There’s more than one way to roast a frank
When the long, lazy days of summer start to grow short and cool, you may be less inclined to fire up your grill. The kids are back in school, the sun goes down earlier and it may be too cold to stand outside to barbecue your franks. That doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy an autumn frank roast. Here are some practical and fun ways to roast your franks without the grill.
In a Skillet
It might not have the festive feeling of a cook-out, but you won’t lose any flavor cooking up hot dogs in a skillet. Melt a little butter in a pan, throw the franks in and you’re good to go. If you want to dress things up, you can add some chopped onion and peppers to create a hearty skillet dinner that will make your kitchen smell heavenly on a wet, autumn night. If you’re looking to keep things lean, add water to the pan instead of butter to steam a package of Bar-S Turkey Franks.
Over the Stove Top
If you’re really hankering for that grilled frank flavor and don’t mind the clean-up, you can even roast franks right on your stove top! If you have an electric stove, wipe the elements clean, turn on the stove and put your franks right on the burner to get ‘grill’ marks. If you have a gas stove, you can roast your frank over the gas flame. Use a long fork with a wooden handle so you don’t burn yourself or set a metal rack up over the gas flames to cook more than one frank at a time.
In the Oven
If you haven’t tried doing franks in the oven, it’s time you did. You can broil them on a baking sheet for a classic frank, or mix them into a filling casserole like mac and cheese or baked beans and pineapple. Cooking in the oven heats up the whole kitchen on cold nights, and the smell of bacon-wrapped Cheese Franks or Signature Smokehouse Franks from Bar-S will have everyone asking when dinner will be ready.
Over the Campfire
Cool weather doesn’t have to mean cooking in. In fact, cool, crisp autumn nights are some of the best for weekend campouts. The summer crowds are gone and so are the mosquitos. Put on extra-warm sweaters and gather around the campfire for an unforgettable get-together. And for dinner? Everyone gets to roast their own franks over the campfire. You can put them on buns with condiments, or just eat them hot right off the end of a stick.
In Your Fireplace
If your camping trip gets rained out, you don’t have to cancel your frank roast. Instead, set up camp in the living room and make your campfire in the fireplace. Your Bar-S franks will taste just as good roasted in your fireplace as they do over a campfire. Make sure you have long sticks to cook them on, and don’t forget the s’mores for dessert. Your kids will love it at least as much as camping outside.
Over Your Backyard Fire Pit
If you don’t have a fireplace in your house, consider a backyard fire pit. You can build one yourself or buy one ready to go, and it’s a great way to bring some light and heat to autumn cookouts. Instead of grilling your franks, cook them right over the flames just like a campfire. The only difference is everyone gets to go to sleep in their own beds afterward.
In a Wood Burning Stove
If you use a wood burning stove at home to keep things toasty, you can cook up your franks with hardly any extra work. It’s best to let your fire burn down a bit so you have a stove full of hot coals to work with. Then make a pouch out of tinfoil and wrap your franks up in it. Tuck the pouch right into the coals and let the franks cook for five or ten minutes. Serve them with your favorite toppings for a super fast, super easy weekday dinner.
Franks might be the perfect summer cook-out food, but that doesn’t mean they can’t hit the spot year-round. Try some of these fun ideas for an autumn frank roast that will have friends and family looking forward to cooler weather.