Puka Dog-Inspired Hawaiian-Style Hot Dog Recipe

When temperatures heat up, it's natural to want to spend as much time as possible dining outside. The grill becomes your best friend, adding flavor and texture to all your summer bites. Hot dogs are an easy addition to any meal, and they leave plenty of room for customization. Toppings, condiments, buns, and sausages can all be swapped around to create a multitude of meals. Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins raves, "I absolutely love a fully-loaded hot dog! More toppings, the better."

To honor her love for the classic dish, she shares this Puka Dog-inspired Hawaiian-style recipe. If you're unfamiliar with the Hawaiian favorite, Watkins notes that Puka Dog is a popular hot dog spot in Hawaii. Her recipe is a variation of the original, but with the same iconic flavors in every bite. "The combo of tropical flavors and smoky grilled hot dogs work together so well," she says and describes, "The smooth and zesty mango mustard is super scrumptious with that sweet bite. The pineapple relish adds pops of twang with a tropical and citrus punch." Everything about this recipe makes it a great contender for a barbecue or outdoor feast, and at the very least, it will help switch things up from the classic hot dog with minimal toppings.

This Puka Dog-inspired Hawaiian-style hot dog consists of three components: mango mustard, relish, and the hot dog. For the mustard, you'll need chopped mango, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, a garlic clove (peeled), and a pinch of minced red chile pepper. Next, for the relish, get chopped pineapple, diced red onion, rice vinegar, honey, lime juice, and salt to taste. 

Pick up Polish-style smoked hot dogs and sweet Hawaiian-style hot dog buns for the assembly. Finally, for the toppings, you'll need shredded or chopped radishes, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh scallions, and a sliced red chile pepper.

Place the mango, mustard, mayo, garlic, and chile pepper in the bowl of a food processor.

Blend until smooth, then transfer the mango mustard to a sealable container, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place the pineapple, onion, vinegar, honey, lime juice, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

Cook the relish for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pineapple has softened and the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool while you grill the hot dogs.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the hot dogs and cook until lightly charred and hot throughout, rotating occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes.

During the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking, add the hot dogs buns to the grill, and lightly toast on the top and bottom.

To assemble, stuff hot dogs into the toasted buns.

Top the dogs with mango mustard. Serve any extra mustard on the side.

Top the dogs with pineapple relish. Serve any extra relish on the side.

Lastly, top the dogs with a hearty sprinkle of radishes, cilantro, scallions, and chile pepper slices before serving.

Watkins chooses Polish smoked sausages to mimic the original Puka Dog recipe. Plus, as she describes, there's "a fun and tasty balance going on here between the sweet-tart, kinda-spicy toppings and the smoky Polish-style hot dog." That said, she acknowledges that not everyone is a fan of this type of sausage, nor are they available everywhere. "Any smoked hot dog or sausage will work, beef or pork," she notes and adds that a basic hot dog works too if you are indifferent to the smoky taste. 

Plant-based eaters can enjoy this hot dog just as readily. "If you'd like a vegan or vegetarian option, feel free to use a tofu dog or alternative meat hot dog," Watkins suggests. Meanwhile, for an extra boost of flavor she recommends trying cheese or jalapeño-stuffed sausages. "The only thing I would do is avoid any sweeter-flavored hot dogs (like sweet Italian sausages or those seasoned with apples or other fruits)," she advises, as the flavor profile won't be as balanced.

Hot dogs are generally viewed as a speedy meal to whip up on the grill or stovetop with little need for prep work. Although Watkins' Puka-Dog inspired hot dogs require a bit more time, the flavor payoff is well worth it. Plus, she points out that you can prepare the mango mustard and pineapple relish (the most time-consuming components) ahead of time. "As long as they stay securely covered and refrigerated, both should last for over a week," she says. This means that you can have the garnishes almost completely ready to go, so when it comes time to actually making and enjoying the hot dogs, all you'll need to worry about is grilling the sausages.

Don't push it though, as they are still condiments with fresh ingredients like fruit and mayonnaise that won't last forever. If you're hoping to stretch out the freshness by freezing the mango mustard and pineapple relish, Watkins advises against it and explains, "They might not hold up well under chillier temps (and the flavors might become off)."

These sweet and smoky hot dogs check plenty of boxes on the flavor spectrum, but that doesn't mean you have to stop there. Part of the fun of an outdoor meal on the grill is enjoying a variety of bites. "The classic hot doggie sides will also pair well with this more unique version: potato chips, french fries, onions rings," Watkins lists. Potato chips definitely offer the most crunch for the least effort, and once again, there's an endless assortment of options to choose from. 

"If you'd like something more traditionally Hawaiian, I would recommend Hawaiian-style macaroni salad or potato salad, sweet potato chips, taro chips, or baked beans," Watkins suggests. Hawaiian macaroni salad is extra creamy and soft, featuring elbow macaroni cooked a few minutes beyond al dente along with plenty of Hellmann's mayo. Meanwhile, sweet potato or taro chips offer a fun variation on potatoes with all the root vegetable taste you love.