Thinking of firing up the grill for Father’s Day? These grilled hot dogs topped with a sweet and tangy Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce make an easy, crowd-pleasing main dish. Serve them with sides like bourbon baked beans, corn on the cob, and buttermilk coleslaw for a classic backyard spread that will make Dad feel special.
This recipe yields nearly 4 cups of sauce, so you’ll have extra to use on other dishes. Leftover sauce is excellent on baked barbecue chicken or even as a base for a barbecue chicken pizza.
Dr Pepper is my favorite soft drink, and it adds an unexpectedly delicious depth of flavor when used in cooking.
The sauce leans toward the sweet side, so I like to top the dogs with thinly sliced fresh jalapeños for contrast. Ancho chili powder complements the soda beautifully—if you don’t already have some, it’s worth picking up for this recipe.
Hot Dogs with Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 (12-ounce) can Dr Pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns
- sliced jalapeño pepper, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the diced onion in butter for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Stir in the can of Dr Pepper, ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, ancho chili powder, ground white pepper, and kosher salt. Mix well, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until smooth, or transfer carefully to a regular blender and blend until smooth.
- Grill the hot dogs over a gas or charcoal grill until heated through and slightly charred to your liking. Place each hot dog in a bun, spoon the Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce over the top, and finish with sliced jalapeños if desired.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Did you make this?
Leave a comment below and tag us @spicysouthernkitchen on social media!
Yield: 8 hot dogs and about 4 cups of sauce
Recipe Source: adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
