Peach Habanero Jam Hot Dog Bar Toppings Ideas

Creative hot dog bar toppings?  Try Peach Habanero Jam as a hot dog topping!  Combining sweet with a pleasing hug of habanero finish is a gateway to the pepper head lifestyle.  Crank up the grill! 

 “Using pepper jam and jelly for grilled hot dog bar toppings sounds crazy.  Crazy like a fox! “Charlie Pinson, Friends Drift Inn

Hot Dog Bar Toppings and Hot Pepper Jams

A hot dog with hot pepper jam is a treat that will get your motor running!  With the trends for grazing tables, backyard wedding and unique menu offerings the emergence of hot dog bars is gaining in popularity. 

To my thinking, wieners are the simplest of charcuterie offerings.  Really, they are linked sausages.

Jams with charcuterie platters are one of the hottest trends going, especially with jams that have robust flavors.  Our Peach Habanero Jam as a hot dog topping brings an unexpected zing to the party! 

Picnics, tailgating, and camp foods just took the Scoville elevator up a few floors!

Friends Drift Inn loves hot pepper jelly and jam.  In addition to Peach Habanero Jam, we offer Green Pepper Jelly, Red Pepper Jelly and Strawberry Jalapeno Pepper Jelly.   LINKS

Go ahead.  I dare you.  I double dog dare you! 

Peach Habanero Jam – What is the Fuss About?

Peach Habanero Jam is a smooth, warm, and easy transition to the Pepper Head lifestyle. It is not as hot as you might imagine! 

The first taste is sweet peach jam, the essence of summer in the south.  But as the jam moves over your palate, wait for it……wait for it.  There is a medium warmth that goes down ever so smooth.  

One taste of this, and my mood changes.  I smile more.  I whine less. 

It is the second bite that lights up your palate.  Hot, but not break a sweat hot. 

Product Link coming soon!

Pepper Heads, Peach Habanero Jam can help you convert the timid to your way of thinking.  

Hot pepper jam is a baby step to the walk of enlightenment. It is hot, but not burn you twice kind of hot. 

You know what I mean? Giggles

Shopping for the Snap – Hot Dog Checklist

Sometimes hot dogs get a bad rap.

Here are the hallmarks of a quality hot dog:

• Look for terms like “uncured” or “not added nitrates” on the label.
• Beef dogs should be labeled “hormone free.” 
• Compare the sodium content. Choosing turkey or chicken wieners may not be the healthy choice you are aiming for. 
• Look for organic if you can find it. 
• To get a dog with “snap” they should be stuffed in natural casings.  It will say that on the label.

Cooking Hot Dogs

Did y’all know that hot dogs are cooked at the processor? 

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council: 

Cooked Sausage like wieners, knockwurst, cooked bratwurst and smoked sausage need only be hearted since it was cooked thoroughly during processing. This can be done in a variety of ways.

To steam precooked sausage, bring a pan of water or beer to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and add sausage. Cover the pan and let it stand 10-15 minutes. It is not advisable to add sausages to vigorously boiling water because it may cause them to split. Cooked sausage also can be baked in casserole dish, microwaved, grilled or pan-fried.

My favorite hot dogs are prepared on the grill. I love backyard BBQ’s with hot dogs and burgers!  

 For tailgating or campfire grilling, I think grill marks, or a little bit of blistered char adds another layer of flavor. 

That leads to another point, do not puncture hot dogs with a fork when cooking or turning on the grill.  You loose moisture and flavor! 

It takes a little more time to make, but a fun twist on the hot dog and peach habanero jam combination is Peach Habanero Jam Corn Dogs. 

Unusual Hot Dog Bar Toppings for Picnics, Campfires and Tailgating

We love Friends Drift Inn’s line of hot pepper jams and jellies for hot dog toppings. 

But if we had to pick just one for tailgate parties or campfire meals it would be the Peach Habanero Jam.   Tuck a jar in your cooler for the big event. 

