BBQ Hot Dog Burnt Ends

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About These BBQ Hot Dog Burnt Ends

What They Are: Oven-baked hot dog pieces coated in BBQ seasoning, homemade BBQ sauce, brown sugar, butter and liquid smoke, then cooked until sticky and lightly caramelized.

Inspired By: BBQ burnt ends, with this hot dog version inspired by @cookingwithcarrrl.

Servings: 4

Cooking Method: Low-temperature baking followed by high-temperature caramelization.

Oven Temperatures: 120°C / 248°F, followed by 200°C / 392°F.

Do I Need a Smoker? No. This version is made entirely in the oven, with a small amount of liquid smoke providing additional smoky flavour.

Do I Need Expensive Hot Dogs? Nope. I actually prefer regular hot dogs here because the BBQ rub and sauce are supposed to be the stars.

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BBQ Hot Dog Burnt Ends are exactly what they sound like: regular hot dogs coated in mustard and BBQ seasoning, slowly cooked, cut into chunks and then tossed with BBQ sauce, brown sugar, butter and a little liquid smoke before going back into the oven until everything becomes sticky and caramelized.

Nothing fancy here. In fact, I'm deliberately using regular hot dogs because I want the BBQ spice mix and homemade BBQ sauce to do most of the talking.

@VinceHomeMade

This recipe was inspired by my friend @cookingwithcarrrl on Instagram and TikTok. Carl made his version in a smoker, which presented one tiny problem for me: I live in a small apartment in Singapore. There isn't exactly a backyard outside waiting for a smoker. I do own a Nordic stovetop smoker, but honestly, I was too lazy to whip the damn thing out.

So, into the oven they went, with a little liquid smoke to bring some of that smokiness back. This also gave me the perfect excuse to use Dad's BBQ Spice Mix from my dear friend @VinceHomeMade, who sent me three different jars of his spice mixes all the way from Australia.

I've made these three times now, and I actually have to make them when my daughters aren't home because otherwise they'll devour everything before I get a chance to take a proper shot. Imagine how good these are.

Traditional burnt ends have much humbler beginnings. They're associated particularly with Kansas City barbecue and were originally the intensely smoky, fatty and heavily barked pieces trimmed from the point end of smoked beef brisket.

Check out @cookingwithcarrrl original recipe:

What was once treated almost like an offcut eventually became something people deliberately sought out, and today you'll find all sorts of playful “burnt ends” made with pork belly, sausages and, yes, hot dogs.

This obviously isn't traditional Kansas City barbecue, nor am I pretending it is. It's my apartment-friendly take on the idea: no backyard, no smoker, just an oven and a little liquid smoke.

If you've got a packet of regular hot dogs sitting around, give this a try. Just make sure you get your photos before your family finds them.

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Ingredients:

(Serve 4)

• Hot Dogs, 10

• Dijon Mustard, 1 TBSP

• @VinceHomeMade Dad's BBQ Spice Mix, 1 TBSP + More Or Your Favorite BBQ Rub

• Brown Sugar, For Sprinkling

• BBQ Sauce Homemade, 1/4 Cup

• Liquid Smoke Preferably Stubb's, 1 TBSP

• Unsalted Butter, A Few Knobs

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Equipment:

• Oven

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Directions:

1. Please visit my "Homemade BBQ Sauce" for the recipe.

2. Preheat the oven to 120°C / 248°F.

3. Place the whole hot dogs in a large mixing bowl. Add the Dijon mustard and BBQ spice mix, then toss until every hot dog is evenly coated. The mustard acts as a binder, helping the seasoning stick to the surface.

4. Arrange the hot dogs in a single layer on a baking tray, leaving a little space between each one. Don't stack them; exposing as much of their surface as possible helps them cook and develop flavour more evenly.

5. Sprinkle a little additional BBQ spice mix over the hot dogs.

6. Bake for about 1 hour, flipping the hot dogs halfway through so both sides are exposed to the heat.

7. Remove the tray from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 200°C / 392°F.

8. When the hot dogs are cool enough to handle safely, slice them into bite-sized chunks.

9. Transfer the pieces back onto the baking tray. Sprinkle over some brown sugar, then add the homemade BBQ sauce and liquid smoke.

10. Toss everything thoroughly until every piece is coated. Spread the hot dogs back into a single layer rather than piling them on top of one another.

11. Scatter a few small knobs of unsalted butter over the top.

12. Return the tray to the 200°C / 392°F oven and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes.

13. Toss the hot dogs approximately every 10 minutes. This redistributes the sauce and helps the pieces caramelize more evenly instead of burning in one spot.

14. They're ready when the BBQ sauce has reduced and clings tightly to the hot dogs, with lightly caramelized edges and very little loose sauce remaining on the tray.

15. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately while they're hot and sticky.

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Tips

• Don't crowd the tray. 

  • Keep the hot dogs in a single layer during both stages of cooking. If they're piled together, they'll trap steam instead of allowing the sauce to reduce and caramelize around them.

    
    

• Go easy with the liquid smoke. 

  • It is extremely concentrated. More doesn't necessarily mean smokier; too much can quickly become harsh and overpower everything else.

    
    

• Watch the final 10 minutes. 

  • There is brown sugar in the recipe and sugar in the BBQ sauce, so things can go from beautifully caramelized to burnt rather quickly once the sauce has reduced.

    
    

• You don't need fancy hot dogs. 

  • Regular supermarket hot dogs work perfectly well. Most of the flavour here comes from the BBQ seasoning, sauce and caramelization.

    
    

• Use your favourite BBQ rub. 

  • I'm using Dad's BBQ Spice Mix from @VinceHomeMade because that's what inspired this particular batch, but the technique works with whatever BBQ rub you already enjoy.

    
    

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FAQ

• What are hot dog burnt ends?

  • Hot dog burnt ends are bite-sized pieces of seasoned hot dogs coated with BBQ sauce and other seasonings, then cooked until the outside becomes sticky and caramelized. They're a playful and much quicker spin on traditional barbecue burnt ends made from brisket.

  
  

• Can I make hot dog burnt ends without a smoker?

  • Nope. The recipe that inspired mine was made in a smoker, but I live in a small apartment in Singapore and don't have a backyard smoker. I adapted mine for the oven and use a little liquid smoke to bring some of that smoky character back. I technically own a Nordic stovetop smoker too. I was just too lazy to take it out.

  
  

• Why do you bake the hot dogs before cutting them?

  • I like seasoning and baking the hot dogs whole first so the BBQ rub has time to adhere to and flavour the exterior. I then cut them into chunks before adding the BBQ sauce, brown sugar and butter for the final caramelization.

  
  

• What temperature do you cook hot dog burnt ends?

  • I start the hot dogs at 120°C / 248°F for about an hour. After cutting and saucing them, I increase the oven to 200°C / 392°F and continue baking until the sauce has reduced and the hot dogs are sticky and lightly caramelized.

  
  

• Can I use a different BBQ rub?

  • Absolutely. I'm using Dad's BBQ Spice Mix from @VinceHomeMade for this batch, but you can substitute your favourite BBQ rub.

  
  

• How do I know when the hot dog burnt ends are done?

  • Look at the sauce rather than relying entirely on the clock. The sauce should have reduced enough to cling tightly to the hot dogs, the edges should be lightly caramelized, and there shouldn't be much loose BBQ sauce remaining on the tray.

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Recipe Video: