How To Hack Your Way To A Mess-Free Summer Hot Dog

Hot dogs, like hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, are basically just meat on a bun. So why are the latter two eaten year-round while the former is seen as more of a summertime thing? This may be partly due to the fact that hot dogs or frankfurters can be quite messy to eat, so they're best consumed outdoors. What if you do want to eat them inside where there's a rug, though, or at least when you're wearing a white shirt? Well, the secret to less-messy dogs lies in how you apply the toppings.

If you're sticking with condiments like a quality brand of yellow mustard or ketchup (or both, if you manage to straddle this partisan divide), don't squirt them on top of the tube-shaped sausage where they're likely to slide right off. Instead, apply them to the outsides of the meat, or even to the naked bun before you insert the hot dog. You'll still get as much flavor in each bite, although your hot dog will likely be less photogenic. If you opt to add pickle relish, sauerkraut, or chopped onions, those can go at the bottom of the bun underneath the hot dog to keep things mess-free.

While the upside-down method of adding hot dog toppings works well as long as you don't overdo things, more heavily loaded dogs may need a bit more help. If you'll be ladling chili over your hot dog, you don't want too much of this wet topping in direct contact with the bun, as it might cause the bread to collapse. In this case, instead of compounding the problem with liquidy nacho-style cheese, opt for sliced cheese instead. A few pieces placed next to the bun will help insulate it from the chili and buy you enough time to eat your sloppy concoction. 

If you want to be extra sure the cheese stays in place, melt it for a few seconds in the microwave before adding the hot dog and toppings. Another option would be to make a melted cheese shell for your hot dog. On its own, it may not hold too many toppings, but it would be great as a bun liner.

Bacon, too, makes an effective barrier as long as it's cooked crispy. You can even use fried bologna — a bologna-wrapped hot dog is a regional specialty in Baltimore, and it's also one of our picks for making a grown-up bologna sandwich. Lettuce would also work, or perhaps a cabbage leaf for those who enjoy coleslaw as a hot dog topping.