This Marinade Makes Hot Dogs Explode With Flavor
The best hot dog toppings, like grilled onions, relish, chili, and coleslaw, can push a basic frankfurter into gourmet territory once steamed or grilled.
After 20 minutes, they'll have soaked up plenty of flavor and be ready to grill as normal. That said, you can allow them to steep for up to eight hours in the fridge if preparing them in advance. In this case, marinate them in a bag, which will allow you to massage them through the plastic, encouraging all the flavor from the salty dressing to penetrate the dogs. The rich hue of the soy and Worcestershire will color the wieners slightly and become more visible once grilled as the natural sugars inside begin to caramelize in the heat. You'll be left with glossy hot dogs that are coated in a delicious flavor bomb of a glaze that's charred, smoky, and tangy.
The soy, Worcestershire, and Cajun seasoning produce a piquant marinade
The trio of punchy ingredients in this flavor-packed marinade performs several yummy functions. First off, the soy sauce lends the 'furters a salty and umami note that gives them a deeply savory flavor. Similarly, the Worcestershire sauce underscores the meaty vibe of the wieners because it contains anchovies, a naturally umami-rich ingredient. However, it also brings some balancing sweetness and tang to the table via molasses and tamarind extract.
Finally, the Cajun seasoning imbues the hot dogs with heat from cayenne pepper and paprika as well as aroma from dried herbs, including thyme and oregano. The spicy character of the seasoning complements the smoky quality of the wieners, producing a hot dog that's sweet, spicy, and savory with speckles of texture across the surface. There are many Cajun seasoning varieties on the market, so there's plenty of room to experiment. Meanwhile tamari makes an incredible sub for soy if you're on a gluten free diet because it's made without wheat.
In our opinion, one of the best ways to cook a hot dog is broiled because you can achieve both an inviting sheen and a snappy bite. Better yet, if you make slits in the wieners (or even spiralize them) before marinating them, you'll produce a hot dog with plenty of textural nuance. The slashes will also act as entry points for the marinade to penetrate more deeply into the center of the 'furters, ensuring every bite is explosive with flavor.
