This very retro appetizer remains one of the most requested recipes in our family’s portfolio. My dad would make these every year around Christmas time. As a kid, they were one of my favorite parts of our Christmas Eve parties. I would always cut the hot dogs into slices- it was one of my little kitchen tasks, along with slicing off the ends of the green beans- so this is a super simple way to get the kids involved in cooking. These hot dogs are sweet and sticky and smokey and just so utterly delicious. Their incredible depth of flavor belies a ridiculously short ingredient list. 

Drunken Dogs

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. good quality hot dogs, each cut into 8 slices
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup whiskey (I use Canadian Mist: Blended Canadian Whisky. There’s’ no need to break out your best bottle of whiskey for this)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot over med-high heat. Once the mixture reaches a boil, lower to medium or med-low, allowing for it to simmer at least 30 minutes and up to 50 minutes, if you would like the sauce to become really sweet and sticky and adhere beautifully to the hot dog slices. Stir occasionally while cooking. Serve warm. The hot dogs reheat beautifully the next day, so this dish can easily be made in advance. 

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