Hot Dog!! I'm Grilling Again

A series of events had conspired to keep me from grilling. Then about 2 months ago when things got better and I could grill again I just wasn't motivated. I had one of those slumps Griffin (I think it was) started a thread about. I had zero interest in grilling. Two weeks ago I didn't want to let Easer pass without making something so I forced myself out to the grill. Well for the last two weeks food has once again been coming off my grill and smoker and it feels good. I want to start visiting here again regularly, because I have missed the folks here.

I can tell my head is back into grilling because today was one of those "It's just good to be alive" moments. It is the Patriot's Day Holiday here so I am not working. The temps are going to get to 90 degrees. I've got the Sox on one channel (the game starts at 11AM) and the Boston Marathon on the other. And best of all I was out at the grill at 11AM trying an experiment on the grill. As I was sipping the first tasty ale of the day, I realized I was back in the grill zone again.

I wanted to eat some hotdogs while watching the game. So I grabbed a couple of my favorite Kayem hot dogs and some buttered New England Style Hot Dog rolls and headed to the grill. The experiment was to try grilling the buns on the grills flat top grill griddle. The nice thing about New England style hot dog rolls are the sides are just made to be grilled. I usually do it over the open grate, but I wanted to try the griddle. I removed the center grate and replaced it with my griddle grate. The dogs were grilled over medium direct heat on the open grate and the rolls were done over medium heat on the griddle. I decided to use my SR grill presses. This was a mistake as they were too heavy and smooshed the rolls a bit. I took them off and finished the rolls without.

I love the browning I got with the griddle, so I will start doing my buns this way all of the time. I now know I don't need the grill presses, but I'll bring a spatula with me in case if I need to give the buns a little help laying flat.











Jim

Woohoo!! He's back. Great to see you grilling again, Jimbo. Yeah it was me that went into a slump and posted about it. I don't think I was the only one as things have been quiet around here lately.

Someday I'm gonna get to try those type of hot dog buns, even if I have to figure them out myself. They just don' make 'em down here, not that I've found. They sure do look tasty, and I love the way they toasted up.

Thanks for the kind words Griffin. Part of my problem was I had no one around to grill for. I really didn't want to make something fancy when It was just going to be me around here. My mother-in-law has been quite sick for the last year, and my wife has been spending quite a bit of time down there helping out with that and helping her father. My mother-in-law has been doing a little bit better the last couple months, so my wife has been around here more but at that point I'd lost my urge to grill. I realized I was in a slump right around the time you made that post. This was certainly the worst slump I've ever been in. I was coming up with every excuse known to man not to go out to the grill. I had to force myself to make Easter dinner. But all is well, I had fun with the things that I've made the last few weeks and I feel like I'm back in the groove again. But I've always said when a hobby isn't fun, it isn't worth doing.

As for those hot dog rolls, growing up they were the only kind of hot dog rolls I even knew about. They are literally called New England style hot dog rolls. I've always wondered why they are not more popular, since they just seems so logical for grilling. They do sell the other kind around her too, but they are not as popular. Since you're taking up baking, you might be interested in visiting the King Arthur Flour website. They have a hot dog pan for grilling that type of hotdog roll and they have several recipes for them. If you're interested in more information about these hot dog rolls, visit my website. Go to the Baking section and they are listed under one of the Baking 2 Galleries. I've also written some blogs about these hot dog rolls which are linked from the Hot Dog Rolls picture entry in the Baking section. King Arthur Flour is where I bought my pan for baking them and their recipe is the one I use as well. In the truth in advertising department, these rolls today were some store-bought hot dog rolls I picked up on my way home this morning.

Jim

Thanks for sharing that. I've looked at that pan before, but am unsure if I want to spend $35 on a hot dog bun pan. To me that seems like a lot for a pan that gets one use....

I can understand that. Let me just say KAF generally sells commercial grade products that will last a lifetime. My wife had a favorite dress as a little girl that had hot dogs and ice cream cones on it It explains a lot about her. hot dogs are their own food group for her. I don't know about you, but I have hot dogs all the time and these home made rolls are some much tastier than the store bought ones. This is the same reason I bought their hamburger roll pan. For me rolls are as important as what you put on them. I got into baking just to learn hamburger rolls.

Of course your mileage may vary.

Jim

I am so glad to see that you are back on the forum! We missed ya, bud! Those hot dogs look great.

