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Firecracker Hot Dogs

Firecracker hot dogs with spiral-scored hot dogs charred and split open on the grill, then loaded with spicy jalapeño relish, bright yellow mustard, and a sriracha drizzle. A quick party hot dog recipe for easy summer cookouts with BBQ-style flavor in toasted buns.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Hot dogs and buns
  • 8 beef hot dogs Spiral-score or diagonal-cut so they char and split open.
  • 8 hot dog buns Split and butter the inside for grill-toasted buns.
  • 2 tbsp butter Softened butter for spreading inside the buns.
Spicy toppings
  • 0.5 cup jalapeño relish or pickled jalapeños, chopped Use chopped jalapeño relish (or chop pickled jalapeños) for heat and tang.
  • 0.25 cup yellow mustard Squeeze onto each hot dog in the bun.
  • 2 tbsp sriracha Drizzle over the top for firecracker heat.
  • 0.25 cup crispy fried onions Sprinkle on last for crunch.
  • ketchup for serving Serve on the side for dipping.

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Score and grill the hot dogs
  1. Score each hot dog with diagonal cuts or a spiral cut to help them char and open on the grill.
  2. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and cook hot dogs for 8–10 minutes, turning frequently, until charred and split open slightly.
Toast buns
  1. Butter the inside of each bun and toast on the grill for 1–2 minutes until golden.
Load and serve
  1. Place a hot dog in each toasted bun and top with jalapeño relish.
  2. Add a squeeze of mustard and a drizzle of sriracha to each hot dog.
  3. Finish with crispy fried onions and serve immediately with ketchup on the side.

Notes

For the most grill-charred splits, score deeply enough that the cuts open slightly as they cook, and keep the grill at medium-high so the hot dogs develop browned edges. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 2 days; reheat hot dogs gently and toast buns again briefly, but add fried onions fresh for best crunch. Freezing isn’t recommended for loaded toppings. For a spicy-low heat swap, use mild pickled jalapeños or jalapeño relish labeled “mild.”