Hot Dog Burnt Ends

Surprisingly delicious Hot Dog Burnt Ends are sweet, smoky and full of flavor! If you are on a budget and entertaining, these are the perfect appetizer recipe. They will be loved by young and old alike.

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Don’t let the name fool you, you are not about to eat a burnt hot dog! If you’ve never tried burnt ends, you are missing out! These hot dog burnt ends are far different than traditional burnt ends made from brisket, or these pork butt burnt ends, but my goodness they’re tasty. Hot dogs are way more affordable too, so you can make a huge load of burnt ends all at once for a really great price.

Smoked hot dog burnt ends are a great addition to any summer cookout. Try them out for a game day appetizer, Easter brunch, Mother’s Day lunch, or your first pool party of the summer. They’ll be a crowd hit and everyone will be raving about them!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Burnt Ends

• This recipe is an affordable way to make tasty burnt ends! Classic burnt ends are made with more expensive cuts of meat, but these are just as tasty.
• It only takes 10 minutes to prep this recipe! Then throw ’em in the smoker and let it do the work for you.
• You only need 6 ingredients to make these smokey and delicious burnt ends.

Ingredients for Hot Dog Burnt Ends

• All-beef hot dogs – We recommend getting the ball park style franks that are a little more thin and long. But most importantly, make sure that they are 100% beef hot dogs.
• Sweet and smoky rub – Our sweet and smoky rub is perfect for these burnt end hot dogs. But you could use any sweet and smoky rub in your spice cabinet! You can also make your own homemade sweet and smoky rub.
• BBQ sauce – Use your favorite barbecue sauce for these burnt ends! We recommend something with a little sweetness, smoky flavor, and a bit of kick.
• Yellow mustard – This may sound strange, but the tart flavor of mustard really melds well with all of the other flavors in this recipe.
• Brown sugar – Brown sugar essentially caramelizes on these burnt ends and gives them a deliciously sweet coating.
• Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter, either will work.

How to Make Burnt End Hot Dogs

Preheat your smoker 250 degrees Fahrenheit and then prepare the hot dogs.

Cover each hot dog in yellow mustard and then sprinkle them with sweet and smokey spice rub.

Place each hot dog directly onto the smoker and close the lid. Smoked them for an hour.

Remove the hot dogs and slice them into 1 ½ inch pieces. Place the hot dog pieces into a disposable aluminum pan and top them with butter, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce.

Then, put the pan back into the smoker and increase temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for 30 more minutes, stirring regularly, until the sugar has started to caramelize.

Once the burnt ends are complete, serve them immediately!

Should I cover the hot dog burnt ends while smoking?

Nope! Leave them uncovered so they get that nice smoky flavor and that amazing sticky texture.

How Long does it take to make hot dog burnt ends?

Total cook time is about an hour and a half. First, you will smoke the hot dogs right on the grates of your smoker for an hour. You will then place them uncovered in the smoker with sauce for another 30 minutes or so.

How to Serve Hot Dog Burnt Ends

Serve burnt ends while they’re still hot! You can also put a little cup of toothpicks or small skewers next to the pan of burnt ends for people to eat the little sliced hot dogs with. Any way you serve ’em up will be great!

These would be a great appetizer for a meal of pineapple pork chops, grilled corn salad, and grilled peaches. Oh, and don’t forget that tasty whiskey lemonade either. That’s the perfect summer menu right there!

How to Store Leftover Burnt End Hot Dogs

I don’t recommend freezing any leftovers, but you can store them in the refrigerator! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat, pop them in the oven or air fryer until they’re heated all the way through.

Why are they called burnt ends?

Traditionally, burnt ends are made with brisket. When brisket is cooked, the ends tend to cook way more quickly than the middle because they’re thinner. So the ends end up burnt, but packed full of flavor.

So, people took this and created a technique to take small chunks of meat and make them mimic the flavor and crispiness that burnt ends have! There are now tons of recipes for burnt ends like these smoked hot dog burnt ends and poor man’s burnt ends.

This twist on burnt ends is so easy, affordable and so tasty! These are a must have for the next party you host in your backyard! Can’t wait for you to try them out.

More Recipes For the Smoker

• Smoked Pork Butt is absolutely delicious and really easy to make.
• If you need a tasty dessert, then check out these Smoked Apples.
• Smoked Steak Kabobs are perfect for an easy weeknight meal or whenever you’re hosting a party.
• Want a yummy snack to munch on? This Smoked Snack Mix is amazing!
• Grab some extra hot dogs and make these incredible Smoked Hot Dogs.

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5 from 1 vote

Hot Dog Burnt Ends

Sticky, sweet Hot Dog Burnt Ends are the perfect party appetizer.

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total:1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

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8

servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 16 all-beef hot dogs
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Sweet & Smoky Rub
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons butter unsalted OR salted
• ▢ ¼ cup brown sugar packed
• ▢ ½ cup BBQ sauce

Instructions

• Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cover the hot dogs in the yellow mustard and then sprinkle them with Sweet & Smoky Rub making sure to evenly distribute.
• Place the hot dogs directly onto the smoker grates of the preheated smoker, close the lid and smoke for 1 hour.
• Remove the hot dogs from the smoker and slice them into 1 ½ inch pieces. Place the sliced hot dogs into a disposable pan. Then top them with butter, brown sugar and BBQ sauce.
• Increase the heat on your smoker to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pan of hot dogs on the grill and cook for an additional 30 minutes, stirring regularly, until the butter is melted and sugars have started to caramelize on the hot dogs.
• Serve immediately.

Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 335kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 31g (10%), Protein: 10g (20%), Fat: 19g (29%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 56mg (19%), Sodium: 888mg (39%), Potassium: 196mg (6%), Fiber: 0.4g (2%), Sugar: 13g (14%), Vitamin A: 244IU (5%), Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 47mg (5%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

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We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.