At this point, a beautiful charcuterie board is old news. We've tried our hand at a s'mores board for summer cookouts and a mini pie board for Thanksgiving, and now we've moved on to a new obsession: a hot dog board! Untraditional? Sure, but imagine all of the fun toppings you can include. At Delish we believe every BBQ needs a good hot dog alongside a perfect burger. This is the opportunity to make them feel pretty darn special.
So, what is a hot dog board exactly? It's an easy way to turn the cookout staple into a fun station for your party to build and top their own dogs—because, let's face it, everyone likes their dogs a different way! You can try out various styles of buns (think classic, potato, brioche) or even make your own buns, and include a few different varieties of meat as well (gotta have something for the vegetarians!). We like to grill up a mix of Italian sausages, bratwurst, and kielbasa.
First build your board with little bowls and ramekins of your favorite toppings, then add in buns and hot dogs, before filling in any empty gaps with salty sides like potato chips and crispy French fries. Toppings can go way beyond ketchup and mustard; here are some of our favorites. Think of these as a jumping off point and go crazy with your own.
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Toppings
- Relish: Mandatory for its crunch; go for one with extra-chunky texture.
- Grainy mustard: More texture and mellower taste than plain yellow.
- Grilled onions and bell peppers: Drizzle with Italian dressing and grill in a foil pack.
- Chili: Go meat or go home. And if things get a bit soggy? That’s what the bun is for.
- Queso: The saucy creaminess makes any dog feel fancy in a way shredded cheese just can’t. (Best part: Whip up a batch as an app with tortilla chips and encourage people to spoon extra on their dogs.)
- Guacamole: Mash yours with extra lime; it’ll help cut the fat.
- Pineapple salsa: Pineapple, jalapeño, and cilantro—the sweet offsets a salty dog.
- Dill pickles: Pile on the chips: The salty, vinegary snap always hits.
- Pickled red onions: A flavor bomb: Their tart tanginess wakes up everything.
Of course, you could think even more outside the bun and get inspired with these BLT dogs, mac 'n cheese dogs, or Hawaiian dogs. No matter what toppings you settle on, we recommend rounding out the meal with a giant s'mores board for dessert; no BBQ is complete without one.
Makinze is currently senior food editor at Delish, where she develops recipes, creates, and hosts recipe videos and is our current baking queen. She is our expert pie crimper, believes you should always have the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies on hand, and everyone needs to know a perfect roast chicken recipe.
