By May 2022. Spring in Memphis, and I am 63, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.
Charlie in Nashville, thriving in the way Charlie thrives — quietly, competently, with the determination of a Johnson woman and the grace of something uniquely hers.
Comfort food this week: a big pot of collard greens with smoked turkey neck, simmered for three hours until the greens were dark and silky and the pot liquor was a treasure. The kitchen smelled like Mama's kitchen in the shotgun house, and I stood at the stove and stirred and thought about hands — her hands, small and strong, teaching mine everything they know about turning humble ingredients into something that feeds not just the body but the soul.
I sat in the lawn chair next to Uncle Clyde's smoker as the dark came on, and I thought about what I always think about: the chain. From Clyde to me. From me to Trey, maybe, or Jerome, or whoever comes next with the patience and the hands and the willingness to stand next to a fire at three in the morning and wait for something good to happen. The chain doesn't break. The fire doesn't stop. And I am here, 63 years old, in a lawn chair in Orange Mound, Memphis, Tennessee, watching the smoke rise, and the rising is the living, and the living is the gift.
After a night in that lawn chair watching the smoke rise, I didn’t want anything complicated — I wanted fire and patience and something that tasted like it belonged next to a smoker in the dark. These barbecued hot dogs aren’t the point, exactly; the fire is the point, the standing there is the point, and the hot dogs just give you a reason to stay next to the grate a little longer, the way Clyde always had a reason that was really no reason at all except the fire itself.
Barbecued Hot Dogs
Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 beef hot dogs
- 6 hot dog buns
- 1/2 cup your favorite BBQ sauce, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional toppings: yellow mustard, diced white onion, sweet pickle relish, hot sauce
Instructions
- Prep the grill. Heat an outdoor grill or smoker to medium-high heat (about 375—400°F). Clean the grates and oil lightly.
- Score the dogs. Using a sharp knife, make 3—4 shallow diagonal cuts on each hot dog, about 1/4 inch deep. This helps the BBQ sauce soak in and gives you those good charred edges.
- Season and sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the BBQ sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Brush each hot dog generously with the mixture.
- Grill. Place hot dogs directly on the grates. Grill 4—5 minutes per side, brushing once more with BBQ sauce after the first flip, until the skin is blistered and caramelized and the score marks have opened up.
- Toast the buns. Spread butter lightly on the cut sides of each bun. Place butter-side down on the grill for 1—2 minutes until golden. Watch them — they go fast.
- Serve. Nestle each hot dog into a toasted bun and pass the extra BBQ sauce, mustard, onion, and relish at the table. Eat outside if you can.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 780mg