Tech Tip Tuesday: Hot Dogger and Muffpot Recipes!

If you like a hot meal and also like snowmobiling then you probably already own the Muffpot or the Hot Dogger. If you don’t have one, then read on as to why and how more and more people are using these to cook and heat up their food on their snowmobile trips.

What the heck is a Muffpot?!

For those who don’t know what a Muffpot or Hot Dogger is, the names seem strange but a Muffpot (essentially a “muffler pot”) or Hot Dogger (hot dogs are a common item to use in them) is basically a metal box that attaches to your muffler or exhaust pipe using one or more circular clamps. It uses the heat from the exhaust to heat up whatever is inside so that you can have a “piping” hot meal anywhere on the trail. Watch the video below to see how it installs.

There are few things better than a hot meal in the woods on a snowy day!

GearHead’s Ultimate Hot Dogger/Muffpot Recipes

Some use few wraps of foil, others have used turkey roasting bags for saucier concoctions, and some swear by wrapping everything in parchment paper for better crisp and less char. It may a little trial and error at first if you’re not used to the heating capabilities of your sled. Each is different depending on where you put the hot dogger or muffpot and the type of sled. A general rule of thumb is that it will be around 300-350 degrees so 15-20 min of riding will heat most things up if they are thawed and 45 min if they are frozen. The more you are on the throttle the better they will heat up. If you are just trail riding and not hitting hills or side hilling, it can take awhile. If you can smell your food, chances are it’s done. Remember, muffpots/hot doggers are mostly intended to be used as food WARMERS so don’t expect to do cooking when you are putting together your recipes. If you do want to try your hand at cooking something, plan on longer time and flipping half way through for even cooking (it also tends to be messier as leaks and spills are more common the longer you have something in the muffpot) and you may need to move it closer to the engine block.

Here’s a list we came up with from the best recipes we could find from our team and those we found on the interwebs. Let us know if you have any personal favorites and we might just add it to the list. Enjoy!

Lil’ Smokies – Throw in a bag of Lil’ Smokies and some BBQ sauce for a hot meal that’s always a hit out on the trail.

Brats – The hot dogger got it’s name for a reason. It’s the perfect size for throwing in some hot dogs, kielbasa, or bratwurst. Add some chili or onions and sliced green peppers and you’ve got a gourmet meal.

Fajitas – We won’t go over fajita recipes since there are probably hundreds, but use your favorite (we like elk fajitas!) recipe and wrap it up in some parchment paper for a hit every time.

Shrimp Scampy – Garlic, Shrimp, and butter. Enough said!

Left Overs – Take whatever you’ve got in the fridge, wrap it up in foil or parchment and toss it in the Muffpot. A few favorites are lasagna, pizza, casseroles, and chicken, but you can use just about anything that is good reheated.

Hot Pockets or Frozen Burritos – Maybe not at the top of the gourmet list, but they are super easy, cheap, low mess, and tasty(depending on who you ask!). Pizza bites and egg rolls are also easy throw in items.

Nachos – Add Salsa, Bean Dip, Cheese Sauce and anything else you want together in a turkey roaster bag or two. Keep the chips in your backpack and you’re set for instant nachos and it’ll be easy to share with your buddies who helped you get unstuck earlier.

Corn Dogs – Toss a few in frozen and all and they’ll be plenty warm after an hour or more of riding. Best part is there is no mess with these.

Fast Food – Grab a couple burgers and some fries on your way to the trail and throw them in, wrappers and all, 15 minutes before you want to eat for an easy warm meal.

We hope you enjoyed this list of food warmer recipes and hope it sparks some good ideas for your next trip. One tip for post meal cleanup if you have a sauce based meal is to add some snow to your food warmer after your meal and put it back on the pipe. The warm water will help to clean any residue off.

Do you have a favorite Muffpot or Hot Dogger recipe? Send us an email at techtips@gearhead.com and we might just add it to the list!