As obsessed as we are with hot dogs, most of that focus tends to be on and not on how the sausages themselves are prepared. That's because aside from steaming, pan-frying, boiling, and grilling them, there's not a ton of other options, aside maybe from jabbing them on a stick and roasting them over an open fire during the summer. But there is one often overlooked method when it comes to preparing hot dogs, and it mainly comes down to aesthetics.
If you cut hot dogs in half crosswise, cut multiple vertical slits on the freshly-cut end, stopping partway up the half-dog until you get eight dangly hot dog ribbons, and then cook them (pan-frying works perfectly), you'll end up with an endearingly cute bunch of curled-up hot dog pieces that look like octopuses. I realize these written directions can sound wholly confusing, which is why videos of the technique come in handy. Fortunately, there are plenty of demonstrations on social to help you out.
Just use the search term "octopus hot dogs" and you'll find many videos showing you how to make them. Cooking hot dogs this way results in food that's particularly fun for kids (and okay, maybe a few adults too), especially if you add little eyes on top. They might even look a little too endearing to eat.
How to serve octopus hot dogs No matter what some people insist, one cannot live on hot dogs alone. That means you're probably wondering what to do with these adorable hot dogs once you've cooked them. If you're feeding kids, one way to .