10 Off-the-Wall Hot Dogs

By Brynn Mannino

Bored with the simple meat-and-bun duo and its traditional mustard, ketchup and relish toppings—the hot dog (in all its finely-ground glory) is ever ripe for a wacky culinary reinvention. We searched far and wide for the craziest creations. From a deep fried French fry-encased frankfurter on a stick to a hot dog pierced with spaghetti noodles, below you’ll find 10 inventive variations on the famous ballpark snack that will have you saying “hot diggity dog” in disbelief.

Ditch Dogs

That which combines two of the most popular American foods is the Ditch Dog, served at Ditch Plains in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. For $14 dollars, hungry New Yorkers can score a slightly-charred potato bun filled with a hot dog and topped with a Gruyere/American/Parmesan mac ‘n’ cheese blend. Photo courtesy of AlwaysHungryNY.com

Spaghetti Dogs

Not that we have anything against a meal that looks like it was made in the Play-Doh Fun Factory press—we’re just not sure if we would eat it. That said, the creation of this meal is actually not very labor intensive: Simply puncture slices of raw hot dog with uncooked spaghetti noodles and boil. Photo courtesy of BoingBoing.com

Corn Dog Casserole

This uncommon casserole takes comfort food to a whole new level. Layers of hash brown patties, crumbled bacon, baked beans, corn and French fries are topped with quarter-inch slices of cooked corn dogs and drizzled with yellow mustard. Photo courtesy of Jessica&Eli via ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com

Le Pogo et Frites

The French fry-encased frank is one of many South Korean meat-on-a-stick specialties sold at road-side artisan stands. The above creation is food blogger Phil Lee’s American version of the east-meets-west treat—for which he substituted corn meal batter and homemade French fries. Photo courtesy of Phil Lees/LastAppetite.com

Chinese Hot Dog

At Eden Wok, the glatt kosher Chinese and sushi restaurant in New York City, diners can find egg roll-wrapped hot dogs on the appetizer menu. The hot dog is encased in a sheet of egg-dipped and deep-fried dough—and goes for $2.50. Photo courtesy of Debbie Lee/oneannieatatime.com

The Hamdog

Mulligan’s Bar in Decatur, Georgia, is home of the Hamdog. Herein lies the contents of this creation: One hoagie roll, one hot dog wrapped in a half-pound of beef patty then deep-fried and topped with chili, bacon and a fried egg. Photo courtesy of TexasBurgerGuy.com

The Chihuahua

Crif Dogs, the popular New York City eatery located in the East Village, is beloved for its variety of wrapped and overloaded franks. This particular culinary explosion contains a hot dog blanketed in bacon then capped with sour cream and avocado. Photo courtesy of Chelsea Peretty/chelseaperetti.blogspot.com

The Cornhole

We’re not entirely sure how you go about eating this, but we can guarantee that the calories consumed are devastating. From the center moving outwards, there is corn on the cob wrapped with hickory bacon, which is then surrounded by alternating hotdog slices and Colby-Jack cheese sticks before being encased in ground beef. Photo courtesy of Joe T. and EOB via ThisIsWhyYou’reFat.com

The Hot Dog Flower

Serious Eats contributor Tom Ngo swears by this cumin-flavored skewered sensation—served from a food truck parked directly under the Manhattan Bridge in New York City’s Chinatown. At the recession-friendly price of $1 dollar each, these creatively carved dogs are the epitome of urban street meat. Photo courtesy of Tom Ngo/SeriousEats.com

Hot Dog Summer Roll

Boldly going where no cook has gone before, Jill Snyder, from season five of Bravo’s cooking show Top Chef, created this spring roll-inspired hot dog during a Quickfire Challenge. Wrapped in rice paper and filled with various vegetables, this dish may have left a bad taste in the judges’ mouths because she had to pack her knives at the end of the episode. Photo courtesy of Jenna/ModernDomestic.com