The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat (JDawgs Special Sauce Copycat)
Three things make this The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat: A quality bun, diagonal cuts before grilling, and the Special Sauce. It’s so easy, you will be making this all summer! Invite me to your barbecue please!
My friend Kate is a fabulous concert level violinist. This weekend she was playing with the Sacramento Orchestra and scored tickets for Sandi (my sis-in-law) and I.
The first piece was amazing. A full choir sang with the orchestra, as well as a boy soprano. Both of us got chills, almost cried, the whole bit. The second piece…not so much.
The moment the not-cool piece ended, Sandi turns to me during the applause and says, “I did NOT like that.” “Me neither!!” and then we start going on about how it paled in comparison to the first one.
THEN. Just wait you guys. Everyone is still applauding when the conductor turns to the audience and moves his hands in the universal “stand-up-now” motion. I’m halfway out of my chair when I look behind me and realize the conductor was not asking the audience to stand up. He was asking the man sitting directly behind us to stand up. And at least a half-dozen people sitting next to him. Our eyes widen in fear as we stare up at the man standing not 2 feet away from us, waving his hand to accept the applause.
We fumble for our programs. Who is he???
THE COMPOSER. Who were the people standing next to him? The family of the dead guy that the piece was written about.
Someday when I die and I get to find out All The Stuff (you know, you find out Stuff when you die, right? Please say yes?) my first question will be, HE DIDN’T HEAR US DID HE??
I wasn’t made out for the orchestra anyway, let’s be real. I’m more of a hot dog kind of girl. JDAWGS HOT DOGS to be specific. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then you are not from Utah, but if you are ever passing through, you HAVE to try JDawgs. It started out as a tiny shack just off BYU campus (my alma mater). Like literally, a shack. Students would pick up a hot dog on their way home or in between classes. Now I hear they are opening their 5th location, this one in SLC. They haven’t made it out to Sacramento yet, so I make them at home.
What sets these dogs apart from a regular ol’ hot dog is the fresh bun, the diagonal cuts, and the Special Sauce. A good quality hot dog goes without saying. It doesn’t seem that far off from a regular hot dog, but I’m telling you, it’s life changing. The cuts make it easier to eat, and then you get a higher ratio of sauce-to-dog.
The owner’s grandmother clipped the sauce recipe from a newspaper back in the 50s. This isn’t her recipe, but I think it tastes just like it. I don’t add any other toppings, (the sauce speaks for itself) but you could add onions, pickles, sauerkraut, whatever. Make this for your summer barbecues! You will never go back to ketchup!
Do you guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?
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The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat (JDawgs Special Sauce Copycat)
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce, I used Sweet Baby Rays
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- dash black pepper
To assemble:
- large all-beef or Polish hot dogs, Costco has the best!
- large buns, The ones at Costco fit perfectly
- butter
- white onions
- sauerkraut
- pickles
- banana peppers
Instructions
- To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and set over high heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture barely starts to bubble, then remove from heat.
- Let cool completely. I like it to be room temperature, but you can chill it if you want.
- When you are ready to cook the hot dogs, set your grill to medium heat.
- Use a sharp serrated knife to make diagonal cuts in the hot dog a little more than halfway through. You want the cuts to make large W's all the way down the dog. See photos.
- Grill the dogs until they are as black as you want them. Should take about 3-5 minutes per side. Don't forget to flip them halfway. The dogs will curl into a smiley face because of the cuts. It's because they're so happy that you get to eat them.
- Butter the inside of the buns and place on the grill. Leave them for just a minute or so, until they get slightly crispy on the edges. Don't overdo it or the bun will turn stale.
- Place the hot dog in the bun and top with tons of special sauce and any other desired toppings. If you are not eating right away, you can wrap the dog and the bun in foil to keep warm, like they do at JDawgs.
Notes
Nutrition
More good stuff:
Homemade Pretzel Dogs. These are a classic around here! I made them recently with mozzarella cheese instead of a hot dog, do try it.
Cuban Sandwiches << these are great for summer!
Caprese Burger with Artichoke Pesto Sauce:
Easy Sausage and Broccoli Kebabs with White Bean Salad:
Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Spicy Honey Bacon Glaze:
Hot Dogs forever!
