Hot Dogs with Pineapple Bacon Relish

Hot dogs, cooked your favorite way, served with relish of pineapple, chopped bacon, red onion, and sweet pickles.

You know you’ve made something good when it disappears faster than the backside of Usain Bolt.

No need to beg your loved ones to take seconds on these hot dogs. You’ll be lucky if there are any left for you!

Chop up some fresh pineapple, and mix it in with chopped bacon, onions, and sweet pickles. Pile the relish over a sizzling hot dog and enjoy.

Watch out, it’s messy! But I think that’s just how it goes with hot dogs and relish. Slather on some mustard too. You may as well go full-on mess while you’re at it.

Hot Dogs with Pineapple Bacon Relish Recipe

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: Makes enough relish for 8 hot dogs

If you are grilling the hot dogs, if you want you can grill the onion instead of sautéing. Just cut into thick rounds, coat with olive oil, and grill for about 5 minutes per side. Then chop.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 pound thick cut bacon
  • 1/2 large red onion, chopped, about 1 cup
  • 2 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple (about 10 oz)
  • 1/4 cup chopped sweet pickles
  • 1 Tbsp sweet pickle juice
  • 8 hot dogs
  • 8 hot dog buns

Method

1 Pre-cook the bacon: Place the strips of bacon in a skillet on medium heat. Slowly cook the bacon, turning the strips over occasionally until much of the fat is rendered and the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon strips to a paper towel lined plate.

2 Sauté the onions: Pour off all but a teaspoon of the bacon fat (do this into a jar, do not pour down the drain or you will clog your pipes). Increase the heat to medium high and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

While the onions are cooking, finely chop the cooled bacon strips.

3 Make pineapple bacon relish: In a large bowl stir to combine the bacon, onion, pineapple, and sweet pickles. Mix in a tablespoon of sweet pickle juice. You can make ahead at this point, chill until ready to serve with the hot dogs.

4 Cook the hot dogs: Heat the hot dogs your favorite way. The hot dogs are already cooked when you buy them, so all you really need to do is heat them through.

Over a grill, grill for about 5 minutes on a medium flame, until lightly browned, and toast the buns for a minute if you wish.

Or, put the dogs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes.

Or, pierce the hot dogs all over with a fork and put on a plate in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds per hot dog.

5 Assemble: Place a hot dog in a bun and top with a couple spoonfuls of relish.