It’s almost that time! You know the time… the time to dust off the grills and enjoy a sunny spring!

I thought we were actually in springtime last week here in Denver and then we got smacked in the face with a very weird (and enormous) blizzard. I posted a photo of my dog on Instagram. It was a deep and thick snow!

That won’t stop me from talking about grilling though. And what better place to start than the humble hot dog. It’s probably the thing Americans turn to first if they are looking for a quick grilling meal.

If you are feeling spry though, do me a favor and try out these spiral hot dogs to kick off grilling season! Arguments for trying them include:

  • They look amazing.
  • They taste even more amazing b/c they get crispy and can hold more toppings.
  • Surprisingly easy to make!

Mostly though, you should make them because SPIRAL HOT DOGS!!!

Spiral Cut Hot Dogs

3.86 from 7 votes
Author: Nick Evans
Servings: 8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
The easy way to take your standard grilled hot dog up a notch. Easy to do once you get the hang of it!

Ingredients 

  • 8 Hot dogs
  • 8 Buns
  • Toppings galore
  • Wooden Skewers
  • Sharp Knife

Instructions

  • Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Working with one hot dog at a time, run a skewer through the middle of the dog.
  • Using a sharp paring knife, slice the hot dog down until you hit the skewer, at a 45 degree angle. Turn the hot dog, cutting a spiral into the hot dog.
  • If the spiral is too wide, you can do a second spiral by starting it on the opposite side and repeating the spiral cut.
  • Carefully remove the skewer from the hot dog. Grill hot dogs to your liking and serve with toasted buns and lots of toppings!

Nutrition

Serving: 1hot dog | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 12mg
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American

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Spiral Hot Dogs

Cutting the Spiral

Do me a favor and don’t try to make these by holding a hot dog straight up in the air and slicing it down the side. It would probably make a cool Youtube Video FAIL, but will result in pieces of hot dogs and not a beautifully perfect spiral.

To do it right you just need a wooden skewer. Not rocket science!

Spiral Hot Dogs
All ya need!

Just insert the skewer down the middle of the hot dog. Try to get it as centered as possible. Then use a small knife to start cutting around the hot dog in at an angle. You can chop through the hot dog because of the skewer and it will keep you on track for the spiral.

Spiral Hot Dogs
Nice angle.

When I did this, I had a hard time making my spiral narrow enough to look awesome. Mine always ended up slightly wider. Like this:

Spiral Hot Dogs
Too wide? Repeat!

If that happens to you, don’t worry about it. Just repeat the spiral on the same hot dog but starting on the other side of the hot dog. So basically you are cutting two spirals that run around the hot dog and never intersect.

Sounds complicated, but it’s just cool.

Once you’re done you can slide the skewer out. I was surprised at how sturdy the dogs were. They were easy to handle and I didn’t break a single one in half!

Spiral Hot Dogs
BOOM.

You know the next step. Toss them on a hot grill!

They get so crispy and the spiral opens up which is awesome for toppings!

Spiral Hot Dogs
Yes, please.

Serve these spiral hot dogs hot off the grill, on toasted buns, loaded with toppings!

Hard to go wrong!

Any spiral hot dog fans out there?! I’m gonna have a hard time grilling a normal hot dog now that I know the joys of the spiral version!

How to Make Spiral Hot Dogs: You are one quick tip away from completely changing your grilling game this year. This fast prep takes your average hot dog to a whole new level. They get crispy and perfect for lazy day grilling. Learn how to do it right! | macheesmo.com
How to Make Spiral Hot Dogs: You are one quick tip away from completely changing your grilling game this year. This fast prep takes your average hot dog to a whole new level. They get crispy and perfect for lazy day grilling. Learn how to do it right! | macheesmo.com