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A hot dog in a bun
Pan-Frying

Ballpark hot dogs

Prep 10 min Cook 15 min Total 25 min Servings 8

By Lukasz Jagiello

Published Oct 11, 2026 · Updated Oct 11, 2026

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About this recipe

I only post recipes that I have tried and verified and are good to my taste — all taste may vary.

A simmer, not a rolling boil, keeps the hot dog from splitting. Toasting the bun in butter is what makes it taste like the park instead of the package.

Ingredients

Method

  1. 01

    Cook the onion, sugar, and water in 1 tablespoon of butter over medium until the onion is soft and lightly gold, about 8 minutes.

  2. 02

    Simmer the hot dogs in a skillet of water just below a boil for 5 minutes. Drain. Brown them in a dry spot of the skillet for 1 minute if you want color.

  3. 03

    Butter the buns and toast them in a skillet or under a broiler.

  4. 04

    Set a hot dog in each bun. Add mustard, the onion, and chili if you are making chili dogs.

Notes & swaps

  • Grill the dogs over direct heat for 4 to 5 minutes if you are outside.
  • The chili recipe on this site is the one to spoon on top.

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