The Best Thing I Ever Made: Part 1; Bacon Cheddar Hotdogs

What food are you famous for?

Many people have a “famous” dish or cooking style that they are known for—whether it’s loaded nachos on “cheat day” or a five-course fine dining experience for special family occasions. For some of us it might be one of those “just winging it” recipes that doesn’t require actual measurements. Yet others may plan and prepare and practice until everything is just right. Whatever your cooking style looks like, we hope you find your inner home chef and—most of all—have fun! (P.S., if you need recipe ideas, check out our recipe library at https://potatorolls.com/recipes.)

Introducing: “The Best Thing I Ever Made”

Welcome to our new recurring blog series where we highlight recipes from Martin’s network of foodies! Each episode will feature a different chef or home cook and will go into detail on their favorite foods to make in the kitchen using Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls and Bread!

We started out by interviewing a few members of our marketing team (who frequently interact with chefs, influencers, and fellow foodies, in additional to researching and developing recipes for our website and blog) to hear some details about their favorite food memories.

We hope you enjoy this “behind the scenes” look!

By: Becky V. – Marketing Specialist

Background:

I don’t know if I would call it the “best” thing I’ve ever made, but it’s definitely a go-to favorite that I like to make occasionally (as it’s not exactly the healthiest). When it comes to cookout-type food I will always choose hotdogs over burgers for whatever reason. I also really like to “accessorize” or customize my foods by adding various toppings or experimenting with sauces and condiments. (My husband is the better cook in our household so I tend to act more as the sous chef or saucier most times.) Anyway…this recipe is kind of a merging of those two preferences.

Cooking Instructions:

1. I start by pan-frying a few slices of bacon until just slightly crispy, then set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Then, with the bacon grease still in the pan, I pan-fry the hot dogs until blistered on all sides and heated through. (This method forms a great crispy crust on the outside of the hot dogs—and infuses them with delicious bacon flavor!) Then, transfer the hot dogs to the same paper towel-lined as the bacon to drain; turn off the heat.
2. Next comes the sauce—did I mention I like making sauces? Fun fact: Most fast food or fast casual burger chains have their own “secret sauce.” (Spoiler alert: they are usually some combo of mayo + ketchup + various spices.) I tend to start with about a 4:1 ratio of mayo to ketchup (i.e., mostly mayo with a tiny bit of ketchup). Then I add in whichever spices I am feeling that day—this means it always comes out slightly different, which is part of the fun. My typical spice blend includes garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne; maybe a pinch of sugar if needed to balance the flavor out. Sometimes I’ll add in a touch of dill pickle juice or ground mustard for extra tanginess.
3. Variation #1: To build the hot dogs: spread some sauce onto the inside of each Martin’s Long Potato Roll, add 1-2 slices bacon to either side, place the hot dog in the middle, and top with sliced or shredded cheddar cheese. Note: you can also chop the bacon and sprinkle it on top of the hot dog instead if you prefer smaller pieces.
4. Variation #2: Another favorite hot dog topping of mine is mac & cheese (à la Chef Marc Murphy’s “Ditch Dogs” from his restaurant Ditch Plains). This works best if you already have some prepared mac & cheese available—if not, you’ll want to start cooking that ahead of time according to your favorite recipe. To build the hot dogs: follow the same process as step 3 above (including the extra cheese), then pile on some prepared mac and cheese (warm).
5. Add any other toppings as desired, such as: diced red onion, dill pickle relish, Dijon mustard, or even BBQ sauce—get creative!
6. Enjoy! (Maybe with a side salad for some added health benefits).

Stay tuned for the next edition of Martin’s The Best Thing I Ever Made!

In the meantime, chat with us on social media and let us know: what recipe are you most famous for?