Bright Pickled Hot Dog Recipe

Pickled hot dogs might seem like a strange concept if you’re not familiar with old-fashioned taverns that display jarred pickled hot dogs next to pickled eggs. You might also see them at gas stations and convenience stores, next to Slim Jims. Whether you’ve tried it and loved it or never tried it, creator Tess Le Moyne says her recipe is “easy to make and has very few ingredients.” In fact, all you need to make this dish is a hot dog or smoked sausage, vinegar, and a few seasonings.

Le Moyne describes the pickled hot dog as having “layers of salty, vinegary flavor.” [with] … It’s a little spicy, but not too hot.” She says you can eat the sausages straight from the jar, or enjoy them as part of a more elaborate snack or meal. You can also try using a different type of cooked sausage to vary things up. If you want to keep the sausage whole, that’s fine, as long as your jar is tall enough to hold it.

Read more: Regional Barbecue Styles in the United States

Collect ingredients for a vibrant pickled hot dog

Le Moyne makes it using Louisiana hot links and red wine vinegar, then seasons it with sugar, salt and crushed red pepper flakes to create a tangy-sweet and slightly spicy pickle brine.

Step 1: Place sausage and peppers in jar

Place crushed red pepper and sausage in a 16-ounce jar.

Step 2: Heat the liquid with salt and sugar

Add the red wine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Step 3: Pour seasoned vinegar over the sausage

Pour vinegar mixture over sausage.

Step 4: Place the sausage in the refrigerator

Bring to room temperature, cover and store in the fridge for 3-4 days before eating.

Step 5: Eat the sausage

Enjoy it straight from the jar as a snack, or cook the sausages and add them to your favorite recipes.

Are pickled hot dogs safe to eat raw?

While it may seem a little odd to eat a hot dog uncooked, or Le Morne’s favorite Louisiana hot link uncooked, the reality is that both types of sausage are precooked, so they’re pretty safe to eat right out of the package. “As an added precaution, the hot pickling liquid reheats and further cooks the sausage, preventing food poisoning,” Le Morne points out.

If you want to vary the type of sausage you use, you’ll need to be a bit careful. Le Moyne chose hot links and wine vinegar because he wanted his pickles to have a “beautiful red color and look that’s really appetizing,” but he assures us that regular hot dogs (here are the best brands sold at grocery stores) and other sausages will work just as well. One caveat, though, is that this only applies to ready-to-eat items; types of sausage that are made from cured meat, like Italian sausage, won’t work, as the hot vinegar alone won’t cook them properly.

How can I serve hot dogs with pickles?

Pickled hot dogs are classic American bar food, so naturally they pair well with a domestic beer. To make it a complete meal without getting too nutritional, you can also add peanuts, pretzels, or pickled eggs. Of course, if you want to go all out, Le Moyne suggests serving it on a charcuterie board with crackers and cheese.

Another way to eat these pickled wieners is like a hot dog (or sausage). If whole, place them on a bun and smother them in sauerkraut, ketchup, or chili. If sliced, stick a toothpick into each piece and serve with mustard dip. Le Moyne also recommends adding pickled wieners to potato hash or rice and bean bowls, making kebabs, or mixing them into an omelet.

Bright Pickled Hot Dog Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 jar (16 oz)material

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 12 ounces Louisiana brand hot smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

• ¼ cup water

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar

direction

1. Place crushed red pepper and sausage in a 16-ounce jar.

2. Add the red wine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

3. Pour vinegar mixture over sausage.

4. Bring to room temperature, cover and store in the fridge for 3-4 days before eating.

5. Enjoy it straight from the jar as a snack, or cook the sausages and add them to your favorite recipes.

Read the original article at Tasting Table