Cooking at Home: Dog Days of Summer

Hot dogs might not require much in the way of my culinary expertise, but they're fun – and sometimes, I'm all about food just for the fun of it.

Still, I have high taste expectations. In my estimation, the very best-tasting dogs start with the best meat. For me, that's our Signature Gourmet Akaushi All-Beef Hot Dogs. These are without question the best hot dogs in town! They are made with an exclusive Kobe-style Waygu beef that's extremely tender, rich and buttery. When topped with mustard, these skinless dogs are simple perfection, but their big, beefy taste also stands up to whatever flavors you want to throw at them: chili and cheese, kraut or slaw, onions and relish – you name it, they'll take it. 

Lately, I've been loving a banh-mi-inspired dog, with a creamy, spicy-sweet sauce, pickled veggies, fresh jalapeños and cilantro.

View the recipe

Here are a few other suggestions for taking your dogs over-the-top:

• Chicago Dogs: Yellow mustard, Chicago-style sweet relish, finely diced white onions, dill pickle spears, sport peppers, tomato slices, and a dash of celery salt on a poppy seed bun.
• Coney Dogs: Warm beef chili without beans, diced white onions, and finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese.
• New York Dogs: Sauerkraut or sautéed onions with spicy brown mustard.
• BBQ Dogs: BBQ-basted dogs with crisp bacon strips, Dijon mustard, sweet relish, herby-sweet coleslaw, and celery seeds.