Marinated Hot Dogs from Plain Chicken
Colombian Hot Dogs from My Colombian Recipes
Carolina Style Hot Dogs from Sugar Dish Me
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I made it yesterday, 4th of July! Was a hit. (And I normally only have mustard on my hot dogs!😄) I cut portions in half because we didn’t have a crowd. I actually cooked the sauce in my mini crock on low for about 45 minutes, then kept on warm until we brought out hot dogs and polish dogs in from the grill. It’s nice to try a new recipe when you already have all the ingredients in the house! P.S. I tried both with and without toasting the buns…. even more tasty with that warm, toasted bun! Thanks!
mini crock pot!! This is genius Cindy!! Thanks so much for your sharing your tips! Who doesn’t love warm sauce? Thanks for commenting 🖤
I’m really amazed that there are a couple of people who didn’t think this sauce was good. I made this tonight and it was amazing! I have regular squeeze bottles available to use in my kitchen and I made the equivalent to make sure that squeeze bottle was full! I knew I was going to like it. Well I did and this will be a regular in my kitchen. Burgers, brawts, MEATLOAF, hash browns, hotdogs (of course), anything you would eat ketchup on will get this. It’s wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! And the hotdogs! I loved the cut marks. It just added to the chard flavor.
I made these for our Father’s Day bbq tonight! And they were fabulous! Everyone LOVED the sauce! We all ended up putting it on our hamburgers and loved that also! Uncle Hubert said it was the best hot dog he had ever had in his life! Part of it was the fabulous sauce and part was the dogs. You can only get them around Montana or North Dakota I think. They are “Cloverdale Old Fashioned Franks” and the company is located in Mandan ND. They are great big fat red frankfurters and are by far, the best hotdogs ever. With the sauce and all the fixings everyone was just stuffing their faces. I wish I wouldn’t have even bothered with the burgers. Thanks for this recipe, Karen!! It’s a keeper! Next time you guys are in Sidney we will bbq these “dawgs”!
Omg we had fried bologna with onions for supper . So I had to try your sauce with it , it went perfectly with it and the mashed potatoes . We are both diabetics so instead of brown sugar I add more honey and a small amount of maple syrup , it’s great .
Love the sound of this sauce with fried bologna and onions!! That sounds so good. Glad it worked out, thank you so much for taking the time to review!
Oh my word!!!! Ahhfreakinmazing!! Soo good! On my permanent roster of favs! We loved the recipe soo much!
This looks good. Going to make it but it’s not something I would consume a lot. Just one of those sausages have almost 50% of your daily intake of sodium not to mention the secret sauce.
Maybe I missed it ( if so I apologize) but how long does this sauce keep in the refrigerator ? Thank you !
Hey Donna! You can keep this in the fridge as long as you would keep ketchup in the fridge. So basically forever, in my house ;)
Prepared these the other night without the sauce ’cause we were in a hurry. Last night we prepared them again and made the sauce. WOW….the sauce is so good!!!! This will be a go to for us again in the future.
I’m so glad it was a hit Jim! Love these hot dogs so much! Now you’ve got me craving it. Thanks so much for reviewing!
This is so good! It has now become a condiment that has earned permanent residency in our refrigerator!!! We use it on almost anything that we would otherwise use BBQ sauce or ketchup. Particularly good on pulled pork, hot dogs and hamburgers. Also good in baked beans!
Ooh, baked beans, I haven’t tried that! I’m so happy to hear the sauce has made it into permanent residency :) Thanks for reviewing Lorri!
Hubby’s grill is messed up???? When did that happen?…anyways…I used a cast iron pan I have that has a grilled bottom?…did the cuts through them, got’em nice and charred on each side and made a double batch of the sauce! The cuts hold that sauce beautifully! I made some slaw, a little chilli bean sauce, sprinkled sharp cheese and jalepnos on top. BOOM-YUMMY-Delicious:)
This sounds so good with cheese and jalapenos on top Dee! Boom yummy indeed! So glad you liked it :)
This is my husbands favorite! I have to have a large squeeze bottle of this made up in the fridge at all times!! It’s unique…not quite bbq sauce, not quite ketchup. It’s the perfect compliment to most anything that comes off of the grill!
