Sonoran hot dogs for a tailgate: the bacon-wrapped street dog from Tucson and Sonora, Mexico, tucked into a soft bolillo-style roll with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, mayo and mustard, for 10. Wrap them at home and cook them on a flat-top or gas grill at the lot in about 30 minutes, because at State Farm Stadium grills run on propane or natural gas only.
Feeds: 10 · Hands-on: about 45 min · Total: about 20 min at home, plus about 30 min at the lot
Home gear: a lidded container that fits 10 hot dogs, 3 small containers, 2 squeeze bottles and a small foil pan
Pack for the lot
- Bacon-wrapped dogs, sealed, at the bottom of the cooler
- Mayo bottle, onion and tomatoes, in the cooler on ice
- Covered foil pan of beans, in the cooler
- Mustard bottle and salsa
- Rolls, out of the cooler
- Propane flat-top or gas grill and a full propane cylinder
- 2 sets of tongs: 1 for raw, 1 for cooked
- Instant-read thermometer
- Spoon for the beans, foil and paper towels
- Napkins and a trash bag
Lot notes
- The State Farm Stadium rule: the guide says grills are "Propane or natural gas only. No charcoal, pellet grills or oil fryers, and no grill or heater under a tent." The flat-top and the gas grill do the work here, and they sit outside the shade tent.
- The heat: early-season games in Glendale are hot, so assume the 1-hour rule. Above 90°F, cooked dogs, beans and toppings get tossed after 1 hour out. Keep the mayo, onion and tomatoes on ice between rounds.
- Toothpicks: count them out and count them back. Nobody wants one in a bite.
- Timing: lots open 4 hours before kickoff and tailgating ends at kickoff, so this is a first-round cook.
- Cleanup: scrape the flat-top while it's warm and let it cool before packing. Glass is out at State Farm Stadium, so the mayo, mustard and salsa ride in plastic.
Can you make Sonoran hot dogs ahead?
Yes. Wrap the dogs in bacon, chop the toppings and fill the squeeze bottles the night before. Cook the dogs at the lot, where the bacon gets crisp.
How do you keep hot dogs hot at a tailgate?
Cook them in rounds and keep the cooked ones on the cool edge of the flat-top, at 140°F or above. Keep the beans covered on the heat and stir them now and then.
How many Sonoran hot dogs for 20 people?
Double it for 1 dog each: 20 hot dogs, 20 slices of bacon, 4 cans of pinto beans and 20 rolls. Plenty of people want 2, so for a hungry crew make 30 to 40.
Can you grill at State Farm Stadium?
Yes, with propane or natural gas. The State Farm Stadium guide says charcoal grills, pellet grills and oil fryers are banned, and grills and heaters never go under a tent.
What makes a hot dog Sonoran?
The bacon wrap, the soft bolillo-style roll split on top and the pile of pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, mayo and mustard. Grilled peppers and salsa are common add-ons.