Hawaiian Hot Dog (Puka Dog-Inspired Recipe)
Hawaiian-style hot dogs are quite different from their mainland counterparts. They're stuffed with a melange of flavorful sauces including garlic lemon sauce, fruity mustard, and a variety of tropical relishes. It’s easy to make these island-inspired creations at home.
Ingredients
Pineapple Relish:
- 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion (about ½ a small onion)
- ¼ cup finely chopped green pepper (about ¼ of a pepper)
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Garlic Lemon Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves minced or crushed
- cayenne pepper to taste (optional, for a spicy version)
Hawaiian Hot Dogs:
- 8 hot dog buns toasted if desired
- 8 hot dogs (I prefer all beef hot dogs)
- ¼ cup Aunty Liliko'i Passion Fruit Mustard or other mustard of your choice or as needed
Instructions
Pineapple Relish:
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
- Transfer to the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Then either transfer to a bowl or a condiment bottle with a large opening for easy squeezing. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Garlic Lemon Sauce:
- Combine the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Add cayenne pepper to taste if you want a spicy version. Leave it in the bowl or transfer to a condiment bottle for easy squeezing. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Hawaiian Hot Dogs:
- Grill the hot dogs until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Alternatively for indoor cooking, cook in a 400°F (200°C) toaster oven for 10 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking.
- If desired, transfer some of your passion fruit mustard to a condiment bottle for easy squeezing.
- Place hot dogs into each bun and drizzle with each of the toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Aunty Liliko'i Passion Fruit Mustard can be expensive to buy online from the mainland, unless you tack it onto your Kauai Coffee Company order (I highly recommend their coffees)! If you can’t find it, you could use any other mustard you like, or try another tropical fruit-flavored mustard. You could also make your own fruity mustard by combining Dijon mustard with fruit puree, such as passion fruit, mango, guava, or any other tropical fruit you like.
To make actual copycat Puka Dogs with the hollowed out bun, use long sandwich rolls (not split) instead of hot dog buns, and use Polish sausages instead of hot dog. Then follow these assembly instructions. Keep in mind that the buns for real Puka Dogs also get toasted on the inside of their hole, which is not really possible to do for the home cook, but this method will get you close!
Hollow out the inside of the long sandwich rolls but poking them with a turkey baster or bun driller almost all the way to the other end, leaving the opposite end intact. Twist and wiggle the turkey baster as needed to make the opening big enough to fit your sauces and sausages. Transfer all of your sauces into condiment bottles to make it easier to squeeze the different sauces into the hole. You could drizzle with a spoon as well but may have a bit less control. To assemble, squeeze some passion fruit mustard, garlic lemon sauce, and pineapple relish into the cavity of each sandwich roll. Insert a cooked polish sausage and push it down to fit the opening.
- Hollow out the inside of the long sandwich rolls but poking them with a turkey baster or bun driller almost all the way to the other end, leaving the opposite end intact. Twist and wiggle the turkey baster as needed to make the opening big enough to fit your sauces and sausages.
- Transfer all of your sauces into condiment bottles to make it easier to squeeze the different sauces into the hole. You could drizzle with a spoon as well but may have a bit less control.
- To assemble, squeeze some passion fruit mustard, garlic lemon sauce, and pineapple relish into the cavity of each sandwich roll. Insert a cooked polish sausage and push it down to fit the opening.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 387
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 387kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 4% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 10mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 741mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 25mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.