Spicey Pickled Dogs or Homemade Bahama Mama's

Intro: Spicey Pickled Dogs or Homemade Bahama Mama's

This all started because of a talk with a friend about pickled bologna, which I had never heard of but was apparently well known where he comes from. How did I get to hotdogs and bahama mama's you ask? Well the bologna is supposed to be cut into 1/2" chunks and thats a LOT of bologna (no pun intended) then I noticed my local grocery had all beef hotdogs on sale and I thought about those jars of pickled sausage I like and the Bahama Mama's sold at convience stores, of course those are seldom really spicey so if I made my own... hmmm,  1+1+1+1 somehow equaled 2 and here we are !

STEP 1: Simple Ingredients

Your going to need a clean wide mouth jar
1 or 2 packs of hotdogs depending on size, I used 1 1/2 packs
 2 teaspoons of pickling spice (could have probably used 1)
 2 teaspoons of hot pepper flakes
 1 teaspoon of italian seasonings
 1 teasppon of minched garlic
  1/2 teaspoon of salt
 1 1/4 cups of vinager
  1/2 cup water


 OPTIONAL
 fresh hot peppers

STEP 2: The Brine

put the vinager, water and spices in a pot and bring 2 a simmer, reduce the heat and just keep it simmering while the next step is done

STEP 3: STUFF IT !

I used a fork and pierced hole up 2 side of the hotdogs, I don't know if you really need to do this but what the heck, and stood the weiners up in a wide mouth jar, in this case it took 12 hotdogs to tightly pack the jar, I then cut the tops from the red chilies and slipped them in the open spaces, the jalapenos were quarted and also used to fill some of the spaces

STEP 4: Finished for Now

Pour the hot brine and spices over the hotdogs and screw on the lid, turn the jar upside down and back a couple times to help spread the spices around and then refrigerate for at least a day, a week would be better, I can't comment on a month because they aren't going to last that long !

 before you ask:

 hotdogs are precooked although we prefer to boil or grill them before eating they are safe from the package.

 Safe canning proceedures: These aren't intended to be stored for any length of time but with all the vinager and salt theres little chance of spoilage. If you prefer to store yours or are just leery then by all means use appropriate canning jars and procedures

Comments

[Buddy2-Sasha1]

You should use spell check.You've misspelled many words.I can't follow someone that didn't take school seriously.

[paizley]

A pkg of dogs, Thai chiles (lots), mustard seeds, peppercorns, garlic seasoning, vinegar. All made at room temp. I let it sit out at for the first day, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Really good grilled and served cut up as a warm party snack or just stuff a hoagie roll with 2 grilled dogs and add your favorite toppings!

[paizley]

I've also pickled Spanish chorizo and breakfast sausage links. With
all the vinegar I use, they can be stored at room temp. I have a jar of
mixed sausages that have been "stewing" for 4 months. I thinks they may
be ready now! Lol!

[paizley]

*think

[gringo316]

My sausage doesn't have the snap in the skin I am wanting, that the commercial Hot Mamas have. I've tried various brands of hot dogs and sausage prior to pickling. Suggestions?

[AlexandraA7]

You need a compound called alum. Amazon sell it as 'Fatakdi powder, potassium Suphate'. It has quite a few uses apart from culinary ones, and is used extensively in the commercial pickling trade to maintain colour and CRISPNESS in vegetables. Yopu'll only need about a 1/4 of a teaspoon per jar, so you'll have plenty left over. Hope this helps.

[gringo316]

Yes, I've used the alum each time. I'm beginning to think after watching some shows on smoking sausage that I might be cooking them at too high of a temperature.

[AlexandraA7]

You don't cook them. You pickle them directly from the packet. Cooking comes AFTER the pickling process, not before. If I'm reading you correctly....

Do you mean you cook them before pickling, or after? It should be after....

[gringo316]

Every recipe I have seen calls for the dogs/sausages to be boiled along with the other ingredients.

[SteveH96]

My recipe doesn't require any heating, so long as the sausages are pre cooked. I suggest you only heat the liquid, put the sausages in the jar first then pour the warm liquid over them in the jar.

Note: Do this in the sink as the hot liquid can cause the jar to shatter, heat the jar up with hot watter before pouring.

[wixi]

look up Koegels hot dogs out of Flint Michigan. they have the snap

[JoeO22]

Koegels is the best!

[crichard43]

Gringo316 I am not one to comment but going up in a polish family and having pickled everything pickled. The only way I have found to get the snap is natural casing only. I have to pierce the skin with a toothpick and they come out great. Almost as good as pickled Bologna.

[l8nite]

sorry I have no idea, it was never a concern for me. It could be anything from the type of casing they use to the way they cook them. I understand chicago dogs have a snap when you bite them perhaps you can try those?

[TrueEyes]

Multiple questions most notably have you done the boil n brine method yet?

My entire reasoning for doing this is to be more cost effective than the singles at gas station so I'm gonna stick with hot dogs rather than sausage...with that being said, have you tried different variations like turkey, beef, or pork dogs and if so which mimicked gas station variety?

Most cheap hot dogs come with a casing, with that said wouldn't it be more logical to cut them in half before pickling so juices can get in?

And last question, have you experimented with red wine vinegar?

Thanks for any info you can provide!

[l8nite]

the quick answer is "it depends" First off, the store bought type are little more than red pepper and vinegar with mostly a vinegar "bite".

Second, I've tried several types of wieners, depending on what was on sale, but I've settled on the cheapest available at Wallyworld at like 89cents a pack, by the time they are "pickled" it doesn't make really any difference.

Third, I actually make them several ways.

Quick and easy and great for parties is to dump a large jar of pickled jalapenos and a jar or 2 of hot pepper rings, juice and all in a crock pot, add some sliced onions and the hotdogs and cook on low for 8-10 hrs, I cut the dogs into thirds for that method. Most mortals can handle the amount of heat in these.

2. I make a pepper medley using jarred, frozen and fresh sweet and hot peppers, although this has changed over the years here is the basics https://www.instructables.com/id/Awesome-Hot-Pepper...

I cook the franks along with the peppers, stuff them in a jar and cover with cooking liquid, bring it back to a bubble in the microwave for about a minute, wipe the rim and cap allow to cool on the counter then refrigerate.

3. When I've eaten all the franks in the jar I just add more to the pickling juice in the jar. I usually have extra juice because I pack the peppers in tight and the juice also makes a great hot sauce so I jar it up as well but you can just add more italian seasoning and hot sauce or even plain vinegar, stuff a pack of wieners in the jar, make sure they are covered with juice and microwave 5-6minutes then wipe the jar and cap, allow to cool on the counter and refrigerate.

Of course, these are great right out of the jar but I also like to give them a bit of a browning in the toaster oven, in a frying pan or on the grill and eat like a hot dog with slaw or OMG.. a chiliNcheese dog...

[threefires]

use pink salt. its for brining brisket.

[TrueEyes]

Not to mention all those trace minerals people pay to get in vitamins, i use Himalayan pink salt for everything now

[l8nite]

Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment, that's a good suggestion

[ron.rich.35]

I am going to make some pickled sausages today for my daughter and her friends. I think I will smoke various sausages (Vienna, Hot Dog, Kielbasa) with pecan wood on my smoker prior to pickling. I made smoked pickled eggs yesterday along with regular pickled eggs and pickled green beans. I never use table salt due to the impurities so its either kosher or pickling salt. I will use dill weed, celery seed, fresh jalapenos, red crushed pepper, black peppercorns, bay leaves, fresh crushed cloves of garlic, and a blend of apple cider and white vinegars.