Seattle Dogs with Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions
Everybody thinks that “Seattle’s food” is all about seafood, salmon, chowder, etc. Or maybe it’s our plethora of amazing Asian cuisine, be it Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, Japanese or Chinese - we have it all and it is our claim to fame!
But nothing quite screams “Seattle cuisine” to me like Seattle dogs. If you’ve lived in Seattle and found yourself hungry on Capitol Hill at 2 a.m. or have grabbed a bite from a street vendor on the way to a Mariners or Seahawks game, then you know all about our infamous Seattle dogs.
There’s probably some debate within the Seattle dog-loving community about what exactly constitutes a Seattle dog, but I’m here to set the record straight and tell you exactly what a Seattle dog means to me:
All-beef hot dog, Polish or Kielbasa - this is not the time to skimp on your hot dog quality
Healthy schmear of cream cheese - this is undebatable and the iconic component of a Seattle dog, adding a creamy, tangy and uniquely rich component to this street food staple.
Caramelized onions - also iconic as the cream cheese, the best part is seeing/hearing/smelling these babies sizzle on a flat-top grill on hot dog cart. It’s truly the best!
Any kind of mustard - no ketchup (fight me), just tangy, delicious mustard to compliment the other savory flavors.
While I love enjoying my Seattle dogs in authentic fashion straight from the street, it wasn’t long before we figured out we could totally make these at home. From tailgates to backyard barbecues, we love making Seattle dogs at home and now you can too with my foolproof method!
The majority of this recipe is all about buying the proper ingredients and assembly, so you’re already halfway there. But the real ticket is all about the caramelized onions.
Sure, I adore the flavor and reward of caramelizing onions the old-fashioned way in a skillet. But if you’ve ever caramelized onions you know how long it takes and how much patience goes into them! Which is why I’m so thankful to have discovered caramelized onions cooked by slow cooker. Yes, they take longer to cook, but you can set them and forget them until you’re ready to enjoy your dogs.
This is a perfect recipe for game-day or just chillin’ with friends - you’ll be hooked!
Watch the TikTok for a fun play by play.
Seattle Dogs with Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
5-6 yellow onions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup your favorite dark beer, like Iron Horse’s Irish Death
All-beef hot dogs, Polish dogs or Kielbasa
Sturdy hot dog buns
Cream cheese
Mustard - any variety your heart desires!
Directions
Place onions, olive oil, salt, pepper and beer in the base of a slow cooker. Give ingredients a stir to combine. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Grill or cook your hot dogs in a skillet for about 5-6 minutes, until cooked through and nicely charred. Toast buns on the grill for 2-3 minutes, or in the oven at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes.
Spread a healthy schmear of cream cheese on one side of your bun, then nestle your dog in the bun. Top with caramelized onions and mustard. Enjoy with napkins!
