Antoni Porowski from Queer Eye Shares His Secret to Perfect Summer Hot Dogs

While a classic hot dog with mustard and ketchup is always a winner, when Antoni Porowski, Queer Eye's resident culinary expert, offers a way to elevate the humble hot dog with simple yet irresistible flavors, we're all ears.

While revisiting old episodes of Netflix's Queer Eye, we stumbled upon one of Porowski's best recipes. It's not fancy or complicated, but that’s exactly what makes it so great.

In the final episode of season one, Porowski and the Queer Eye team assist their firefighter friend, Jeremy, in raising money for his station at a community fundraiser. The team decides to sell gourmet hot dogs at a premium price—taking simple ingredients and turning them into deliciously upgraded versions, perfect for a summer cookout.

The first step in this hot dog makeover is the grilling technique. Porowski suggests butterflying the hot dogs to create more surface area on the grill and prevent the toppings from slipping off. To do this, slice the hot dogs vertically down the center, but not all the way through. Then, spread the two halves out like butterfly wings, grill them cut side down, and cook until grill marks form.

Now that you've mastered the grilling technique, it's time to take your hot dogs to the next level by adding bold, unexpected flavors. Antoni Porowski's recipes will help you do just that:

The Sweet and Sour Hot Dog

In a small bowl, mix together 3 parts Dijon mustard and 1 part honey. Slice pickles and pickled carrots into thin matchsticks.

Place a butterflied grilled hot dog in a bun. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the honey mustard sauce onto the hot dog and top with the matchstick-sized slices of pickles.

The Spicy and Crunchy Hot Dog

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise with chipotle pepper sauce from a can of adobo peppers, adjusting to your preferred spice level. In a separate bowl, crush a couple handfuls of ruffled potato chips until finely crushed.

Place a butterflied grilled hot dog in a bun. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the spicy chipotle mayo on top, then sprinkle with the crushed potato chips for an extra crunch.