Chili Cheese Street Fair Sausage Dogs

A few years back, while attending a small-town car show, we discovered what has to be the best Sausage Dogs on the planet. One bite, and we were hooked. Lockford Meats and Sausage Company, in the little hamlet of Lockford California, sets up their giant barbecue grill at fairs and gatherings all around the central valley. They even have a Food Wagon at the Alameda Antique and Flea Market. While there are plenty of food vendors to choose from at the monthly Alameda gathering, Lockford’s is the only one that has a line – a very long line. People in the know don’t mind the wait.

While you can drive to Lockford and buy your own dogs to cook up as you please, lines at their Lockford market are the norm. We’ve stood in a short line early in the morning, and a long line late in the day. Oh but Lockford Meats are so worth the wait and their higher price tag.

The Street Fair Sausage Dogs are famous in these parts. Lockford makes their own sausages, grinding the meat, mixing the seasonings and selling their creations out of an old-time butcher’s counter. While we would drive to Lockford for the Street Fair Sausage Dogs alone, it’s not the only thing we get. There are bratwurst, bacon sausages, Italian sausages, breakfast sausages. The list goes on and on.

Just one of these awesome Street Fair Sausage Dog can feed a small country. When we cook ’em up at home, it takes two standard hot dog buns for one Street Fair Dog. Yeah, that’s big!

When I saw this recipe for Dog Bread Bites pop up on Facebook, I knew it was perfect for some Lockford Street Fair Sausage Dogs. Unfortunately, Lockford Meats does not take online orders or phone orders. The only way to buy their products to enjoy at home is to drive to Lockford, and stand in line. Maybe, if you see them at a fair, you might be able to talk them out of an uncooked sausage or two, but for the most part you’ve got to pay your dues, make the drive and stand in line like everyone else. While Lockford Meats has a Facebook page, as far as I can tell it hasn’t been updated since 2014 and there is no website for the business. Theirs is an old-school approach to running a business, which might just explain why their sausages are so delicious.

I think this recipe would work with any hot dogs or franks, the better quality dog the tastier the results. Hope you find your dogs and enjoy!

Chili Cheese Street Fair Sausage Dog Bites
1 baguette
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, divided
1 can Dennison Chili
3 Street Fair Sausages Dogs
2 tablespoons Green Onions, chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Cut a small V down the length of the baguette, remove top and some of the bread inside to create a boat.

Sprinkle 1 cup cheddar cheese on the bottom of the baguette boat, then place the street Fair Sausage Dogs, end to end, over the cheese until the baguette is filled with sausage.

Spoon chili over the street fair sausage, top with remaining Cheddar cheese.

Wrap baguette in foil, place in the heated oven and bake until sausage has cooked, chili is hot and cheese has melted, about 25 minutes.

Open foil, garnish with chopped green onions, then let cool slightly. Using a sharp knife, slice into desired segments. (We did ours based on the length of the sausage dog. You could cut into 3-inch pieces to serve to a crowd).

Serve and enjoy. For a great meal, add some shoestring French Fries. Awesome!