The Best Hot Dog Begins With This Upgraded Bun

We know the meaning of calling a hot dog a "glizzy," (or you do now), but we also know that the essence of a perfect hot dog is rooted in creativity. Of the best ways to upgrade hot dogs, switching up the bun is a power move with nearly limitless potential. Whether you wrap your wiener in white bread toasted with gooey cheese, envelop it in puff pastry, or nestle it in a split croissant, we are sat for each and every variant on the hot dog and bread combination. Speaking of French bread products, however, we have to admit that our current fixation is on serving hot dogs in French bread.

"Mais non!" you might say. But, hear us out: the crusty, robust heft of French bread is actually the perfect vehicle for loading a hot dog with toppings, or handling a really substantial sausage that might otherwise cow a wimpy hot dog bun. We've seen this pulled off two ways: splitting a baguette in half and sliding the link in between, or, in a move both audacious and ingenious, drilling a hole down into the loaf with a bread knife and hollowing it out to fill vertically with your 'dog and toppings. Either way, you have the makings of a mighty hot dog that will defy your typical experience of a dainty lunch that you would otherwise wolf down in two or three bites. This is a full-on meal of a hot dog, and it's ripe with variations. Allons-y!

One of the biggest bragging points that French bread has going for it is that it's incredibly durable compared to a normal American-style hot dog bun. Take full advantage of that fact and go hog wild on your toppings. Some golden-brown caramelized onion and a succulent jacket of melty Brie will keep things feeling francais, but that's the only way to give your hot dogs a Gallic spin. We've seen pictures of authentic French hot dogs (like, actually from the motherland) in split baguettes wrapped in bacon, which got our attention tout de suite. Of course, you could throw the whole "French" theme out the window completely and just take advantage of an excuse to make one heck of an overflowing chili-cheese dog in a vessel that won't cave under an avalanche of Velveeta and molten red sauce.

It doesn't take long at all to boil hot dogs, but, for our French bread glizzy, we'll take a grilled dog with plenty of char. French bread, once again, is bulky. That's a huge advantage for containing toppings, but that bulk could potentially drown out the meaty flavor of the hot dog itself. Giving the meat extra character by cooking it over flames is the play, as far as we are concerned. Alternatively, cooking your hot dogs in the air fryer will also produce links with some snap and crispiness that can stand up to the formidable embrace of a baguette.