Hot Dog Of The Week: DIY Tijuanas
[Original artwork and photographs: Hawk Krall]
For Super Bowl week I thought I'd change things up at Hot Dog of the Week and test out my recipe for bacon-wrapped Mexican hot dogs, known as Tijuana Dogs, or Danger Dogs in Los Angeles and Sonorans in Arizona. There are some regional differences but both stick to the basic formula of bacon-wrapped dogs and a cornucopia of Mexican garnishes.
Street vendors put everything from pinto beans and pineapple to American condiments such as pickles, ketchup, cheese whiz on these but I stuck to the basics with fresh-made toppings and the results were delicious. It's a great balance of texture and flavor; hot and cold, both spice and temperature-wise.
Cutting the Bolillo rolls.
I went all out using halved Mexican Bolillo rolls toasted in bacon fat, but regular hot dog buns will work just as well. Although I definitely recommend making the guacamole and pico de gallo from scratch. It's so easy and the pre-packed stuff is not really worth eating. If you can't find Mexican cheese—Whole Foods usually carries it, although it's cheaper and better at a Mexican grocery—farmer's cheese would make a fine substitute.
You can use your favorite brand of hot dog although I would recommend using a longer-than-average frank to hold up the toppings and keep the dog from getting lost. (I used Hebrew Nationals.) Avoid thick-cut bacon which will take forever to cook and probably fall off of the dogs.
Ingredients
- 1 8-pack (one pound) of hot dogs
- 8 slices bacon
- 4 Mexican bolillo rolls or 8 standard hot dog buns
- 2 ripe avocados
- 5 fresh Anaheim chilis
- 5 or 6 tomatillos
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 1 white onion
- 1 large shallot
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 bunch scallions
- 3 limes
- 2 lemons
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Paper towels
The Components
- Hot Dogs: Wrap each hot dog in one slice of bacon. Place the wrapped hot dogs in a container or plastic wrap and refridgerate while you work on the garnishes. Letting them sit for a while will help to keep the bacon in place while cooking
- Rolls: If you are using Bolillo rolls, cut them in half, then cut off about three-fourths of an inch of each end to create a flat surface. Then split the resulting piece leaving about a half-inch on the bottom uncut, very much like a New
- Lime Crema: Pour heavy cream, a half-inch of the white part of one scallion, a handful of cilantro, squeeze of half a lime and pinch of salt into a Pyrex or similar container. Use a stick blender to combine and then whip the cream. Move t
- Roasted Garlic and Chiles: Toss 4 Anaheims and 8 cloves of garlic (still in husk) in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 375°F for about 15 minutes or until everything is done. You want the chiles to be dark but not black. L
- Pico De Gallo: Dice tomatillos and tomatoes. Finely dice half of the onion, and 2 or 3 stalks of scallion (about 1/3 cup of each). Mince about 1/4 or less of a fresh Anaheim chile. Chop another handful of cilantro. Combine in a bowl with
Procedures
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1
Place the hot dogs in a large sautee pan on low to medium heat. You want to cook these slower than you usually would to be sure to render all the fat out of the bacon. When the bacon is nice and crispy remove the dogs onto paper towels. Use a grill if you wish, but be careful not to burn the bacon.
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2
Take your cut bollilo rolls and place them flat side down into the bacon fat, pressing down with a spatula, and do the same on the other side for an amazing bacon-fat toasted bun. Place cooked dogs into the buns. If you are using standard rolls toast in the oven or toaster oven, it will help to keep everything from falling apart.
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3
Spread roasted garlic onto the inside of the rolls. Insert bacon wrapped dogs and garnish with roasted chiles, pico de gallo, guacamole and crumbled Mexican cheese. Finish with a squirt of lime crema and Sriracha hot sauce. Amazing.
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4
Hawk Krall is a Philadelphia-based illustrator who has a serious thing for hot dogs. Dig his dog drawings? Many of the illustrations he has created for Hot Dog of the Week are available for sale: hawkkrall.net/prints/.
14 comments:
Wrapping a Hebrew National in bacon is hilarious!
Seriously - that looks like one tasty hot dog.
