Air Fry Your Hot Dogs In Ribbons For Easy DIY 'Bacon'

You already know that your air fryer is the go-to appliance for more nutritious (and sometimes quicker) takes on foods that are typically fried in oil. Per Statista, retail sales of this relatively new cooking tool soared in the United States from just over $106 million U.S. dollars in 2015 to roughly $412 million in 2019, showing our growing love for less greasy versions of our favorite snacks. 

During that time, adventurous cooks have thrown all kinds of unexpected foods in their air fryers, including dishes or ingredients that have spent their lives getting baked (cake), boiled (corn), or grilled (hamburgers). Recently, Tasty shared a video to social media demonstrating a new air-fried culinary creation: DIY "bacon" in the form of hot dog ribbons, cooked until crunchy in the air fryer. All you need to make this crisped-up, squiggly-shaped novelty snack are four jumbo hot dogs, a vegetable peeler, cooking spray or a sauce of your choice, and your trusty convection-powered appliance. If the idea of eating hot dog peelings gives you pause, rest assured, this method has the approval of Oscar Meyer. The legendary wiener brand commented, "Went from no to yes so fast" in response to Tasty's post on Instagram.

To recreate the dish, you'll want to use the best store-bought hot dogs available, but other pre-cooked sausages or links could be a fun experiment, too. You can freeze the franks for at least a half hour (and up to two hours) for easier peeling and to enhance the crispy, crunchy texture, but it's not entirely necessary. One TikToker went in with the peeler on some unfrozen hot dogs to make "hot dog jerky," with perfectly crisp results.

When making your hot dog "bacon," you can use the time your air fryer need to preheats (to 350 degrees Fahrenheit) to peel the hot dogs with your straight-edge vegetable peeler, running it along the full length of the frank to get the most bacon-like appearance. Before or after tossing the pile of hot dog shavings into the air fryer, consider coating them in a neutral oil with a high smoke point and any sauces of your choosing to aid in crisping.

While they'll be done in about 10 minutes, you should flip them at least twice during the process so they cook evenly. When the strips are satisfyingly crisp, serve them with your favorite dipping sauce or use them in all kinds of dishes, like the air-fried hot dog ribbon-topped smash burger taco seen in another TikTok video. While munching, you can contemplate the next air fryer hacks that will shake up the foodie world between bites.