Welcome back Jim. Nice job on those dogs. I've been slow on the cookouts as well, since I'd been sick with a nasty cold gifted to me by a co-worker who decided to spread his joy around the office. It actually ended up morphing it's way into a sinus infection that spread to my ears, and despite what the Doc indicated, it's been 3 weeks and my hearing is still very impaired. I know what it's going to be like when I'm 80 and asking everyone to repeat themselves. Needless to say, I wasn't eating anything, let alone BBQing. As soon as my sense of smell started to return, I whipped up the Asian inspired lamb ribs. Looking forward to what you have planned next.

Welcome back!

Even the longest trip starts with....a few hot dogs. You'll be doing overnighters in no time.

Glad to see you back! Hope I don't ever hit one of those slumps. Just couldn't imagine not wanting to go out and fire up a grill of smoker.
Kids came for dinner Sunday night. Grilled burgers, Oscar Meyer Premium Angus Hot Dogs, and four links of fresh Polish sausage.
I also grilled 3 lbs. of bone in loin pork chops and 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts to make it easier for wife or stepdaughter to make meals later in the week. I work an afternoon shift and am not home at dinner time.
Guess I'm funny! I don't eat cheap white bread. Prefer fresh from a bakery but will settle for one of the better commercially baked whole grain or wheat breadsor a potato bread. I am not particular about my hot dog or hamburger buns. Buy the cheap store brand. Worked in a commercial bakery several years ago and know the cheap store brand is the same bun as the name brand bun at about half the price. They just change the bag on the wrapping machine.

Welcome back, Jim. Glad to hear the family's doing better.

So with the New England rolls you toast the outside but not the inside? That actually seems like a good way to do it, because then the softer inside can conform to the hot dog and condiments better!

Brad

So glad to see you back!

Glad to see your back... perfect timing! That is one fine looking hot dog and those buns are as tasty as they get with the grilled and buttered sides.

I haven't done an overnighter in 2 years... I hope you don't have to either.

Thanks guys and gal! It IS good to be back. If I'm active here, it also means I'm out at the grill. I've had some slumps where I didn't have time to grill, but this is the first time I can remember not wanting to grill. I even ignored my website, which I usually enjoy working on. My friends were kidding me and suggesting I see a shrink....at least I think they were kidding.

dyal:Thanks and you have gotten so prolific lately, I fear I might not be able to catch up on all your posts I might have missed.

smokin'gal:Sorry to hear about your sinus woes. I can somewhat relate because I've inherited touchy sinuses from my dad. I am like a canary in a coal mine when it comes to going somewhere with nasty air. Go in someplace with a little mold or mildew and I get a splitting sinus headache. Fast weather changes where it goes from high to low humidity-same deal. No fun. Take care of you!

I'm looking forward to seeing that lamb post you speak of. As for me: I know you like my paellas and I have one planned for Saturday. I think I'll post a couple of the cooks I've done in the last couple weeks. I'll probably post another paella and a leg of lamb.

tbk420 wrote:

Welcome back!

Even the longest trip starts with....a few hot dogs. You'll be doing overnighters in no time.

Thanks tbk. This is where I have less of an excuse not to go out and cook. I no longer need to do all-nighters. I work from home and with my FoodSaver I can cook a few days ahead and do all-dayers.

Cactus1: Breads are one of my favorite things to eat and I am fussy about my breads. The whole reason I took a baking class at KingArthur Flour was to make my own hamburger rolls. You just can't find the little extra sweetness, buttery flavor and other subtle flavors that you get when you bake bread yourself and eat it right away. BTW the hot dog roll recipe from KAF that I use has potato flour in it. Gives it a different taste & texture.

ScreamingChicken wrote:

......So with the New England rolls you toast the outside but not the inside? That actually seems like a good way to do it, because then the softer inside can conform to the hot dog and condiments better!

Brad

Exactly and you don't have to worry about the bun splitting on you when you try to open it up to grill the inside. When I first saw a "regular" hot dog bun I didn't get it.

Jim

Welcome Back!

jfm0830 wrote:

For me rolls are as important as what you put on them.Jim

I'm starting to think that way, too. I've been looking into hamburger buns for awhile, just haven't jumped into it yet.

We don't eat a lot of hot dogs. Mrs. G just isnt a fan. You think those rolls would have worked for my Italian Sausages?