Now that grilling season is officially upon us, it's hard to scroll social media without seeing a recipe for hot dog burnt ends. We tried them to see if they lived up to the hype.
I Made ‘Hot Dog Burnt Ends’ for the Easiest Barbecue Ever
Published on Jun. 06, 2025
If there is one grilling recipe taking social media by storm this summer, it is hot dog burnt ends. Imagine the flavor experience of the classic Kansas City barbecue dish, but in the form of an easy recipe for the grill. Get ready to take your hot dog game to a whole new level thanks to this viral sensation.
Even though I was a little skeptical, I couldn’t wait to hop on the bandwagon. I used the method from Taste of Home‘s very own creator @girldadskitchen on Instagram and followed the recipe listed in the caption. After that first bite, it was clear why everyone is talking about hot dog burnt ends.
What are hot dog burnt ends?
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When smoking a brisket, the burnt ends are made from the pointed end of the large cut of meat that become charred and crisped throughout the cooking process. What once was a discarded piece became mouthwatering barbecue gold when tossed with a sweet and tangy sauce.
For those of us who don’t have the time or budget to smoke an entire brisket just to anticipate a few nibbles of those prized burnt ends, the concept of the hot dog version was born. Hot dogs are scored, seasoned, charred and sauced in such a way to replicate the texture and cooking style of burnt ends.
Ingredients for Hot Dog Burnt Ends
- Hot Dogs: Use your favorite brand of hot dogs here. I recommend plump and juicy ones for optimal results.
- Mustard: When preparing the hot dogs, good old-fashioned yellow mustard does the trick. If you want to use a fancier Dijon mustard, save that for the dipping sauce.
- Barbecue Rub: Use your favorite homemade dry rub recipe, or grab a prepared blend from store shelves.
- Barbecue Sauce: Again, you can make your own barbecue sauce, or pick up a bottle of the best barbecue sauce you can find at the store.
- Dipping Sauce: The video I followed offered a recipe for an easy hot honey mustard that was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.
How to Make Hot Dog Burnt Ends
Score hot dog links in a crisscross pattern and then saturate them with a generous slathering of yellow mustard. Sprinkle with barbecue rub before transferring to the hot grill grates. Slowly charring on the grill exposes more surface area of the meat as the scored portions begin to open up and become crisp.
To finish things up, cut the hot dogs into bite sized pieces, toss them in barbecue sauce, and return them to the grill for a low and slow cook to impart a glossy, sweet coating over every morsel.
Enjoy the hot dog burnt ends on their own or dip them into a honey mustard sauce.
Are hot dog burnt ends worth the effort?
Sometimes they’re referred to as budget barbecue bites, and I agree that hot dog burnt ends are a great way to reimagine a beloved barbecue dish. Hot dog burnt ends take a little bit of time on the grill since they are cooked two different ways, but otherwise it’s a relatively hands-off cooking process. The small amount of work involved does have quite a big payoff. I loved that this was a new way to enjoy hot dogs that I had never tried before. The texture was fantastic, and I couldn’t get enough of that sweet and spicy dipping sauce. I can’t wait to make them again for various parties and potlucks throughout the summer!
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