‘My take on a hot dog…on the barbie, or at home!‘
A few of us here at Snowys wanted to know how to stop onions from making us cry. Some said to freeze the onion first, soak it in cold water, or microwave it. Granted, these were all great suggestions – until Cam reminded us to always treat others how we’d like be treated.
So he gave the onions a beer. Yep, that ought to win them over.
In this episode, this original German and popular American street food kicks back with a beer down under! Cam meets pungent onion and full-bodied brown sugar with the gusto only got from lager to create his sticky, viscous, beer-caramelised onion sausage dogs.
Check out the cheddar-topped dog combining brackish bacon, beer, and brown sugar in a humble bun from 6pm on our YouTube channel – plus more, every Sunday.
The cheddar-topped dog combining brackish bacon, beer, and brown sugar!
Ingredients (1 x Serving)
1 x sausage
1 x hot dog bun
2 x rashers of streaky bacon
½ a brown onion, sliced
1tsp of canola oil
1tsp of butter
1tbs of brown sugar
100mL of beer
To Serve:
Mustard and/or your choice of sauce
Salt & pepper
Cam’s Kit:
Companion Double Burner Wok Cooker
Cam’s ingredients
Method:
There’s nothing better than a cracking open a cold one on the deck after tackling the tracks or simply setting up camp.
…Unless you’re someone who believes that there are, in fact, so many things better than beer. In the case of the latter, adding lager to your alfresco feeds likely doesn’t appeal. In this recipe though, beer simply provides more depth of flavour without tainting or overpowering the dish with bitterness.
1. Prepare the Onions (00:26)
Slice the onion. There’s no rule as to how thin you should go – this depends on your preference. Depending on how many people you’re cooking for, you should slice the equivalent of one small onion per hot dog (caramelising the onion will reduce its volume).
Add the sliced onion to the pan with butter, oil, and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds colour, flavour, and that weak-at-the-knees stickiness.
Allow the onions to feel the heat, and toss them through the sugar and oils. The aim is not to let the onions become crispy, but remain soft, viscous, and caramel in colour.
Slice the onions.
Add the onions to the pan.
Add the butter.
Add the oil.
Add the brown sugar.
The brown sugar adds colour, flavour, and that weak-at-the-knees stickiness.
Toss the onions through the sugar and oils.
Toss the onions through the sugar and oils.
2. Sizzle the Snag/s (02:15)
On another burner, heat a pan and add the sausages. There’s no need for oil, as enough fat will render out from the sausages.
Turn them occasionally.
Add the sausages to a hot pan.
Turn the sausages.
3. Toss the Onions (02:56)
While the sausages are cooking, continue to toss the onions. Watch as they start to colour, but not become too brown.
Continue to toss the onions.
Watch as the onions start to colour, but not become too brown.
4. Add the Beer (03:19)
When the onions have softened, add the beer. This slows down the softening process.
Allow the onions to boil down in the beer, until 99% of the liquid has reduced.
Add the beer.
Allow the beer to boil down, until 99% of all liquid has reduced.
5. Cook the Bacon (03:55)
Add the bacon rasher/s to the pan with the sausages (which, by now, should be cooked).
Any bacon works, but Cam prefers streaky bacon for its fattiness and flavour.
Cook the bacon to your liking.
Add the bacon rasher/s to the pan with the sausages.
Cam prefers streaky bacon for its fattiness and flavour.
Cook the bacon to your liking.
6. Check the Onions (04:43)
By this point, your onions should have reached the ideal consistency, caramel colour, and texture.
If you take the onions too far past this point, the oils and fats will begin to separate.
Your onions should now be the ideal consistency, caramel colour, and texture.
7. Serve Up! (05:12)
Slice the bun/s down the centre.
Add one sausage, one rasher of bacon, and a serve of beer-caramelised onions per bun. Top with grated cheese, mustard, and your choice of sauce.
Slice the bun/s down the centre.
Add one sausage, one rasher of bacon, and a serve of beer-caramelised onions per bun.
Top with grated cheese, mustard, and your choice of sauce.
Top with grated cheese, mustard, and your choice of sauce.
8. The Finished Product (06:52)
Man. We could sure go a beer after that.
Presenting Cam’s gourmet sausage dogs with beer-caramelised onions and streaky bacon. While the onions are sweet, the beer delivers a robust depth of flavour. Ooft!
Cam’s gourmet sausage dogs with beer-caramelised onions and streaky bacon.
Cam’s gourmet sausage dogs with beer-caramelised onions and streaky bacon.
After 32 years behind the flour-dusted steel benches of commercial kitchens, Cam folds out his flattop tabletop and taps into campfire coals and portable camp stoves. From tender steaks and Turducken slabs, to sides, fries, and festive pies – follow along for easy, speedy, and crowd-pleasing campsite feeds!