Name: French Baguette Hot Dog
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 baguettes; 4 hot dog sausages; 4 tbsp ketchup; 4 tbsp mayonnaise; 2 tbsp mustard or whole grain mustard

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An upgraded version of classic hot dog, you can find on the streets of Paris. The baguette bread is a staple of French cuisine, and no wonder why they use it with everything.

This French hot dog is something you must try as it brings crispiness like no other types of hot dog buns.

Are There Different Types Of Baguettes?

The French baguette is among most popular types of bread in French cuisine, known for its pillow center and crackly dough.

The French baguette comes in different shapes; the demi baguette is used for sandwiches, there is also ficille or string baguete, and more oblong baguette called batard.

For this recipe I used classic French baguette. There are versions with corn flour, or whole wheat flour, but I prefer to stick with classic baguette, made with all-purpose flour.

Preparing The Hot Dog

There are two main methods of preparing hot dogs; poaching in water or grilling. When it comes to grilling, there are few methods you can try:

Simple grilling; for this method you do not need extra preparation. No need to cut or prepare sausages. The key when making these is to cook them over medium high heat, turning frequently until they start to expand, but before they start sputtering. The hot dogs with this method have a stronger grill flavor, and with sausage juiciness.

Butterflied sausages; this is the method where you slice the sausages across the center, by length, but not all the way trough. With this method you will double the surface and get more are for the char from the grill or grill pan. The sausages with this method will be very firm and crisp outside, and still juicy inside.

Crosshatched sausages; with this method you will make shallow crosshatch-style cuts on opposite side of each sausage. Grill the sausages on medium heat, turning occasionally. The results with this method you will get a lovely sausage, with lots of char and crispy bits. The inside will still remain juicy.

Poached sausages; heat sauce pot of water to 150°F. Add sausages carefully into the water and cook until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.

At this point, you can use the poached sausages as they are, or just set them on a grill pan for few minutes or until they are brown on the outside. The sausages mad with this method had a great snap and are quite juicy.

Choosing The Sausages

Technically speaking, sausage is a ground meat wrapped in a casing made from animal intestine or a synthetic material. In most cases, the casing can be removed after cooking the sausages.

Sausages come in different varieties:

Vienna sausage – This sausage is very similar to hot dogs and frankfurters, with similar ingredients used. They are still bit softer and smaller in size.

Pork sausages – As you already know, pork sausages are made with pork meat, which is seasoned with different spices.

Dry sausages – This type of sausage is made by drying and smoking the sausage. Traditionally, these are used for some other types of dishes, instead of in hot dogs.

Frankfurter – These can be beef, pork, or mix of these two. They are usually seasoned with garlic and pepper, nutmeg, and ground mustard.

Hot dog – The American hot dog belongs to the general category of sausages, just like the Vienna sausage. The hot dog, unlike most sausages, has a smoother texture, while sausages contain miniscule bits of meat that are still distinguishable. These sausages have a smooth, puree-like texture.

For my version, I used classic hot dogs, but you can use whatever you like.

Tips For Perfect French Baguette Hot Dogs

I have made hundreds of hot dogs in my life. I’ve tried many different methods and different buns, but this trick really makes all the difference.

The secret is in sausage cutting – cut your sausages into spirals. Spiral-cut hot dogs give extra crispiness while keeping the juices inside. In addition, they cook faster and the edges get nicely seared and charred by the grill.

This is something you cannot apply if you are poaching your sausages. It is applicable only once the sausages are poached. You can cut them afterwards and before placing them on the grill for a few seconds.

Run the skewer through the middle of the hot dog’s length – the skewer will keep the knife from cutting the hot dog through.

Run a small knife at the angle of 45 degrees over the sausages, making spirals. Your cuts should not be more than ¼-inch deep. Gently remove the skewer from the hot dog and grill them.

This is perfect because the hot dogs have a wonderful seared exterior and they are easy to portion out if served to kids, and most importantly the spirals will hold your condiments better.