Go Back

Firecracker Hot Dogs

Firecracker hot dogs with spiral-scored hot dogs charred and split open on the grill, loaded with spicy jalapeño relish, yellow mustard, and a sriracha drizzle. Toasted buns get buttery grill flavor so every bite is juicy, hot, and zesty.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Firecracker hot dogs
  • 8 beef hot dogs Use hot dogs sized for standard buns.
  • 8 hot dog buns Buns should hold extra relish and sauce.
  • 2 tbsp butter Softened butter for toasting the bun interiors on the grill.
  • 0.5 cup jalapeño relish or pickled jalapeños, chopped Choose relish for easiest topping or chopped pickled jalapeños for extra bite.
  • 0.25 cup yellow mustard Squeeze or drizzle to taste.
  • 2 tbsp sriracha Drizzle over the hot dog before topping with onions.
  • 0.25 cup crispy fried onions Add at the end for crunch.
  • 1 ketchup for serving Serve on the side for dipping.

Equipment

  • 1 grill pan
  • 1 grill

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. Make the cuts deep enough to see the interior.
  2. Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and cook hot dogs for 8–10 minutes, turning frequently, until charred and split open slightly. Look for dark grill marks and a small split at the scoring line.
Toast buns and load
  1. Butter the inside of each bun and toast on the grill for 1–2 minutes until golden. Keep them flat and watch for toasty edges.
  2. Place a hot dog in each toasted bun and top with jalapeño relish, a squeeze of mustard, and a drizzle of sriracha. Add toppings while the hot dogs are still hot so the relish warms slightly.
  3. Finish with crispy fried onions and serve immediately with ketchup on the side. Sprinkle onions on top right before serving for best crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: score the hot dogs thoroughly and turn often so the splits open just enough to “char and split” without drying out. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat hot dogs gently, but toast buns fresh for best texture. Freezing: hot dogs freeze well, but assembled toppings (relish, onions, sauces) do not—freeze plain cooked hot dogs and buns separately. For a lighter option, use turkey hot dogs and reduce the sriracha to 1 tbsp while keeping the jalapeño relish.