These Traeger Smoked Hot Dogs are juicy on the inside with smoky, slightly crisp edges and take just 1 hour on the pellet grill. Scoring the hot dogs in a crosshatch pattern gives the smoke more surface area to work its magic, and buttery toasted buns finish them off perfectly.
I smoke hot dogs on my Traeger at 225°F for about 1 hour, turning them every 15 minutes so they cook evenly. During the last few minutes, I like to increase the heat for crispier edges and toast the buttered buns right on the grill.
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Smoked Hot Dogs on a Traeger
I've cooked just about everything on my pellet grills, and smoked hot dogs are one of the easiest things you can make. There's no marinade or seasoning required-just score the hot dogs, put them on the smoker, and let the wood smoke add the flavor.
The crosshatch pattern gives the hot dogs more exposed surface area while they smoke and creates crispier edges. Even inexpensive hot dogs turn into something much better than you'd expect.
I love serving them with Zucchini Relish or Chow Chow Relish.
How Long to Smoke Hot Dogs on a Traeger
Smoke hot dogs on a Traeger at 225°F for about 1 hour, turning occasionally, then increase the heat to 350°F for the last few minutes for a crispier exterior.
Jump to:
- Smoked Hot Dogs on a Traeger
- How Long to Smoke Hot Dogs on a Traeger
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How to Smoke Hot Dogs on a Traeger
- Optional Topping Ideas
- Best Wood Pellets for Smoked Hot Dogs
- Recipe Tips and Notes
- Variations to Try
- Make-Ahead and Storage
- Perfect Pairings
- FAQs
- More Smoker Recipes to Try Next
- Printable Recipe
- Comments
Why This Recipe Works
- Minimal prep. Score, smoke, toast. That's it. Super easy - just like my Smoked Sausage.
- More smoke flavor. The crosshatch cuts help every bite soak up that smoky flavor.
- Crispy outside, juicy inside. Smoking low and slow gives you the best of both.
- Budget-friendly. A great way to feed a crowd without draining your wallet.
- Everyone loves them. Even hot dog skeptics (like me!) can't say no.
Ingredients You'll Need
You only need three things to make smoked hot dogs happen:
- Hot dogs: Use beef, pork, turkey, or even tofu dogs. Even bargain brands taste incredible with this smoking method.
- Hot dog buns: Use your favorite kind, or make homemade buns using my easy Air Buns recipe or Homemade Hamburger Buns. Brioche buns add a touch of richness if you're feeling fancy.
- Butter: For toasting the buns.
👉 You'll find all the exact amounts and details in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Smoke Hot Dogs on a Traeger
Quick Overview
- Preheat your Traeger to 225°F.
- Score hot dogs in a crosshatch pattern.
- Smoke for 1 hour, rotating every 10 minutes.
- Toast buttered buns during the last 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your Traeger to 225°F with the lid closed. Give it about 15 minutes to reach temperature and start producing even smoke.
- Step 2: Using a small, sharp knife, score each hot dog in a shallow crosshatch pattern. The cuts should be about ⅛-inch deep-enough to create texture but not so deep that the dogs fall apart.
- Step 3: Place the hot dogs at the front of the grill grates, angled slightly. Shut the lid and let the smoker do its thing.
- Step 4: Every 15 minutes, give each hot dog a quarter turn for even cooking and crispy edges all the way around. Continue smoking for about 1 hour.
Optional: If you like saucy hot dogs, brush them with your favorite BBQ sauce during the last 20 minutes of smoking. It'll caramelize slightly and add a sticky glaze.
- Step 5: For crispier hot dogs, increase the smoker temperature to 350°F for the last 5 minutes. Butter the inside of the buns and place them cut-side down on the grill during the last few minutes, watching closely, until golden and toasted.
- Step 6: Remove the hot dogs and toasted buns from the grill. Place each dog in a bun and serve immediately with your choice of toppings.
Optional Topping Ideas
- Chopped white onions or candied jalapeños.
- Shredded cheddar, pepper jack, or even cheese slices.
- Dill pickles, refrigerator bread and butter pickles, or banana peppers.
- BBQ sauce + mustard swirl.
- Classic condiments like ketchup, mustard, and relish (I used my Zucchini Relish), or my Smashburger Sauce.