Big Guy at 1:48PM on 02/05/10
As a native Angeleno (or close to it for last 22 years), I take offense to this recipe. Not that it's bad, but for LA Variation of the TJ Dog, it takes the following.
Start with the cheapest all beef wiener, though in a pinch, all meat wiener will suffice.
Wrap in the thinnest but fattiest bacon available. This usually means Oscar Meyer or generic bacon.
Grill on a cookie sheet powered by portable burner. If you do not have a portable burner available, use your gas burner. Save the Bacon Drippings, as it becomes important.
Make Grilled Onions and Bell Peppers in the Bacon Drippings
Top the dog with:
Said Grilled Onions and Peppers in Bacon Drippings
Mayo, Mustard, and Ketchup (though I abhor Ketchup on my dogs). Mayo is a must!
Fried Jalapeno or other spicy pepper, also in Bacon Drippings
And as vendor allows, pickled Jalapenos, Guacamole, Avacado, or what have you.
Avoid:
Sriracha, it has no place in a "traditional" LA Dog.
Use the cheapest, fattiest wieners and bacon for total victory on these.
Damage at 2:28PM on 02/05/10
Excellent photos! Especially the last one... Mmmmm.
steamsoldier at 3:04PM on 02/05/10
I would agree with Damage. You can actually smell the grilled onions and bell peppers all over Los Angeles (usually around 2 am, when all the clubs are closing down).
sasstastic at 3:29PM on 02/05/10
@sasstastic: Best way to cure a hangover in LA, though beware of the fried jalapenos.
Damage at 5:31PM on 02/05/10
Damage speaks the truth. I love the rooster sauce but it has no place here.
If I make these at home as far the dog and bacon goes I go with what is available in "bulk" from the local carniceria's meat counter. This tends to be hot dogs of unknown origin and thinly sliced, fatty bacon. Both of these i would never use except for this recipe. Try to "fancy it up" sure it's good in it's own way, but it just doesn't taste the same.
Burger365 at 7:07PM on 02/05/10
Hawk, you're the best! Loved your pieces before but I think this home cooking variation is a great idea. I say keep them coming.
deglazer at 9:16PM on 02/05/10
sriracha? what the fuck?
moffett at 11:06PM on 02/05/10
I was intrigued by your brief mention of topping hot dogs with pineapple. It seems like it would have that nice sweet-sour-salty thing going on, like Hawaiian pizza. I am going to try that, although I bet my family will look at me like I'm crazy for putting fruit on a hot dog.
sandn8r9 at 12:52AM on 02/06/10
@Damage
not claiming this is an absolute authentic "LA" mexican dog. It's my recipe.
and if you tried one you might change your mind.
@moffett
Knew someone was going to have a fit over this.. In Philadelphia where I live the Latin and Asian communities/markets are pretty much in the same neighborhoods, and Sriracha is a ubiquitous condiment everywhere. Plus it tastes great.
And street food cooks rarely get all caught up in stodgy ideas of the "right" way to do anything, they just work with what they have, what people want and what tastes good.
Hawk Krall at 1:00AM on 02/06/10
@deglazer- thank you!
@sandn8r9-
I actually saw "hawaiian" hot dogs with ham, pineapple, and a zillion different sauces at a colombian place last weekend.
Hawk Krall at 1:05AM on 02/06/10
I live in Sonora, Mexico (the home of the sonoran dogs as are known in Arizona), and in almost all the recipe of mexican style dogs (danger dogs, tijuana, you name it!) writen by people of the US the bread is named "bolillo" but isn't true, the bolillo is a harder bread, usually used to make tortas, the bread for the hot dogs is softer, i can't think of any kind of bread to compare, but maybe the consistence is kinda similar to a hamburger bun. The "birthplace" of this kind of dogs is the state of Sonora, and there is a battle between the 2 major cities of the state to be named "the city with the best hot dogs", if you want to know how they are here you can check this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXBSzHm8Qxw
Ivelisse at 1:26AM on 02/06/10
OMG, this sounds wonderful! Now, would someone please call my Cardiologist?
Gravitystorm at 3:33PM on 02/07/10
Great recipe
Andrewx12 at 11:04AM on 06/28/10