Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski Has the Secret for the Best Summer Hot Dogs

We love a classic mustard and ketchup hot dog, but when Queer Eye's superstar chef, Antoni Porowski, offers a way to elevate the average dog with simple yet mouthwatering flavors, we're paying attention.

Watching back through old episodes of Netflix's Queer Eye, we came across an episode that highlighted one of Porowski's best recipes yet. Sure, it's not fancy, time-consuming, or complex, but that's what makes it fabulous.

In the last episode of season one, Porowski and the Queer Eye crew are helping their firefighter friend, Jeremy, raise money for his fire station in a community-wide fundraiser. To make the event as profitable as possible, the team decides to sell gourmet hotdogs at a higher price point than the cost of the ingredients. What they come up with is two versions of leveled-up hot dogs that are low-cost, fast, and effortless (i.e. the perfect thing to make at a summer cookout).

The first step of this makeover is seen in the hot dog grilling technique. Porowski recommends butterflying the hot dogs to give them more surface area on the grill, plus, it prevents the toppings from rolling off. To try it, cut the hot dogs down the center vertically, almost half way through, but not entirely. Unfold the two sides until the hot dogs look like butterfly wings, then place them (cut side down) on a hot grill and cook until grill marks appear.

Now that you've got the grilling technique down, piling on the flavor in surprising new ways is the next step to wowing guests. Porowski came up with these recipes to bring it all home:

The Sweet and Sour Hot Dog

In a small bowl, combine 3 parts dijon mustard with 1 part honey. Slice pickles and pickled carrots into long, thin matchsticks.

On a grilled hot dog bun, place one butterflied hot dog. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the honey mustard sauce into the center of the hot dog and top with the sliced pickles.

The Spicy and Crunchy Hot Dog

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo, to taste (depending on your heat tolerance). In a medium sized bowl, crush up a couple large handfuls of ruffled potato chips until fine.

On a grilled hot dog bun, place one butterflied hot dog. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the chipotle mayo sauce, then top with the crushed potato chips.