Grilled Carolina Style Cheddar Wurst Sausage Dogs
This is not a recipe on how to make sausage AT ALL. Or how to make anything from scratch, really. In reality, this entire article is about either using the products you already have in your fridge OR buying these things from your local grocery store. I wanted to make the best and most delicious sausage dog possible, but I wanted to put in very little effort! Below you will find a recipe followed by a conclusive review. So don’t forget to read WHY you should make these dogs! Without further ado, let’s dive into this recipe and why it’s so good.
Look at how disgustingly sloppy and delicious this looks. LOOK AT IT
Experience Level: None needed! Newbie, beginner, novice, etc.
Serving Size: 6 dogs
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 to 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Your ingredient list right here
- 6 Hillshire Farm Cheddar Wurst sausage dogs
- Alternatives: not interchangeable with other sausages! Sorry.
- 1 pack of Arnold Potato Hot Dog Rolls
- Alternatives: Martin’s or something else. I haven’t tried many others so I can’t really say.
- 1 can of Bunker Hill Chili – No beans (texture wise, this chili sauce is average at best – it’s a bit runny – but the flavor paired with the price is bonkers)
- Alternatives: I don’t really recommend any other brands, but if I had to, I’d go with Castleberry’s, Patterson’s, or Hormel, in that order.
- 1 small Vidalia onion diced
- Alternatives: Depending where you’re located in the world, you may or may not have access to a true Vidalia onion. But any sweet yellow onion will do.
- Heinz Ketchup (as much or as little as you prefer)
- Alternatives: None. Hunts is just too tomato-ey and doesn’t have enough of that vinegar spiced bite like Heinz.
- Heinz Yellow Mustard (as much or as little as you prefer)
- Alternatives: French’s or even a generic brand will be sufficient.
- Texas Pete Hot Sauce
- Alternatives: So basically, I don’t know if your region does or does not have Texas Pete. But here in North Carolina, it’s one of those sauces you find on the table next to the ketchup in probably 90% of restaurants. I can’t think of an alternative, but something that’s not too spicy to overpower the flavors. Maybe a Louisiana sauce, like Crystal’s.
- Can of Coca-Cola Classic on the side
- Alternatives: I don’t know if I would drink any other Cola with this, really. But Pepsi could be a nice reprieve from the salty dungeon you’re about to enter.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- First you should go ahead and pre-heat the grill to approximately 400 degrees – or your frying pan to 350 degrees or so with a little cooking oil or olive oil. Let your grill heat up so it’s good and hot and stuff. While the grill is heating, chop one (1) whole small Vidalia or sweet yellow onion into tiny diced pieces. Wait, don’t chop them, dice them. Yea. That’s what I mean. Set onions aside.
- Pull out all of your awesome ingredients in preparation for this most righteous sausage dog experience. Put the dogs on the grill – or frying pan. If grilling, close the grill to keep the heat in better. If using a frying pan, leave the pan open (do not cover). Cook the dogs for approximately 4 to 7 minutes on each side (8 to 15 minutes total), depending on how charred or crispy you like yours. But don’t overcook them too much or all of the fatty juices and cheeses on the inside will come out!
- While the dogs are cooking, open the can of chili and put it into a coffee cup. I know, I know. It sounds weird. But we’re taking the easy way out. So pour or spoon the can into a coffee cup, cover with a napkin or paper towel and microwave for approximately 1 minute or longer depending on your microwave POWER! NOTE: It is okay to microwave these early as they’ll hold heat fairly well for a while.
This is really not a great chili. But it tastes pretty damn good.
- When the sausage is about one (1) minute from being done, take your buns/rolls and toss them into the microwave for probably no more than 20 seconds. This will give them a halfway decent steamed texture and such. Put a heavy squeeze or spread of mustard on the inside of the bun before you put the dogs inside.
- Before the dogs get too burnt and start bleeding their gooey scrumptious cheese filling, take them off the grill and slide them into your mustardy bun! This is where it gets really exciting.
- Put the chili on first. It is a canned chili sauce, so it’s going to be a bit runny and not super duper chunky. Its runniness will make it fill the cracks to the left and right of the dog while giving the onions some texture to stick to so they don’t fall off the bun.
- Now you put your diced onions on to give it some crunch. These sweet little onions are so damn delicious. This dog truly wouldn’t be the same without it.
- Top the dog with a healthy squeeze of ketchup and a ton of Texas Pete Hot Sauce.
- Serve with an ice cold canned Coca-Cola Classic and some Lays potato chips.
CONCLUSION
Holy shitballs guys n gals. I’ve never reviewed a meal like this before. But I made this the last 3 nights IN A ROW (2 sausage dogs per night) and it absolutely blew my freegin’ mind… Every time. The super salty heart-attack-inducing sausage links are anything but “healthy” or of “superior quality.” They’re not cheap quality either. But it’s like eating at a fast food restaurant. You eat it because the food is incredibly delicious and easy. Just like this artery blocking recipe for an early death.
All of the flavors and textures on this Hillshire Farm Cheddar Wurst Sausage Dog are outrageously perfect for each other. Salty, sweet, spicy, buttery, zesty, etc. It’s a lot of strong flavors, that’s for sure. But they pair well with each other. One thing you don’t want is for the toppings to overpower the main course (AKA: Sausage). That’s not an issue here at all as these Cheddar Wurst links have some serious zing. The mustard gives it a slight zesty flavor on the front, but every bite includes a strong fresh onion profile and a sweet n’ tangy n’ salty finish. Where does the chili fit in? To be honest, I have a hard time consistently pinpointing the taste of the chili, but when I ate a dog without the chili, it was noticeably absent. The spiciness of Texas Pete is never super strong but it packs just enough kick to linger on your tongue for a few short minutes after each dog. And I wouldn’t use any bun other than a potato bun for maximum awesomeness.
I like mine with a side of BBQ potato chips and an ice cold canned Coca-Cola Classic. The chips are a perfect reprieve from the ultra dominating flavors of the dog, and the sweet and carbonated bite of the Cola is an insanely effective pallet cleanser (probably not true, but it feels this way).
Overall, the Carolina Style Hillshire Farms Cheddar Wurst meal is an incredible masterpiece waiting for your discovery. I’m proud to have “invented” this concoction and I can’t wait for you to give it a try. I’m 100% sure others have made this already, but I feel pretty confident that it must be made with every single ingredient on here of the right brands. So that’s why I’m claiming it as mine!
Two Thumps Up
Nerd Rating: Um, considering I came up with this a few years ago and still cook all my sausage dogs this way, I’m obviously gonna go for a 10/10 nerd rating.
Written by Nerdberry
What’s up yall? David “Nerdberry” here! I am the founder of Nerd Bacon and the current co-owner (and CEO) along with partner David “theWatchman!” I hail from North Carolina, hence my love for all things pork! Oh, you’re not familiar with NC? Well I’m not 100% sure, but I am pretty confident that NC and VA lead the nation in pork production. I could be wrong, but even if I am, I still love bacon!
Come enjoy some bacon and games with us yall.
