to create a sticky, sweet glaze that doesn't need a pro's skill, then pour it over the dogs. If you're not into mustard, blend the maple syrup, sugar, and onions for a sweet and savory treat.

The chances of seeing a hot dog on a fine-dining restaurant menu are pretty slim, but that shouldn't prevent anyone from using fancy ingredients to elevate their flavor. A visit to your local specialty store or deli could yield some interesting options. For example, truffles make a delicious gourmet hot dog topping, but if your budget won't run to it, why not try some truffle mayo? This jar from La Rustichella is made in Italy and costs less than $8.

You can also upgrade the most traditional hot dog toppings to create something new. Instead of regular onions and sharp cheddar, switch to shallots, which are slightly sweeter, and shavings of authentic Parmesan for a deliciously salty tang.

Although it's wildly popular in the United States, the hot dog is not uniquely our own. Many other countries have given it their own spin, though few as imaginatively and successfully as Iceland. Their version – known as a pylsa or pulsa  – has been turned into an iconic food, thanks to the sauce they are topped with.

A spicy blend of brown mustard seeds, vinegar, and brown sugar, you can buy pylsusinnep (pronounced "pyoullsussinep") online but, be warned, it's very sweet compared to ketchup. If you can find it, pick up some remoulade, a mayonnaise-based condiment made with mustard, pickles, capers, and spices, for an authentic taste of Iceland.