I’m so glad you are loving the special sauce Lorri! I love to keep it on hand in the fridge too. It goes well on so many things. Thank you so much for coming back to comment!
I made these (did not take a picture), anyone that considers these the best ever has never been to Chicago. I deleted the recipe. Average at best.
I’m from Detroit where hot dogs rule especially coney dogs. I tried this sauce along with some grated onion! Fantastic! My new favorite!!!!!
I didn’t know hot dogs were a thing in Detroit! I always think of Chicago. Clearly I’m uneducated. Now I need to visit Detroit for sure! Hot dogs are the best! googling coney dogs now. So glad you liked the sauce Michael, thanks for the review!
Yummy. My little niece loved the sauce. I
love your website! Now I’m looking for rhubarb!
Thank you so much Jean! So glad the sauce was a hit. I hope you get to make the rhubarb bars soon!! New favorite!
I saw this article and for the first time heard of this restaurant Jdawgs. The truth is I have been on a search for the perfect hot dog sauce for almost 8 years now. Why? I live in another country and I am an entrepreneur and one of my obsessions is to start a chain of hot dog restaurants but what is missing is a special, addictive sauce that keeps people coming back and is nothing like what is currently available.
I have experimented with so many different sauces and have never found that “one” that makes it great. Time after time I find that my creations don’t measure up to my expectations like good old ketchup or mustard. I find that most of the condiments that we put on a hot dog overpower the actual sausage and that’s what makes them great.
As I said, I have never heard of this Jdawgs place and I saw plenty of videos of people eating and talking about the place while I was planning my expedition to pick up the ingredients for this recipe. I planned a pool party with close family, went to costco (I really dislike these sausages but it was recommended) then I followed this recipe perfectly.
I have to say that out of 4 people that tried the end result, none of us were impressed. Not that the recipe that you have posted here is terrible or anything, when I tried it before the hot dog, I felt it might have potential but after trying it with the sausage it was just OK. But I wouldn’t have another one, neither would my company.
My question, since I’ve never been to a Jdawgs before will have to be, is this recipe “exactly” like what comes from this restaurant? Does it taste the same, does it do the same to the hot dog? I’m simply looking for input here because I’m on an obsessive mission to find the perfect sauce and as much as I was excited to try this one, it didn’t do it for me or the others that tried it. I would think that a restaurant that has become so popular for this “sauce” would knock me on my ass when I tried it. But I was disappointed. Still looking for the perfect sauce……..
Hi Jeff! Sorry this wasn’t the one for you! I do think it tastes like JDawg’s sauce. If you ever go yourself, you will have to let me know if you think it’s a match! Good luck with your search!
You’re not alone in your thinking about learning stuff!
And yes Costco hot dogs are the best!
I did these in my air fryer and they turned out fabulous.
I think I will try this out with a good sausage next such Half Smoke.
Air fryer!! How fun is that?? I need to get myself one and try it out! Awesome tip Laurel thank you!
You are too funny! I loved the story about the concert… I’ve found myself in similar circumstances… yikes! But my favorite part is when you said that when we die we get to learn All The Stuff… I thought I was the only person who believed that was going to happen!! And for now, I’m holding on to that hope… there’s so many things I want answers for!! LOL 😉 And I think cooking the hotdogs like that is awesome and the sauce sounds delicious… now all I need is for Summer to get her so I can start grilling!!
Haha I’m so glad I’m not alone here Melanie!! I need to find out all the Stuff someday!! :) And yes, so excited for summer and hot dogs…enjoy!
Would the sauce be good on beer brats, my husband loves brats. The sauce sounds amazing.
Hey Sharon! This sauce is pretty versatile, I think it would be delicious on brats! Enjoy!
Not everyone has a Costco membership!
True story Charlie! Any high quality hot dog will do!
This I see the absolute best hot dog sauce! And the ingredients are those that you will have on hand.
I think you are going to love it Donna! It’s so easy to make!
I made these last night. The sauce is really good. I am going to try the left overs on chicken wings
Leftovers on chicken! That’s a genius idea! I’m totally going to try that next time I make this. Thanks for the comment Jeannie!
Everyone love this hot dog thing. Yum perfect for summer.
