How To Build a Hot Dog Bar for Summer BBQs

“It’s no sin to get sauce on your chin.” – Bishop Tutu… As you’ve probably noticed lately, I love any excuse to entertain. As soon as the weather turns warmer, it’s time to spruce up the patio with some fun summer accessories, take the cover off of the pool and the grill, and get ready to party. Summer entertaining brings together all of my favorite things – spending time outdoors in the sun, relaxing and laughing with my favorite friends and family, and of course – great food! Everything tastes better when it’s cooked on a grill, right?

“Give a man a barbecue, feed him for a day; Teach a man to barbecue and feed him for the summer.” – Unknown

At our house, we grill just about everything… From BBQ’d chicken and ribs, to foil packets of fresh veggies straight from my garden. And of course, a regular request at my house is for hot dogs – to me, a great grilled dog just tastes like summer, you know? So to celebrate the sunshine this weekend, we decided to do a full Hot Dog Bar, with loads of toppings and extras that everyone could add to our favorite dogs – Hebrew National. I’ve been on a mission for a couple of years now to help my family live a little cleaner, and a little greener, but making small changes. When Mike’s daughters visited a plant that makes and packages hot dogs for a school assignment last year – they came back refusing to eat them ever again after what they saw go into them. And after learning more, I had to agree. So I searched out a better option, and found it in Hebrew National – their products are so much better, without all of the yucky fillers and additives found in cheaper hot dogs. And I love it when a switch is not only better for my families health – but tastes better too!

How to Build a Hot Dog Bar

For this little backyard shindig, we decided to build up a hot dog bar – my brother grilled up a ton of Hebrew National dogs in a few different varieties, and I put together enough toppings that everyone could make their own hot dog creation. Here are a few of our favorites:

• The Italian {Pizza Dog}: Pour pizza sauce into a hot dog bun. Add shredded cheese, pepperoni slices, and olives. Top it with a freshly grilled dog, and enjoy. The kids love these!!
• The Mexican: This is my favorite – Mix some taco seasoning into your mayo, to make it spicier. Schmear a bit on your bun, add your hot dog, then sprinkle with a mexican blend cheese, jalapenos, and salsa. Sooo good!
• The Russian: This is always a favorite with the guys… Spread a  bit of cream cheese on a toasted bun, then add your hot dog. Smother it with a pile of sweet relish, and sauerkraut. It’s messy, but they tell me it’s good stuff!

In addition to the above ingredients, you’ll want to make sure to have basic condiments like mayo, ketchup, and a few types of mustard. We also like to have a big crock pot of chilli, bowls of olives, pickles, tomatoes, and grilled onions, and fun sauces like ranch, pesto, sour cream, and bbq sauce. We also like to get a few varieties of buns, since everyone has a different favorite style. The more there is to choose from, the more creative everyone gets. And to encourage creativity, we always give out a prize for the best hot dog creation of the day. Want to see this parties winner?

“No great barbecue was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Meet the winner – My little Hot Diggity Dog, made from Hebrew National Franks. Pretty cute, right? {Yep, this idea was all mine – I made him in secret, while everyone was outside grillin’ and chattin’}. All I did was cut up a couple of hot dogs, and put him together with toothpicks. His friendly eyes are a couple of tiny olive slices. And he’s frolicking around in the summer sun on a bed of lettuce. The kids thought this was the coolest thing…

How do YOU enjoy Hebrew National?

Hebrew National is running a very cool promotion on their Facebook page – they want you to “Snap-and-Share” Hebrew National Franks. So, while you’re enjoying summer fun, watch for any time that Hebrew National’s are being served, and snap a pic to share! Photo contest participants will be entered to win a weekly grocery store gift card prize for all their summer BBQ needs, and there’s also a grand prize ball game trip to New York City for two! Here’s how you enter: Visit the Hebrew National Facebook page. Click on ‘Snap & Share’ and LIKE the page to enter the contest. Start the hunt for Hebrew National! Easy peasy.

Hebrew Nationals look so good, even these dogs get jealous…. Lol.

Hebrew National tastes great because, for more than 100 years, we’ve adhered to the highest quality standards. Hebrew National all-beef franks contain no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no by-products, and no fillers. That’s our guarantee. They are made with premium cuts of 100% pure kosher beef and provide premium taste and high quality every time, for any occasion.

Share your favorite hot dog recipe with me in the comments!

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Hebrew National via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Hebrew National.}