Crockpot Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 07/16/21
bacon wrapped hot dogs
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Yield: 60 mini hot dogs
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
305 Calories
26g Fat
8g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 305
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 617mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 192mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Like complementary colors from opposite sides of the spectrum, salty and sweet flavors together can make a dish greater than the sum of its parts. A complicated chemical reaction inside your mouth can explain the phenomenon, but you don't need a science degree to take advantage of the taste. It's an age-old trick; you add salt to your cake batter or a not-quite-ripe melon, and a complex sweetness develops on your palate.

Similarly, the seemingly incongruous mating of hot dogs, bacon, and brown sugar in your slow cooker produces a candied crunch that's neither fully sweet nor fully salty, but an entirely delicious fusion of flavors. Serve this easy appetizer at your next party and watch your guests fall in love.

Ingredients

  • 20 hot dogs, cut in thirds

  • 20 slices uncooked bacon, cut in thirds

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed, or less to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Wrap a piece of bacon around each piece of hot dog and secure it with a toothpick.

  2. Put one layer of bacon-wrapped hot dogs in the bottom of your slow cooker insert and add a generous sprinkling of brown sugar. Repeat with the remaining hot dogs and brown sugar.

  3. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

Recipe Variations

  • Whisk 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder with the brown sugar before you add it to the slow-cooker crock for a spicy-sweet flavor. Adjust the heat level with more or less garlic and cayenne.
  • Dissolve the brown sugar in a 1/2 cup of bourbon and pour it over the hot dogs.
  • Reduce the brown sugar to 1/2 cup and add 1/4 maple syrup and 2 tablespoons sriracha or other hot chili sauce to the slow cooker.
  • Substitute kielbasa, cocktail wieners or another favorite smoked sausage for the hot dogs.