May I say that I think your recipes are fabulous, but please answer a question for me. Why is it that everyone has to tel a life story or something before giving the recipie? Why can’t you just give us a picture of the item and the recipie? It would save so much space on Pinterest and time going through different recipies. Just wondering, that’s all, not condemning anyone.one of these days we will have to start conserving space or the cloud will be full.
Hey Dayne! This is a personal blog, not a magazine or recipe index. I write my stories because that’s part of why I enjoy blogging. It’s also what my readers enjoy. There are lots of other places to get free recipes without the chatter, like Food Network, Allrecipes, etc. Keep in mind that all these blogs and recipe indexes are FREE to you! Take a moment to be grateful that you don’t have to spend money on cookbooks these days :)
I’m definitely not worried about space on the cloud! That made me laugh out loud!
It’s awesome !!!!! My wife loves it with a alot of different meats . 2 thumbs up people !
vERY sIMPLE TO MAKE AND IT WAS EXCELLANT. wILL USE THIS RECEIPIE AGAIN AND AGAIN
I am going to try this but vegan style! It will be just as good, I swear!
Whaaaaat vegan!!!???? Tell us how it goes!!
Hi Karen! Great tips about the diagonal cuts! I usually leave the sausages on for too long, because aI don’t want to get them out unfinished. And then the side closer to the fire gets totally burned. Making diagonal cuts is such an easy tip, I am shocked I never thought of it before.
Maybe he didn’t hear you with all of the applause?? These hot dogs look amazing!
Let’s hope so!!
humm me parece muito bom! Já Copie a receita só não sei o que é Worcestershire Meu Inglês não é muito bom e neste caso o Google não ajudou muito..Beijas…Do Brasil Maria
Hi Maria! I don’t speak Portuguese but hopefully Google can translate this for you! Sounds like you don’t have Worcestershire in brazil. Here’s a homemade recipe: http://www.foodrenegade.com/homemade-worcesterschire-sauce/ Hope this helps! Good luck!
I’m more of a classic hot dog kind of girl. I’ve had the J Dawgs sauce before but I prefer the classic ketchup and mustard! That sounds really yummy tonight. Have you ever tried a Nathan’s brand hot dog? I love those!
Nathan’s has great flavor, but I wish their dogs weren’t so skinny. I like BIG hot dogs, haha. Now I am craving hot dogs!!
Tomorrow is National Hot Dog day and I am doing a fantastic roundup to celebrate. This post and your pretzel hot dogsa re boht being featured. :) Hope you can stop by!
Oh my goodness Karen, you have the best stories. I would have died, come back to life, then died all over again. These hot dogs? Totally happening. The diagonal cuts are genius! More grilled to not-grilled ratio please!
You mentioned wrapping the “dog” in foil to keep warm for awhile. Do you put the sauce on before you wrap or wait until time to eat?
Hey Annabelle! I would wait to add sauce until just before you eat it, otherwise the buns will get soggy.
Made these last night and it was a hit!! The sauce especially. We actually grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, and everyone loved the sauce on the burgers as well. Yummmmm!
Awesome Janell! I’m glad you guys all liked it! I’m so trying this on a hamburger next time! Thanks for the tip, and thanks for the comment!
Omg I am cringing so hard for you and that orchestra story!! Also you just made my life complete. I adore JDawgs and remember the shack days with fondness :) so glad I can make them at home–now I’m even more pumped that I finally caved and got a Costco card :)
Yay another JDawgs lifer!! :) And yes, we just barely graduated to Costco too. Late bloomer much?
Ohhhhhhhh my gosh Karen, I would’ve DIED. Like, literally died. Curled up in the plush symphony chair and cried and died. Maybe the conductor should’ve arranged to play that piece first, instead of the other one… So you wouldn’t have had that little moment. ;) But with a juicy hot dog like this to come home to? That would’ve made everything better!
Amy, I actually think you WOULD have died. I can just see your adorable face turning purple with embarrassment. hehe!! Lucky for me I’m much more callous than you so I think I’m gonna make it :) :)
Hi Karen. Pay no mind. We love your stories and your response was perfect. Buh bye. Now, I never had jdawg either but plan to buy the sausages this week and the buns. I looked on Costco’s site and there are 3 pages of buns! Do you know the brand name of the one’s you are talking about? Thanks a million.
