Hot dogs don’t need many additions before they become a full meal, but wrapping them in bacon gives the grill another surface to crisp. Add melted queso and pickled jalapeños, and each bite moves between smoky bacon, creamy cheese, and chile heat.
These bacon-wrapped hot dogs use all-beef franks, bacon, queso, shredded lettuce, and pickled jalapeños. Most of the work happens on the grill, while the cheese sauce comes together in a saucepan before everything is loaded into the bun.
Partially Cook the Bacon Before Wrapping
Bacon needs enough time to cook without leaving the hot dog on the grill for too long. Partially cooking the strips first keeps them pliable enough to wrap while giving the bacon a head start.
Wrap one strip or half a strip around each hot dog, then secure it with a toothpick. Avoid covering the bacon with several overlapping layers since the covered sections won’t receive as much direct heat.
Heat the grill to medium and coat the grates before adding the hot dogs.
Grill Until the Bacon Is Cooked Through
Place the wrapped hot dogs on the grill and cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes, turning them so the bacon cooks across each side.
Watch the bacon rather than relying on the hot dog alone to tell you when they’re done. The goal is cooked bacon with crisp edges wrapped around a hot dog heated through the center.
Remove the toothpicks before placing the hot dogs into their buns.
Melt Queso for the Buns
While the hot dogs cook, cube queso-flavored Velveeta and combine it with milk in a small saucepan. Heat until the cheese melts into a smooth sauce.
Drizzle the queso inside each bun before adding the bacon-wrapped hot dog. Putting the cheese beneath the hot dog helps keep the toppings from becoming buried under a thick layer of sauce.
Regular Velveeta can also work when queso-flavored cheese isn’t available. Chopped green chiles can add some of the pepper flavor back into the sauce.
Finish With Lettuce and Pickled Jalapeños
Shredded lettuce adds a fresh crunch against the bacon and melted cheese, while pickled jalapeño slices bring acidity and heat.
Fresh jalapeños can replace the pickled version for a sharper chile bite without the vinegar flavor. Keep the slices on top so the amount can be adjusted for each serving.
Serve the hot dogs as soon as they’re assembled, while the bacon still has its crisp edges and the queso remains melted.
Use the Oven When the Grill Isn’t an Option
The same bacon-wrapped hot dogs can be cooked indoors. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, arrange the wrapped hot dogs on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for about 12 minutes or until the bacon has cooked through.
The grill adds char that the oven won’t reproduce in quite the same way, but the combination that defines these hot dogs remains intact: bacon wrapped around the frank, queso across the bun, and jalapeños on top.
Keep the toppings simple and each part gets its turn. Bacon handles the smoke and salt, queso coats the bun, and jalapeños bring enough heat to keep these far from a plain grilled hot dog.
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