17 Hot Dog and Sausage Recipes for the Tastiest Cookout

I'll admit, I rarely eat hot dogs at cookouts. Why? Well, because frankly, they are rarely worth the calories—I'd rather have barbecued ribs or chicken if given the choice. Most of the time the hot dogs and sausages have been just tossed on the grill raw—which according to Kenji is not the best method since they can burst. Plus the quality of the links is usually pretty standard, on par with, say, a Costco hot dog. Don't me wrong, I love me a Costco Polish sausage from time to time, but at a backyard barbecue, it often pales in comparison to other offerings.

However, with a little extra effort, hot dogs and sausages can absolutely shine at a cookout. For instance, just poaching your hot dogs and charring them on the grill will yield a superior link. Cooking sausages together with sauerkraut, sweet and spicy peppers, or German potato salad will add tons of flavor and keep them juicy. And, if you want to go all in, we have several delicious recipes for homemade links—from a New York-style dog to a Greek-inspired orange and leek sausage to a spicy Moroccan lamb sausage. Whichever recipe you choose, make your hot dogs and sausages stand out.

The Best Grilled Hot Dogs

When you have great natural-casing hot dogs, the last thing you want is for those beauties to burst and leak juices once you've toss them onto the grill. The solution? We poach them to warm them through, then quickly sear them over a hot flame, and voilà...perfectly grilled hot dogs!

Grilled Hot Dogs With Sauerkraut

Why toss out all that flavorful "leftover" sauerkraut packing liquid and juices when you can use it to poach your links? Simply chuck everything into a foil pan and warm through. Your grilled dogs will thank you.

Hot Slaw Dogs

Hard to believe, but there are other cabbage-based hot dog toppings besides sauerkraut—take creamy cole slaw, for instance. Piled onto your link of choice, the cool shredded cabbage and slightly sweet-tangy dressing provide a nice counterpoint to the deeply savory dog.

Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs With Avocado, Tomato, Onion, and Potato Chips

The term "full-loaded" can be applied to this Sonoran-inspired hot dog. It's big and messy in the best way possible: bacon-wrapped, deep-fried links layered with mayo, crushed potato chips, and a guacamole-like mixture of avocado, onion, tomato, jalapeño, and lime juice.

Homemade New York-Style Hot Dogs

If backyard cookouts were a competitive sport (not to say they aren't for some), then a kickass homemade hot dog recipe can be your trump card. Take this one from Ryan Farr, proprietor and butcher at 4505 Meats, which yields 20 snappy, lightly smoked links. Now fire up the grill and let the July 4th games begin!

Grilled Bratwurst With Beer, Mustard, and Sauerkraut

What works for hot dogs also works extremely well for brats. Here, we simmer the sausages in a mixture of sauerkraut, mustard, and beer to 140 to 145°F (60 to 63°C), then finish them on the grill until nicely charred and crisp. Nestle the grilled bratwurst inside a sturdy roll or bun to sop up all the wonderful juices.

Grilled Italian Sausage With Sweet and Sour Peppers and Onions

Sweet and tangy peppers and onions are a classic accompaniment for grilled Italian sausages. Like sauerkraut hot dogs, they're super easy to make. For a smokier flavor, combine grilled vegetables with vinegar and sugar in an aluminum pan, add the sausages, and poach until done. Finish them off with a good sear and tuck into an Italian roll.

Grilled Bratwurst With Warm German Potato Slaw

Cooking the brats, German potato salad, and red cabbage together in the same pan on the grill not only cuts down on the work but flavors the sausages with aromatics. Adding a beef base, like Better Than Bouillon, is a shortcut way to extra meaty flavor. This is a juicy dish, so make sure to use thick, sturdy sausage rolls, and don't forget the mustard.

Sous Vide Sausages

Cooking your sausages with a sous vide circulator (or a beer cooler) will all but guarantee the juiciest and most flavorful sausage you'll ever sink your teeth into. All you need to take your links to sausage perfection is to grill them until beautifully charred.

Orange and Leek Loukaniko (Greek Sausage)

These Greek pork and lamb sausages infused with the bright flavors of fresh orange zest, leeks, garlic, and herbs are made for summer grilling. Taking the time to cure and cold smoke them yields a distinctive smokiness that is characteristic of the best loukaniko.

Smoked Cheddar and Jalapeño Sausage

If you love some oozy cheese with your sausage, then these scratch-made smoked cheddar jalapeño beauties are right up your alley. Smoked over applewood chips for about two hours, then grilled, they're plump and juicy with the perfect balance of spice and heat.

Roasted Garlic and Feta Chicken Sausage Recipe

Joshua developed this recipe with a nod to the Greek cuisine in his neighborhood of Astoria. Here, garlic and feta do most of the heavy lifting in flavoring the sausage, with additional support from shallots, oregano, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Grilled Spicy Mango Chicken Sausage

Dried (preferably Philippine-grown) mangos are essential to getting the most intense mango flavor in this chicken sausage. Cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño add freshness and a bit of kick to round out the sweet fragrant fruit.

Homemade Merguez

Go rogue, ditch the usual dogs and brats at your next cookout, and throw some spicy, aromatic lamb sausages on the grill! Cubes of lamb shoulder are seasoned with cumin, coriander, fennel, paprika, garlic, and harissa before being ground with plenty of pork backfat to ensure a moist sausage. Swap out the hot dog buns and warm up some pita on the grill while you're at it.

Buffalo Chicken Sausages

This is one of those times when making your own Buffalo sauce is not the path to Buffalo chicken sausage greatness. The key is bottled Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce, which has a buttery flavor but no actual butter so the links won't blow out on the grill. Spike it with cayenne pepper for extra heat and it's winner-winner, chicken (sausage) dinner.

Mexican Chorizo

Joshua's homemade version is deeply seasoned with ancho chile powder, along with salt, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, cloves, and cider vinegar. The chorizo is earthy, spicy, and very juicy—fantastic grilled as links but also wonderful stuffed inside cheesy grilled poblano peppers.

Gluten-Free Corn Dogs

Okay, not all hot dogs have to be grilled and nestled into a bun. Sometimes they're dipped in cornmeal batter and fried to a golden crisp. These just also happen to be gluten-free, which is a bonus for those with a gluten intolerance. Did I mention they're portable and fun to eat?