Flay's Favorite Hot Dog Recipes

Brings Best From His Travels To The Early Show

(CBS)  Every year, the average American eats 60 hot dogs, prepared in all sorts of different ways.

As Bobby Flay makes his way around the country, The Early Show's celebrity chef collects the recipes he likes best from the foods he samples — and that includes hot dogs.

The taste of the beloved comfort food varies widely by region and personal preference, as do the toppings on the sandwich. The flavor of the sausage itself can resemble a range of similar meat products from bologna on the bland side to cooked salami in the spicier varieties. Hot dogs are traditionally made from beef, pork or a combination of those meats.

Get some fun hot dog facts by clicking here.

Of course, grilling signals the return of summer, and nothing says fun or summer quite like a delicious grilled hot dog!

Flay brought some of his favorite hot dog recipes to the show Thursday.

RECIPES

Texas Dogs

Serves 4

BBQ Sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 cups canned plum tomatoes and juices, pureed
1 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
3 tablespoons pasilla chile powder
2-4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, pureed (depending on how spicy you like it)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 30-40 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
2. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. Sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.

Cole Slaw
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 small white onion, grated
2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon celery seeds
3 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small head of cabbage, cored, finely shredded
1 large carrot, finely shredded

1.Whisk together the mayonnaise, onion, sugar, celery salt, vinegar and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cabbage and carrot and stir to combine, season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Let sit at least 15 minutes before serving.

Assemble
Grilled hot dogs
Hot dog buns
BBQ sauce
Coleslaw
Dill pickles, quartered lengthwise

Grilled Hot Sausage with Onion Sauce and Roasted Red Pepper Relish

Serves 4

NY Onion Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions-halved and cut 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup ketchup 1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cayenne sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Stir in the cinnamon and chile powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the ketchup, water, hot sauce and salt and black pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook mixture for 10-15 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Roasted Red Pepper Relish
3 roasted red peppers, julienned
3 cloves roasted garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Grilled Sausage

Serves 8

1 1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage, cut into 5-inch pieces and pricked with a fork
hot dog buns
Horseradish mustard Beer-Simmered Bratwurst with Onions and Sauerkraut

Beer-Simmer Bratwurst
3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
3 pounds precooked bratwurst, pricked with a fork
6 bottles dark beer
2 cups water
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
Red Cabbage Sauerkraut
Sweet & Hot German mustard
Spicy Brown Mustard
Hot dog buns or hoagie buns

1. Preheat grill to high. Arrange onion slices on the bottom of a medium stockpot. Place the bratwurst on top and add the beer, water, coriander, caraway, mustard and bring to a simmer. Simmer the sausages in the mixture for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the grill and let the bratwurst sit in the liquid for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the sausages with a pair of tongs to a platter. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Grill the sausages until the casings are crisp and golden brown about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve the bratwurst on the buns with the onions, mustard and sauerkraut, if desired.

[arealtexan]

Bobby Flay is an idiot. I know of no self-respecting Texan, and I've lived in all parts of this state all of my life, who would ever put cole-slaw and a pickle on their hot dog. Of course one could only expect a New Yorker who THINKS he knows about barbecue to come up with such a thing.

[tude1118]

I agree with arealtexan. I live just outside of Houston. How about a little chopped onion, relish, and mustard/ketchup or throw on a LOT of chili and cheese on top for a chili dog. That's the way my family eats them. As far as brisket with cole slaw and a pickle, we also throw on spoonful of potatoe salad and some pintos.

[mikecox1]

Happiness is seeing texas in your rearview mirror.

[missyx21]

I have to agree with everyone on here. I dislike Bobby Flay also. I love the food network and everyone on there except for Bobby Flay. He just seems so stuck up. I can't stand any of his shows.

[sentry88]

Tude1118: I agree with you .it should eb a sin to ruin a good hotdog with slaw on it,but here in Virginia thye do it also as a matter of fact A question on jerpody was ---At Hopewells(virginia) Quick Stop resturant customers put thios on thier hotdogs. awnser was SLAW. I live in Hopewell but a Missourian by birth and would never ruin a good dog with slaw on it maybe on the side, just grill it with some good sauce on it and its excellant.

[xlt150]

For all you Hot Dog lovers out there, SLAW DAWGS are part of the South, just like other regions have relish dogs and sour-kraut dogs.

Don't knock it until you try it............

[sofi2hot]

just give me mustard and ketchup... and a bun. thank you.

[mntmama]

WOW! What a lot of trouble just for a Hot Dog... The FASTEST FOOD on the Planet. However, I did print out the recipes and will try when I get a day off... Thanks for making them "printer friendly" that was helpful. From B. in North Carolina

[marjibelle]

sentry88 and fartknocker2 ( what a disgusting e-name- obviously no breeding there)do either of you geniuses know how to spell? maybe your 3rd grade teachers should go to prison for letting you pass to the 4th grade( if in fact you even went to school) i find both the 2 of you and areal texan to be beyond rude- what has Bobby Flay ever done to you? so you don't like his recipes- then don't make them.obviously other people like them- and that's ok!!!!

[arealtexan]

Yes, Flay owns restaurants and makes millions. I own two very successful restaurants myself. Being a Texan I know what Texans eat, and no real Texan will eat a hotdog like he made today and called a "Texas" dog.

A Texas hotdog consists of the dog, chili, onions, pickle relish, and cheese.

[rosesnpearls]

A Texas does NOT put Dijon Mustard in anything. That is not a Texas dog. Wolf brand chili, cheddar cheese onions and REAL mustard is a Texas dog.

[cpuller]

A native New Yorker, tried a southern slaw dog nine years ago, and I'm hooked...OUTSTANDING!!

[tejasdemo]

This dude left off the best hot dogs in the world bar none...THE CHICAGO DOG !

[jdubs63]

Haven't had a DOG until you get one at PINKS..
Bobby Flay is really shy and is a very nice man

[MississippiMitch]

I like Bobby Flay's shows, but have to agree with arealtexan here - I'm a native Texan, have lived all over the country, but never heard of slaw on a dog until I got to North Carolina. Getting a hot dog "all the way" there means mustard, hot dog chili, slaw and onions - maybe a sprinkle of paprika on top if you go to a fancy place - good eats!! Of course, a good Texas chili-cheese dog, a Chicago dog, or even a plain old mustard dog out on Coney Island suits me just fine...