I tried making Ina Garten's 'breakfast hot dogs,' and I'd never eat one as my first meal again
Carolina Gazal
- After trying out different hot-dog recipes this summer, I found Ina Garten's breakfast version.
- The sauce was overwhelmingly mustard-filled, which didn't suit my breakfast palate.
Summer is hot-dog season, and I've used any excuse to whip some up.
They're perfect for an easy lunch or late-night snack, but I was totally intrigued when I came across Ina Garten's breakfast hot-dog recipe.
It seems like anything the Barefoot Contessa touches is gold, so I figured this easy breakfast would be no exception.
I started by gathering the ingredients, most of which I already had.
Garten's recipe called for mayonnaise, Dijon and whole-grain mustards, sour cream, salt, chicken sausages, and hot-dog rolls.
Her recipe feeds six, so I cut the measurements down, and I luckily had most of the ingredients in my fridge already.
Garten didn't specify what kind of chicken sausage to use, so I bought Aidells' Italian-style smoked chicken sausages with mozzarella cheese. It felt like the closest thing to a breakfast sausage that could also be topped with hot-dog fixings.
I cooked the chicken sausage in under 10 minutes.
Garten's recipes called for a grill, but the chicken sausage directions recommended cooking them on the stovetop.
I cut the ends of the sausage for an even cook and placed it in a cup of boiling water for eight minutes. This was much easier than whipping out a grill — plus, who grills in the morning?
While the sausage was cooking, I made Garten's flavorful sauce.
I'd never mixed so many condiments together before, and I was eager to see what the outcome would look and taste like. I was low-key expecting an unappetizing brown mush considering all the beige-colored sauces involved.
In a medium-sized bowl, I started with 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, which seemed excessive for breakfast. My stomach churned a bit, but I trusted the process.
I added 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard, 1 cup of sour cream, and a sprinkle of salt. Again, this seemed like a powerful force of dairy so early in the morning, but I figured the chicken sausage would balance it out.
I whisked everything together until it was cohesive.
The sauce took under two minutes to make and was relatively mess-free.
I was surprised that the recipe called for two different kinds of mustard, but I figured the whole-grain version was to add to the texture and overall appearance of the sauce.
The end product was actually aesthetically pleasing, thanks to the seeds. It also had a creamy consistency and a tangy smell thanks to the mustard and sour cream.
I smothered the sauce on a hot-dog bun and placed the chicken sausage inside.
I used a knife to spread this concoction onto a plain hot-dog bun. I decided to use as much sauce as possible for the full effect.
I was really glad I ended up choosing a heartier sausage. The smoky, cheese-filled meat paired really well with the tangy sauce.
The sauce was too dairy-filled and mustard-y for breakfast.
I decided to add some mustard and mayo to the top of the hot dog, purely for aesthetics. It was tasty, but unfortunately, all the mustard didn't sit right with me for a breakfast meal.
I thought adding some ketchup on top would salvage it, but in the end, the mustard was too overpowering.
I would've preferred a maple-filled sauce to make it more like chicken and waffles.
I liked the chicken sausage for breakfast, but I just couldn't stomach consuming so much sour cream, mustard, or mayonnaise first thing in the morning.
I think this would be better suited for a quick and painless lunch or dinner, but I certainly wouldn't use this recipe for breakfast again.
Next time, I'd definitely ditch the mustard, wrap the chicken sausage in a waffle, and use maple syrup (or even honey mustard) to give it more of a breakfast feel.
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