Summer Is Over but Hot Dogs Are Forever

For those of us who live in places with actual seasons, summer can become a fleeting memory before you know it.

What better way to capitalize on the last few months of summer than by eating the ultimate summer food: the hot dog? Heck, we have so many recipes here you can have a completely different dog for every day of the week.

We looked deep into our hot dog archives to put together a list of recipes as indulgent as they are diverse.

Who says you need a hot dog bun to make it a hot dog? This is clear evidence to the contrary and insanely tasty. Butterflied and breaded fried wieners are doused in red sauce and a pound (literally) of mozzarella cheese and are nestled inside a cleverly cut ciabatta. It's the stuff of stoner dreams.

Who needs a plain old corndog when you can batter crayfish—or lobster—in panko, seaweed flakes, and plenty of sesame seeds, fry it, and then dip the whole thing into freshly made wasabi mayonnaise? This creation was so magical, that it inspired Action Bronson to utter the immortal words "You're gonna shit your pants when you eat this one though" on Fuck, That's Delicious. How's that for a ringing endorsement?

Bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Enough said.

If you're a hot dog purist or an elote purist, we advise against making this. But if you're an open-minded person who eats with their mouth and not their brain, we promise that you will not be disappointed by this fun riff on a Mexican street food classic.

If you're looking for something a little more conventional, that's fine, we got you. Thanks to Matty Matheson, we have a recipe that is heavy on spice and light on innovation. It's just a hot, humble chili sitting atop beef sausages. It just works and it always will.