Ah it’s okay Carol, Amy and I are friends, we were teasing each other :) And 3 pages of buns?? who knew! I used Franz Classic Hot Dog buns. enjoy!!
No, I was addressing the Dayne comment. But you didn’t need help. Your response was PERFECT. Thanks for the bun info. Man, those dogs are huge! Can’t wait.
I have never heard of JDawgs, boy I need to get out more! You just elevated the plain hot dog into something culinary here! Those cuts and the sauce make it look extra yummy!! I can’t wait to try this one out.
You are missing out Malinda! Do you live in Utah? You need to head over stat. If not definitely put this on your shopping list!
No, I live in Colorado but I am definitely going to make this next time we bbq!!
Honestly, I rarely eat hot dogs, but this one looks absolutely delicious that I’m craving it now, which is extremely weird. And that pretty cut is so easy to make. I actually came to check out how you do that. Haha
I’m glad I could be the one to bring out freaky cravings in you Shinee :) haha! The cuts totally make this dog.
I usually am not tempted by hot dogs…like the only time I eat them is at carnivals or concerts, but THIS made me want a hot dog like right now. Actually, no, like yesterday. Like it should already be sittin’ in my belly by now. YUM!!! And the story about the orchestra – hilarious! But you know, whether he heard or you not, any artist (musician, painter, or even food blogger as we all know) has to be ready for people to not like their work so I’m sure he’ll be okay! :D
You are totally right Beeta!! If he cries himself to sleep all week it’s his own darn fault :) just kidding!!
Haha I would of died of embarrassment and stress if he heard us the whole time. Oops. Oh well, thats why this world is so nice. You will probably never see him again. These dogs sound awesome too. I am a total hot dog girl too. Wish I could swing by for some. Yum!!
I am counting on that Cyndi, that I will never see him again!! haha.
We can all identify with the story in one way or another. I finally just stopped laughing. You have inspired me to go to JDawgs for lunch. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll file that away but its easier to go to the store and buy a huge $10 bottle – sorry, I couldn’t resist. Greetings from Provo…
Dude Brad if I lived in Utah I would be at JDawgs like every day. It’s an addiction. Even when I can make it taste the same at home, I swear, there’s just something about that place! Thanks for stopping by! Viva la BYU!
I love a good j-dawg copycat!
Your story is hilarious! Sounds like something that would happen to me. These hot dogs are the perfect way to recover from such a thing though. They look amazing!
This IS good recovery material!! Good plan.
Maybe he didn’t hear you with all of the applause?? These hot dogs look amazing! :)
Oh my gosh, that is awful! I hate when things like that happen! I’m SURE he didn’t hear you. :) Summer makes me crave hot dogs like every day, although I don’t ever get all fancy with mine like you do. Need to get on this!
You are a good girlfriend Nicole. “Of course he didn’t hear you, I’m sure of it.” It’s just what I need, haha!!
Oh my gosh, that orchestra story had me laughing! Here’s hoping they didn’t hear you!! I have been craving J Dawgs hot dogs forever! I lived right across the street from their first stand when I was at BYU and frequently ate one for lunch. Sadly, I haven’t made it back to Utah since graduating. That is awesome that they are expanding so much. I can’t wait to make this sauce this week, thanks for sharing!
Go BYU! I don’t live in Utah anymore either. Thank goodness for this recipe and Costco!! Enjoy Tara! :)
Never heard of JDawgs but I LOVE the way they are cut and for me, the dogs are all about the sauce and the condiments!!!!! can’t wait to try this sauce!!!!
Oh my goodness, that is seriously the most hilarious thing ever!! I definitely would have attempted to change seats after such a traumatic incident. LOL. And I totally believe you when you say these are the best hot dogs—that sauce looks totally killer!
That’s what we should have done! After the last performance (there was a 3rd piece played) the people right next to us turned around and congratulated the composer on his work, and we just stood there, looking forward, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. So bad!! haha.
Girl. Okay so your story? You had me cracking up. I have probably done something like that 10000 times. I am terrified to find out all the STUFF. But happy to eat all the hot dogs. The slashes + sauce are pretty genius!
Haven’t we all Heather?? Glad to know I’m not the only one putting my foot in my mouth.