Hot Dog Casserole
This recipe, found online, is inexpensive and easy to make, and kids love it. Adjust ingredients to your family's tastes.
This recipe, found online, is inexpensive and easy to make, and kids love it. Adjust ingredients to your family's tastes.
- Carbohydrate 94.3859633345314 g
- Cholesterol 102.513333316643 mg
- Fat 44.394542494314 g
- Fiber 10.12266647494 g
- Protein 29.7296083342169 g
- Saturated Fat 22.4082035793455 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (570g)
- Sodium 1444.86925014844 mg
- Sugar 84.2632968595913 g
- Trans Fat 2.75717899958137 g
- Calories 889 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large sauce pan or dutch oven, add sliced potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes.
- Boil uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Drain.
- In a large bowl, add drained potatoes, milk and butter.
- Beat with a mixer on low until smooth and creamy (if the potatoes aren't getting creamy, add more milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency).
- NOTE: instant mashed potatoes can also be used, but in my opinion, this recipe tastes better with fresh mashed potatoes.
- While mashed potatoes are still very hot, stir in shredded cheese until the cheese is melted into the potatoes.
- Add pickle relish, diced onion, and yellow mustard and stir until well combined.
- Pour potato mixture into an ungreased 9-inch casserole dish.
- Slice hot dogs in half lengthwise, and then again crosswise (each hot dog should yeild 4 pieces).
- Around the edges of the baking dish, place sliced hot dogs vertically, with the ends of each hot dog piece stuck down in the potatoes a little to hold them in place.
- (Sorry, this part is a little hard to describe- the best way I can explain it is that your hot dogs should look like a little fence around the edge of the baking dish.)
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- NOTE: The hot dogs can also be boiled, fried or grilled, which can make the cook time of this recipe much quicker.
- Just cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the potato mixture at the very end.
Boiling potatoes with too much residual water clinging to the slices creates a watery mash that refuses to hold its structure once baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain the boiled potatoes thoroughly in a colander, letting them steam dry for two full minutes before adding the three-quarters cup of milk and two tablespoons of butter. When mashing with an electric mixer, control the starch release carefully by working on low speed so the mixture remains dense enough to support the weight of the meat.
Incorporating two cups of shredded cheese directly into the piping-hot potatoes requires swift stirring with a wooden spoon to ensure even melting without seizing the starches. Folding in five tablespoons of pickle relish and half a cup of yellow mustard at this stage distributes the acidity evenly, cutting through the heavy dairy fats present in the dish. Mustard contains vinegar that reacts with starch molecules, meaning thorough blending prevents pockets of sourness from forming in the finished casserole.
Arranging the ten sliced franks vertically around the perimeter creates a barrier that shields the interior potato base from direct oven heat during the twenty-minute bake time. Slicing each frank lengthwise and crosswise into four distinct pieces maximizes the surface area exposed to the surrounding cheese mixture, allowing rendered meat juices to season the mash. Pressing the rounded ends downward into the ungreased nine-inch dish anchors each piece firmly so they do not tip over as the edges brown.
Dishes combining processed meats and dairy starches belong to a vast canon of American mid-century home economics cooking designed to stretch inexpensive ingredients into hearty suppers. Storing leftovers in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to three days maintains food safety, though the potatoes will continue to absorb moisture as they cool. Reheat individual portions thoroughly in a microwave or toaster oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
