Nothing screams cookout more than a classic hot dog. If you’re looking for a fun way to serve your dogs this summer, look no further than a hot dog charcuterie board. Charcuterie boards are already a popular party appetizer, and there are many ways to get creative with them that don’t involve the typical display of meats and cheeses. To create this board, you’ll need a platter, a number of toppings, buns, and of course, the hot dogs. When choosing hot dogs, be sure to look through the best and worst hot dog brands to ensure quality franks for your board.
While there are a number of mistakes to avoid when assembling a classic charcuterie board, only a few of them apply to a hot dog board — like using uninteresting ingredients. To make this board great, you’ll want to fill it up with fun sauces and toppings in a variety of textures. Ingredients like pickles, onions, chili, relish, or shredded cheese are some typical hot dog toppings, but you should get creative with this spread. For a fun theme, you could try a Tex-Mex board with pico de gallo, queso, pickled jalapeños, esquites, crushed tortilla chips, and beans. Or, try a California-style board with grilled peppers, caramelized onions, aioli, and avocado. For buns, use a variety including brioche, pretzel, gluten-free (or lettuce wraps), and classic white.
Tips on assembling your hot dog board
When it comes to making your board look aesthetically pleasing, there are many ways you can go about assembling it. It’s best to use a large board or tray to evenly place your ingredients and avoid overcrowding. You’ll want to place all of your toppings and condiments in smaller bowls so that your guests can easily access them, and so that the board doesn’t look messy. Arrange the hot dogs around the board and the toppings in the middle for an even distribution.
To spice up your board even more, you can play around with the way you prepare your hot dogs. Aside from grilling, wrap some in bacon, and spiral-slice a few to give your guests variety. Spiralizing your hot dogs is a major game changer, as it allows for a crisper and juicer flavor with more spaces for toppings to nestle. Don’t forget to add vegetarian or non-pork options.
Once your board is put together with the cooked hot dogs and toppings, add serving utensils for guests to assemble their hot dog. The great thing about the hot dog charcuterie board is that you can easily prep your toppings and other ingredients beforehand to save you time. A hot dog charcuterie board will quickly become a staple for your summer picnics.
