Is a hotdog a sandwich? Or is it a taco? What about a steam bun? What are they even made out of? So many questions revolve around this European-American meat product, but when you look into it, more questions might remain than answers.
Hotdogs, which are usually made from beef and pork, are based on German frankfurters. They became a working-class street food in the U.S. during the 20th century, usually sold at stands and carts. Although particularly connected with New York City and its cuisine, the hot dog eventually made its way into American food culture through affordability and baseball games.
Its preparation varies regionally, emerging as an important part of other regional cuisines around the world. Typical condiments include mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, or cheese sauce.
Common garnishes include onions, sauerkraut, jalapeños, chili, grated cheese, coleslaw, bacon, and kimchi, but have seen many more unique toppings around the world.
Here in Rhode Island, one of the state foods is known as a ‘NY System Hot Wiener’. One of the most well-known dining establishments to get these is Olneyville NY System in Providence, RI, where they serve up hot wieners dressed with meat sauce, ground mustard, minced onion, and celery salt. Excellent for lunch,
dinner, or a late-night snack after drinking, they are a staple for many Providence locals!
In South Korea, hot dogs are wrapped or stuffed with fresh cheese, dipped in thick batter, and rolled in pieces of french fries before being deep-fried. These cheesy monstrosities are as decedent as they sound, and are enjoyed at casual Korean restaurants all over.
Sometimes it’s best to not know how the sausage is made. But since it’s the primary focus of this dish, we went for one of the more high-quality producers here in New England, Kayem Foods, who have been crafting sausage for over 100 years in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Founded by Polish immigrants Kazimierz and Helena Monkiewicz, they brought with them recipes and butchering techniques that led them to be a mainstay in Boston. The company continued to grow and moved to a larger production facility to craft more high-quality sausages, bacon, and hot dogs.
Now, Kayem is the official ‘Fenway Frank’ at Redsox games in Boston as well as a favorite at the Forge To Table Test Kitchen. Their Old Tyme Natural Casing Franks don't use any by-products, fillers, or artificial flavors that are common in lesser-quality hotdogs.
To stay on point with the Korean inspiration of this dish, we decided to slice our Kayem franks and stuff them with a piece of melty cheese to still get that delicious cheese pull after pulling them off the grill.
Instead of a relish or pickles, we went for one of the Test Kitchen’s favorite fermented foods, kimchi, to top the grilled dog. Kimchi comes in a variety of styles and qualities, especially depending on if you buy it or make it at home.
We decided to partner with another New England-based company, CHI Kitchen, for their hand-crafted and delicious Napa Kimchi. Quality kimchi is all about the balance between the flavors of garlic, ginger, spice, salt, umami, and funk, and this kimchi is the top of the top!
CHI Kitchen based in Pawtucket, RI, is a woman-owned and chef-driven company founded by Minnie Luong who wanted to share her culture through healthy and delicious food. She decided the most healthy and delicious food was kimchi! We borrowed one of her favorite tips and used our 7-in-1 Kitchen Shears to chop the Napa Kimchi right in the jar into bite-sized pieces for easy topping on the grilled dogs.
We dressed up some grilled split-top buns with some spicy and garlicky mayo and stuffed them with the grilled hotdogs. Top with Napa Kimchi, some cilantro, sliced scallions, and finally black sesame seeds. I wish you could smell these!
‘Nyam’ means ‘yum’ in Korean, and that definitely summarizes these grilled beauties. Serve at your next BBQ party with some kimchi cornbread, grilled vegetables, potato salad, or anything else you want! Enjoy.
Nyam 냠 Grilled Hot Dogs
‘Nyam’ means ‘yum’ in Korean and these spicy loaded hot dogs might be another close definition! Stuffed with cheese and topped with spicy garlic sauce, savory kimchi, and fresh herbs, it’s hard for a basic backyard hot dog to compete!
Recipe and Photography by Sam Burgess
Forge To Table Knives
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8 hot dogs
Ingredients:
2 pieces of string cheese, quartered lengthwise
8 each high-quality hot dogs
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sriracha or fermented hot sauce
1 each garlic clove, grated finely
1 cup high-quality kimchi, like CHI Kitchen or homemade, chopped, for garnish
⅓ cup scallions, sliced on a bias, for garnish
⅓ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, lightly chopped, for garnish
4 teaspoons black sesame seeds, for garnish
Oil cooking spray, as needed
8 split-top hot dog buns
Directions:
HOTDOG PREP. Using a Forge To Table 6” Utility Knife, cut the string cheese into quarters, with 8 pieces total. Make a long slit down the middle of a hotdog, making sure to not slice through. Stuff a piece of cheese into the long cut and set it onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining hotdogs and cheese.
SPICY MAYO. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, hot sauce, and grated garlic. Mix well and set aside.
TOPPINGS. Preheat the grill on high heat with the lid closed for about 10 minutes. Use Forge To Table Titanium 7-in-1 Shears to chop the kimchi right in the jar to not make a mess. Prepare the scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds and set them in individual bowls.
GRILL PREP. Once the grill is hot, assemble a tray with the stuffed hot dogs, spicy mayo with a spoon, oil cooking spray, hot dog buns, tongs, and a serving platter. Scrape the grill once it's at peak heat to make sure it’s completely clean.
GRILL BUNS. Spray the hot dog buns with oil cooking spray and lightly grill until marked and toasted, for about 1 minute, before flipping and grilling the other side. Set onto the serving platter and lightly coat the inside of the bun with spicy mayo.
GRILL DOGS. Spray the grill with cooking spray and place half of the stuffed hot dogs onto the grill. Grill until lightly charred and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the dogs from the grill and place them into a sauced bun. Repeat with remaining stuffed hot dogs.
ASSEMBLE. Turn off the grill. Top the hotdogs with some chopped kimchi (~2 tablespoons), sliced scallions (~1 teaspoon), chopped cilantro (~1 teaspoon), and black sesame seeds (~½ teaspoon). Enjoy while the cheese is still melty!
Chef’s Notes:
Stuffing the hotdogs with string cheese is optional but encouraged.
There will be extra spicy mayo, use on another sandwich or product
If you liked this recipe, use Discount Code: TESTKITCHEN at the Forge To Table Shop checkout to support more amazing recipe content!
