Hot Dog Cheesesteaks

Name: Hot Dog Cheesesteaks
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat; 2 medium yellow onions, sliced; Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning; 6 hot dogs, halved, sliced thin; 8 slices American cheese; 4 brioche hot dog buns, top cut; Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce

Jul 03, 2024 • Tom Jackson

Experience a twist on a classic with Hot Dog Cheesesteaks, a smoky, cheesy delight. Start by preheating your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 450ºF, ensuring the diffuser is removed and the cast iron griddle is installed. Spray the griddle with Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat and add two sliced medium yellow onions. Season them lightly with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning and cook until softened and slightly browned around the edges. Next, spray the griddle again with duck fat, add six halved and thinly sliced hot dogs, and cook until they are slightly charred on the edges. Mix the onions and hot dogs together, then divide the mixture into four equal portions, placing two slices of American cheese on each portion to melt. While the cheese is melting, toast four top-cut brioche hot dog buns in duck fat until they are slightly browned on the surface and soft inside. Finally, slide each cheesy hot dog mixture onto a toasted bun and top with Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce for a perfect blend of smoky, cheesy, and spicy flavors. Enjoy!

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Duck fat instead of oil is doing real work here: Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat has a higher smoke point than butter and more flavor than neutral oil, giving the onions and hot dogs a richer browning character than a standard cooking spray would produce at 450°F.
Thinly sliced hot dogs caramelize like cheesesteak meat: Halving and thinly slicing the hot dogs before cooking creates far more surface area for browning, so each piece picks up char on the edges rather than just heating through — the result tastes like something between a Philly cheesesteak and a ballpark hot dog.
American cheese melted directly onto the hot dog-onion portion: Melting the cheese on top of each divided portion in the pan before sliding onto the bun means the cheese is fully incorporated into the filling rather than perched on top and sliding off with the first bite.
Brioche buns toasted in duck fat, not just heat: Toasting the top-cut brioche buns in duck fat rather than dry heat adds richness and a slightly crispier surface that holds up to the warm, cheesy filling without going soggy.

Hot Dog Cheesesteaks

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

4

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Get ready to delight your taste buds with Hot Dog Cheesesteaks, a new twist on a classic that’s sure to impress. Picture this: the inviting aroma of sizzling onions and hot dogs wafting through the air as you fire up your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill. There’s something heartwarming about gathering around the grill with friends and family, sharing stories and laughter while preparing a meal that’s both comforting and exciting. This recipe combines the familiar flavors of hot dogs with the savory depth of caramelized onions and the gooey goodness of melted American cheese, all nestled in a perfectly toasted brioche bun. Top it off with a dash of Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce, and you’ve got a dish that’s not just delicious but also filled with the warmth and camaraderie of good company. So fire up that grill and let’s get cooking!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning
6 hot dogs, halved, sliced thin
8 slices American cheese
4 brioche hot dog buns, top cut
Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce

View Cart (0) Checkout

Directions

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 450ºF with the diffuser removed and the Yoder Smokers Cast Iron Griddle installed over the fire box.
Spray the griddle with the duck fat, then add your sliced onions. Season lightly with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning. Cook, stirring and turning occasionally until softened and slightly browned around the edges.
Spray the griddle with the duck fat, then add the thin sliced hot dogs. No need to season. Cook until slightly charred on the edges, stirring to cook evenly.
Mix the onions and hot dogs together, then divide and separate into four equal portions. Melt two slices of cheese on top of each portion.
Meanwhile, toast the buns in duck fat until slightly browned on the surface and soft on the inside.
Slide each portion of the hot dog mixture onto a bun, and top with the hot sauce.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

What's the history behind the hot dog?
The hot dog's ancestor, the sausage, was popular in Europe for centuries before German immigrants brought their culinary traditions — including the frankfurter — to the United States in the 19th century. Its modern American incarnation is credited to Charles Feltman, who began selling sausages in rolls at Coney Island in the 1870s. The hot dog gained widespread popularity at baseball games and fairs, and the term "hot dog" reportedly emerged in the early 20th century, possibly popularized by cartoonist Tad Dorgan. Today it's one of the most iconic foods in American culture — and the basis for this cheesesteak twist.

Why use duck fat instead of regular oil or butter?
Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat has a high smoke point that handles 450°F griddle cooking without burning, and it imparts a subtle richness to both the onions and the bun toast that neutral oil can't match. It also browns the hot dog slices more evenly than butter, which can scorch at that temperature. It's a small upgrade that makes a noticeable difference in the finished flavor.

Why season only the onions and not the hot dogs?
Hot dogs are already heavily seasoned from the curing and smoking process — adding a dry rub would make them overly salty and could overpower the onion-and-cheese balance. The onions are raw and benefit from the Cattleman's Grill Trail Dust Seasoning to develop savory depth as they caramelize. Once the two are combined, the seasoning distributes through the whole mixture.

Can I use a different type of bun?
Top-cut brioche hot dog buns are the best match — the top-cut style sits flat on the griddle for even toasting and the brioche adds richness that holds up to the duck fat toast without falling apart. Standard side-cut hot dog buns work as a substitute, though they're trickier to toast evenly on a flat griddle surface.

Can I make this indoors?
4 out of 5 — Great in the kitchen, better on the grill. A cast iron skillet or flat-top electric griddle over medium-high heat replicates this recipe closely — the technique is the same flat-top method either way. You'll lose some of the outdoor griddle character and any ambient smoke from the pellet grill, but the overall dish translates well indoors.

Recipe Highlights

Install the griddle directly over the firebox for maximum heat: The Yoder Smokers Cast Iron Griddle positioned over the open firebox (with the diffuser removed) creates a flat-top surface at true griddle temperatures rather than the gentler convection heat of the main cooking chamber. This is what produces the proper char on the hot dog edges rather than just heating them through.
Cook onions first, hot dogs second — don't crowd both together: The onions need time to soften and begin browning before the hot dogs are added. Adding both simultaneously drops the griddle temperature and produces steamed onions rather than caramelized ones. Let the onions cook fully, then clear space or move them aside before adding the hot dogs.
Divide into four portions before adding cheese: Mixing the onions and hot dogs together and then dividing into four equal portions before laying the cheese on top ensures each sandwich gets an even share of filling and two full slices of American cheese. Trying to portion after the cheese is melted breaks up the coverage.
Toast the buns in duck fat on the same griddle: Using the residual duck fat and heat on the same griddle surface to toast the buns means they pick up the same seasoned fat flavor that the onions and hot dogs cooked in — every component of the sandwich shares the same cooking medium.