Nolan Ryan’s Tex-Mex Taco Dog
Ingredients
For the Pico de Gallo:
- 2 medium red onions, diced
- 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced small
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (leaves only)
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Taco Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 pound 80% lean ground chuck
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup tomato juice
For the Salsa Roja:
- 8 large Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 4 jalapeño peppers, stemmed and halved lengthwise
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 small white onion, cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro (leaves only)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Taco-Dog:
- For the Taco-Dog: 8 all-beef hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns
- 8 hard taco shells
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine all ingredients for the pico de gallo in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.
For the Salsa Roja, spread out the tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic cloves and onion chunks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss gently with your hands to mix. Roast the vegetables until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender and add the chicken broth, lime juice and adobo sauce. Blend on low for 3-5 seconds. Add the cilantro, salt, and pepper and blend for another 3-5 seconds. The salsa should be chunky, so don’t overblend.
Preheat the grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grill grates. Slit the hot dogs lengthwise, halfway through, and grill them for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently Toast the buns and the taco shells on the grill. Place a taco shell inside each bun and a hot dog inside the taco shell. Top with taco sauce, lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese and jalapeños.
Serve with sour cream and Salsa Roja on the side.