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Hot Dogs

Source of Recipe


From "How to Grill" by Steven Raichlen






List of Ingredients



• 8 knockwurst or thick hot dogs
  
• 4 to 6 ounces pepper jack cheese, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
  
• 1 jar sliced pickled jalapeño chilies (about 32), drained
  
• 1/4 medium white onion, finely minced
  
• 8 hot dog buns
  
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
  
• Condiments of choice
  






Instructions



1. Set up grill for direct grilling and build a three-zone fire (see method under Final Comments). Get out butchers' string. Make 2 lengthwise cuts in each knockwurst or hot dog to remove a slender V-shaped strip from the center. The idea is to cut the hot dog almost in half lengthwise but leave the halves attached at the bottom. Line the resulting slit with cheese and chili slices and minced onions. Tie hot dogs crosswise in 2 or 3 places with pieces of butchers' string to hold in the filling.
   
   
2. Arrange hot dogs on grate lengthwise so they are supported by the bars of the grate. Grill until nicely browned on bottom and both sides, tilting hot dogs on their sides with tongs, 6 to 8 minutes. If dogs start to burn, move them to moderate zone or cool zone. Transfer hot dogs to a platter or cutting board and snip off and discard the strings.
   
   
3. Meanwhile, brush buns with melted butter and toast them. Again, if they start to burn, move to the medium or cool zone. Serve hot dogs with condiments of your choice.
   
   Serves 4
   
   






Final Comments


In three-zone grilling, you set one burner on high (if you're using a gas grill), one burner on medium, and leave the third burner off. The hot zone is the searing zone, the medium zone is the cooking zone, and the off zone is the safety zone where the dogs can rest if they start to burn or there are flare-ups. On a two-burner gas grill, the warming rack serves as the safety zone.

On a charcoal grill, the hot coals are mounded in a double-thick layer on one side (the hot zone) and in a single-thick layer in the center (the medium zone). The remaining third of the grill is left coal-free (the cool or safety zone).

On either type of grill, you control the heat by moving the food back and forth from hot zone to cool zone.