Setting up lots of toppings at your party allows even the pickiest of eaters a choice.

Some of your friends may need a little nudging to sample hot pepper jam.  But hey.  Variety is the spice of life.  You only live once.

Need a little hand holding? 

Here are Hot Dog Bar Toppings Ideas:

• Friends Drift Inn Peach Habanero Jam
• Grilled Peaches
• Mint leaves
• Grilled Peppers and Onions (Go EASY on the Habaneros!)
• Bacon Crumbles
• Sorghum or Maple Syrup
• Friends Drift Inn Red Pepper Jelly
• Grilled Pineapples
• Toasted Walnuts
• Crème Fraiche or Sour Cream

A Word About Hot Peppers and Scoville Units

Scoville Units are a way to measure the pungency of pepper.  Generally, the process to assign rankings is conducted on a dried pepper where the flavors are concentrated.

Capsaicin is what gives peppers the so-called “heat” or spice.  We all do not taste or perceive the sensation in the same way.  At first taste of a hot pepper, may burn you up.  But if you savor several times within the same setting, your palate may become desensitized to the heat. 

We did not overload our pepper jam with habanero peppers.  We think we have a good balance of peaches to peppers, but taste is subjective.

 As outlined by Wikipedia here is the Scoville ratings for peppers:

• 800,000 to 3,200,000 Units are the hottest peppers including Carolina Reaper
• 100,000 to 350,000 Units are Habaneros and Scotch Bonnet
• 10,000 to 100,000 are Cayenne Peppers
• 1,000 to 10,000 are Jalapenos
• 100 to 1,000 are the spicy Cubanelle and Banana Peppers
• 0 to 100 is Bell Peppers and the Southern favorite, Pimento

Here’s a quick visual reference of how hot peppers can be and what pepper jams and jellies we use them in.

Old Dog – New Tricks

Growing up on the “Kentucky side” of Cincinnati, I learned early about the art of hot dogs.  Cincinnati was once known as “Porkopolis.”  It was (and is) the home of Kahn’s Wieners, a go-to for moms feeding kids in a hurry.   

 A visit to Riverfront Stadium always included a trip to the concession stand for a Cincinnati made dog.

 A young and naïve purist, my choice back then was a wiener with spicy brown mustard and a cold beer.  Life was simply uncomplicated. 

By the time October fest rolled around, I was ready for a change. 

Have you ever danced a polka on a brick-lined street with a dapper man in lederhosen?  I highly recommend it! 

True to my German roots, a big sloppy clump of sauerkraut, a smear of brown mustard and a perfectly grilled braut was the order of the day.   

I thought that was a gourmet hot dog.   

But that was then, and this is now.

How Do I Serve Peach Habanero Jam at Hot Dog Bars?

• Peach Habanero Jam glides easily over a grilled hot dog. Just spoon it on and let it melt over the dog.
• For your hot dog bar toppings, you might offer juicy slices of fresh grilled peaches as a side.  That is how we serve them.   
• If you are feeling naughty, you could offer grilled Habanero as well.  Just remember, pure habaneros unfettered by sweet jam, pack a punch. 
• If you are camping out cooking hot dogs on a stick over a crackling fire, you may want to set a small pan of peach habanero jam over the coals to warm the jam.
• Warm jam will spread easier on the bun if you opt not to glaze over the heat.

Fire Up the Grill or Campfire! 

A habanero is about 75 times hotter than a jalapeno.  Grilled they will burn your nose hairs!  (Not like in jam which is just pleasantly tantalizing!)

Be kind and have sour cream on hand for those who cannot handle the burn. 

Pork and peach are a good combination, and the added warmth of habanero is just enough heat to keep them coming back for more. 

Your guests will be talking about your tailgating party for weeks to come! 

Crank up the grill or get your campfire blazing.    

Get those hot dogs on the heat.

 Peach Habanero jam all around! 

Choose Your Assortment

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