The Condiment Hack To Try For Less Messy Hot Dogs

Is there any joy comparable to that which you feel when you bite into your first grilled hot dog of the summer season? It's a magical moment that fills you with either memories or future notions of afternoons on the beach, a cold beer after mowing your lawn, and wearing flip-flops to any and every occasion. It might also fill your lap with all the hot dog toppings, as they slide right off the smooth surface of the wiener. There is a way to keep this from happening, though, and it's incredibly simple: place the toppings on the bun first.

We know, we know — then they're not really "toppings," are they? Bottomings, perhaps? But when you place down your ketchup, mustard, relish, and onions, they get pressed into the bun by the hot dog, meaning they're a lot less likely to go anywhere as you eat it.

To be fair, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council etiquette page includes this hack on its list of Don'ts ("Always 'dress the dog,' not the bun," it reads). But we don't think the council has the man-power to send someone to your backyard to stop you.

None of this will work, of course, unless you practice a little restraint with your toppings (or as much as you can, especially if you're assembling a regional hot dog style with specialty toppings). After all, if you pile them mile-high, they'll just come squirting out the bottom. As in so many cases where food is concerned, a little moderation is necessary — the meat is the star of the show, and if you're using one of our best-ranked hot dog brands, you don't want to drown out the symphony of savory flavors that make up your wiener. The more toppings you include, the less of each type you'll want to put down, or else you could end up wearing them.

If you're thinking, great, but the hot dog bun is going to get soggy and the toppings are going to burst through the bottom, we've got a workaround for you there, too. Use cheese as a barrier between the bun and the wet condiments, like mustard or relish. You can bust out your sliced cheese or sprinkle on some shredded, pop the cheesed buns in the microwave for about five seconds to start the melt, and then add your toppings on. What's great is that it adds another dimension of flavor to your hot dog, especially if you branch out and use different kinds of cheese, like a smoky Gouda or an extra sharp cheddar.