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Firecracker Hot Dogs

Firecracker hot dogs are grilled until spiral-scored and charred, then loaded with spicy jalapeño relish, bright yellow mustard, and a sriracha drizzle. The toasted buns get buttery and golden, making these BBQ-style jalapeño hot dogs ideal for a 4th of July cookout.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Hot dogs
  • 8 beef hot dogs
  • 8 hot dog buns
  • 2 tbsp butter softened
  • 1 tbsp jalapeño relish or pickled jalapeños, chopped
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp crispy fried onions
  • 1 ketchup for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Score and grill the hot dogs
  1. Score each hot dog with diagonal cuts or a spiral cut to help them char and open on the grill.
  2. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and cook hot dogs for 8–10 minutes, turning frequently, until charred and split open slightly.
Toast the buns
  1. Butter the inside of each bun and toast on the grill for 1–2 minutes until golden.
Assemble the firecracker topping
  1. Place a hot dog in each toasted bun and top with jalapeño relish.
  2. Add a squeeze of yellow mustard to each hot dog.
  3. Drizzle sriracha over each hot dog just before serving.
  4. Finish with crispy fried onions and serve immediately with ketchup on the side.

Notes

For best split-open char, score deeply enough to expose the surface but don’t cut all the way through. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat hot dogs gently so the relish doesn’t burn, and toast fresh buns if possible. Freezing isn’t recommended for the assembled hot dogs, but you can freeze cooked plain hot dogs (no toppings) up to 2 months. For a lower-heat option, use mild pickled jalapeños or reduce the sriracha and mustard drizzle.