Rafted Wieners: Hotdogs, Cheese and Bacon. . . Need I say more?

Hotdogs stuffed with pickles and cheese and topped with Bacon? YES!

Over the last few months, Rafted Wieners have been a punchline in my household, or maybe it’s a threat. Whenever we can’t decide what to make for dinner, I eventually suggest “There’s always Rafted Wieners!” How is that not fun to say? Try it yourself. Now say it three times fast.

A Recipe that gives you permission to play with your food

The premise is rather ridiculous. Why would you arrange three hotdogs sideways on one bun and then place bacon perpendicular to the hotdogs? How is one supposed to eat this? You can’t pick it up. Isn’t that the point of a hotdog? And should a person really eat THREE hotdogs stuffed with cheese, and then topped with bacon?

We may think that Instagram and social media foster ridiculous food presentation, but I’d put The Better Homes & Gardens Creative Cooking Library food photography up against any of those over-the-top Instagram photos. In addition to this Jenga-like hotdog creation, the  Better Homes and Gardens Barbecues and Picnics  edition introduces us to other artfully arranged vittles. If you prefer hotdogs arranged into a doughnut shape, try Circle Pups. The hole is filled with sauerkraut. There are also scary looking gelatin creations like “Perfection Salad,” which contains olives, celery, and cabbage.

So we weenied out. We decided that we didn’t need to eat three hotdogs each. We deconstructed the raft and had submarweiners instead. The peas were really necessary. The flavor profile was a lot of salt, layered with salt, and topped with more salt. The potato chips were definitely not necessary. I’d recommend a side of sauerkraut or a vinegary salad.

What a way to kick off grilling season!