Cooking Up a Hooley: Irish Dogs!

Cooking Up A Hooley In The Kitchen: Irish Dogs
By Katie Gagne

Lest you think I’m talking about wolfhounds or setters – no need to worry.

We are getting closer to those warm and wonderful months and it’s time for some hot dogs. There is something special about eating a simple hot dog topped with stadium or ballpark mustard while watching a baseball game, or grabbing one for a quick dinner or lunch, or munching on one at a picnic. 

While a mustard-topped hot dog is terrific just like that, it is fun to play with some fun toppings too. So, what we have here, is an Irish Hot Dog.

Irish Hot Dogs 

Ingredients      Makes 8 Hot Dogs

8 Beef Hot Dogs
8 Hot Dog Buns
¼ lb of Corned Beef -sliced or chopped   
deli or from the brisket
½ cup Sauerkraut
8 small Dill Pickles
1 package Shredded Hashbrowns
1 bottle Smithwick’s or any red ale
1 teasp. Celery Salt
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Stadium or Ball Park Mustard
Thousand Island Dressing
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add in shredded hashbrowns and cook until golden and crispy. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
In a pot, place hot dogs, Smithwick’s and ½ cup water. Cook over medium heat until plump and fully cooked.
In a small saucepan, heat the sauerkraut with the celery salt until just warmed through.
Chop corned beef.
Slice pickles lengthwise and then cut in half to have four pieces per pickle.
Warm hot dog buns
When hot dogs are cooked – finish them on a grill or under the broiler.

Time to assemble:

Place a hot dog in each bun. Slide the pickle slices alongside the hot dog.
Top the hot dog with the sauerkraut, then the corned beef, and then shreds of the hash browns.
Drizzle the Thousand Island dressing and mustard across the top.
Enjoy!!
You can adjust the amounts you make very easily. 
You may have some leftover ingredients that you can use in another dish.
Any of the toppings that don’t agree with you or cooking methods that don’t work –you can easily omit or adapt. 

* Katie Gagne teaches English at Trinity High School in Garfield Heights. She is also the owner of her in-home bakery Sassy’s Sweets and Oh So Much More. You can contact her at (440) 773-4459 or at [email protected], or find her on Facebook at @sassyssweetsandmore.