Here is a fun little kitchen trick that will completely change your summer grilling game. Try cutting plain old hot dogs into a spiral, or "spiralizing" them, to make them tastier, larger, crispier, cuter, and even more practical to eat.
Spiral-cut hot dogs are not an entirely new concept, as some people have been doing it for years. But ever since TikTok influencer Carolina Gelen posted a video earlier in June about how she cuts her hot dogs for grilling (not to mention how she tops them with an insanely delicious-looking roasted red pepper salsa and pickle mayo), the world has rediscovered this technique.
Bear with us while we explain the logic behind this quirky little hack. Cutting the hot dog into a spiral shape maximizes its surface area, which means there's more area to get crispy and flavorful on the grill. Because the hot dog is partially cut open, it cooks faster, which means more juices are retained. And those notches hold toppings more effectively than a smooth surface, letting you take the perfect bite every time.
You don't need any specialized tools, just a skewer to hold the hot dog in place and a sharp paring knife to cut through as you spin it on a cutting board. (Think about "unzipping" it.) When you remove the skewer, you are left with a hot dog that looks sort of like a corkscrew or a spring.
In an experiment to find the best way to cook a hot dog, The Kitchn agreed that spiral-cut franks were the best out there, ranking the method 10/10 and beating butterflied, crosshatched, and fish-scaled hot dogs.
"As the franks cook, they open up more and more with each turn, elongating the spring shape. What that does is create lots of surface area for irresistible crispy-charred edges, plus open pockets for all those luscious toppings to ooze down into once you place the hot dog in a bun. And because the hot dog 'spring' stretches out as it cooks, it's guaranteed to fit—or even spill over—the ends of your bun."
So, stock up on hot dogs the next time you are at the store and give this a shot. It's sure to be a crowd-pleaser and a palate-pleaser.