Best Wood Pellets for Smoked Hot Dogs
I recommend apple, cherry, or hickory wood pellets for these Traeger smoked hot dogs. Fruit woods add a mild sweetness that complements the savory meat, while hickory adds a classic BBQ flavor.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Even Spacing. Leave a little room between each hot dog for the smoke to circulate fully.
- Turn occasionally. Give the hot dogs a quarter turn every 15 minutes so they cook evenly and develop crisp edges.
- Crispier finish? Crank the temp to 350°F for the last 5 minutes.
- Don't Skip the Butter. Buttering the buns before toasting is what gives them that golden crunch that holds up to juicy toppings.
- Feeding a crowd? Double the batch-no extra effort needed.
Variations to Try
- Cheddar-Stuffed Dogs. Use cheese-filled hot dogs for an extra indulgent treat-they'll ooze melty cheese when you bite in.
- Bacon-Wrapped. Wrap each scored hot dog in a strip of bacon before smoking. You'll have to crank up the heat near the end to crisp up the bacon, though.
- Pretzel Bun Upgrade. Swap standard buns for pretzel rolls.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: These hot dogs are best enjoyed fresh off the smoker, but you can smoke them up to a day ahead and reheat when ready to serve.
- Storage: Store any leftover smoked hot dogs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Warm leftover dogs in a skillet over medium heat or briefly on the grill.
- Freezing: While you can freeze smoked hot dogs for up to 2 months, the texture may change slightly. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Perfect Pairings
These Traeger smoked hot dogs pair perfectly with a variety of side dishes. Some of my favorites include:
FAQs
Nope! Use what you have-smoking makes even budget-friendly hot dogs taste amazing. However, all-beef hot dogs tend to have the best flavor and texture when smoked.
Absolutely. Any pellet grill, electric smoker, or offset smoker works-just keep the temperature steady at 225°F. If using a charcoal grill, set it up for indirect heat.
Hot dogs are already fully cooked, so you're primarily smoking them to heat them through, add smoky flavor, and crisp the exterior. At 225°F, mine take about 1 hour. If you prefer to check the internal temperature, you can heat them to 165°F, or until steaming hot. Always follow the package directions for the hot dogs you're using.
Yes, but they may cook faster than beef or pork dogs. Start checking them after 30-40 minutes and adjust the time as needed.
More Smoker Recipes to Try Next
- Smoked Chicken Quarters
- Smoked Hamburgers
- Smoked BBQ Party Ribs
- Maple Glazed Smoked Short Ribs
- Smoked Brisket on Pellet Grill
- Smoked Jalapeño Poppers
- Smoked Pineapple with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
- Smoked Meatballs Wrapped in Bacon
Looking for more backyard BBQ inspiration? Don't miss my full collection of Smoker Recipes - from smoked sides to fall-apart ribs and everything in between.
Printable Recipe
Traeger Smoked Hot Dogs
Ingredients
- 4 hot dogs (beef, pork, or turkey)
- 4 hot dog buns
- 3 tablespoons butter (softened, for toasting buns)
- ⅛ cup BBQ sauce (optional, for brushing)
- Optional Toppings: BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, diced onions, candied jalapenos, shredded cheese, smashburger sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your Traeger smoker to 225°F with the lid closed. It will take about 15 minutes for it to reach temperature.
- Score each hot dog in a shallow crosshatch pattern (about ⅛-inch deep) using a small, sharp knife.
- Smoke the hot dogs: Place them at the front of the grill grates, angled slightly. Close the lid and smoke.
- Every 15 minutes, give each hot dog a quarter turn for even cooking and crisp edges. Continue smoking for about 1 hour.
- For crispier hot dogs, increase the smoker temperature to 350°F for the last 5 minutes. Butter the inside of the buns and place them cut-side down on the grill during the last few minutes, watching closely, until golden and toasted.
- Assemble and serve: Remove the smoked hot dogs and buns. Add toppings of your choice and serve hot.
Video
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Notes
- Use a timer for the 15-minute rotations.
- Best wood pellets: Apple, cherry, or hickory are perfect for hot dogs.
- BBQ sauce option: Brushing with BBQ sauce during the last 20 minutes adds a sweet, sticky glaze.
- Hot dog burnt ends variation: After smoking, slice the hot dogs into 1-inch pieces, toss in BBQ sauce, and return to the smoker at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until caramelized.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or briefly on the grill.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Sophia says
Tried this method over the weekend—scoring the hot dogs made a huge difference! 🔥 The smoke flavor really stood out. Loved this post!