How Do You Properly Store Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are available in a variety of types and sizes in almost all grocery stores around the country. One of the most common types of hot dogs are the pre-cooked ones that are vacuum-sealed and have a relatively long shelf life.
Unopened packs of hot dogs can be stored in the refrigerator and consumed before their expiration date. Once opened, they should be stored and sealed in plastic bags in the fridge and used within 3 days of opening.
If you wish to prolong their life, it is a good idea to transfer them to the freezer where they will be good for up to 6 months.
How Long Should Hot Dogs Be Cooked
Hot dogs come in three different varieties Frankfurters, Wieners and Sausages. Each type of hot dog has slightly different composition and requires slightly different cooking techniques.
- Sausages are grounded meat wrapped inside a casing made from animal intestine or a synthetic material. Sausages have the thickest filling in all types of hot dogs unless they have been dried off. Sausages have a relatively longer cooking time and should be grilled for around 10 15 minutes.
- Wieners originated in Vienna and name after the city of their origin. They have a slightly smoother texture and taste. They are comparatively thinner and longer and very popular at barbecues. Wieners have a mix of beef and pork and their cooking time on the grill is around 8 10 minutes.
- Frankfurters or franks for short originated in the German city of Frankfurt. This type of hot dog is very thin and can vary in size from small cocktails to large, dinner sized. The hot dog is seasoned with garlic, pepper, salt, ground mustard, sugar and nutmeg. Frankfurters are generally made from pork only. They can be cooked in a matter of minutes on the grill and take about 5 7 minutes.
How To Cook Hot Dogs In A Pan
Pan frying hot dogs is my favorite way to cook hot dogs. If you want to cook hot dogs on the stove, this is the preferred method. I don’t recommend boiling hot dogs ever. Boiling takes the flavor out of the hot dog and waters them down.
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How To Grill A Natural Casing Hot Dog
For cased dogs, I take a different approach. When cooked whole over direct heat, they fared better than the skinless, with the casing generally helping to protect the meat from drying and shriveling. But a small percentage of them burst and let essential juices leak out.
I wouldn’t slash cased dogs, though, because those slits can further expand and tear during cooking. So, to make the absolute best hot dog I could, I turned to an old article of Kenji’s on the science of grilling sausages.
In that article, he found the best method to be simmering the sausages first in a flavorful liquid over indirect heat until cooked through, then quickly searing them over direct heat. I totally get how this is best for fresh, uncooked sausages, but hadn’t considered whether it would work for hot dogs as well.
I finally gave it try, setting up a small disposable aluminum roasting pan filled with Sabrett’s Onions in Sauce mixed with a can of beer. I brought that mixture to a simmer over direct heat on the grill, then slid it over to the cool side, added natural-casing Nathan’s hot dogs, covered the grill, and let them cook until heated through. I then plucked the hot dogs from the liquid and grilled them over a hot fire where they charred super fast, without a single casing splitting.
Hot Dog Method: Poached
- Grilling time: A little over 1 minute
- Rating: 8.75/10
About This Method: Touted by Epicurious for yielding juicy, perfectly cooked franks, this method starts by heating a small saucepan of water to 150°F, slipping the hot dogs into the water, lowering the heat, and cooking the dogs to an internal temperature of 150°F. The franks then go directly on a grill rack over high heat, where you turn them frequently until they brown a little on the outside.
Results: The dogs had a great snap and were quite juicy. Because they were grilled over high heat, they even got a little char. They were just marginally tastier than the straight-up grilled dogs, but the very short time spent on the grill means these franks are far less likely to burst and spill their precious juices.
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The Cincinnati Cheese Coney
If you’ve never eaten Cincinnati chili, it’s safe to say you’ve not truly experienced Cincinnati. At some point in history, Cincinnati developed its own signature blend of chili made from ground beef, ground pork, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Immediately afterward, the town became obsessed with it and still puts it on top of everything to this day.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that the Cincinnati Cheese Coney consists of an all-beef dog covered in the aforementioned chili and cheese. A selection of other far-less essential toppings can include mustard and onion, but it’s mostly all about the Cincy cinnamon chili.
The Best Way To Cook A Steak Without A Grill
No grill? No problem. We walk you through how to achieve grill-like results in your kitchen.
Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money from these links.
Heath Goldman is a culinary editor at Food Network.
Cooking steak on a grill is one of the easiest ways to achieve a thick, crackling crust and juicy interior. Charcoal grills also impart delightful smoky flavor. But what if you don’t have access to a grill? Great news: It’s easy to achieve very similar results within your kitchen. Whether you’re cooking a marbled prime ribeye, a lean London broil or something a little more middle of the road, we’re here to walk you through each and every step to achieving perfectly cooked steak. There are two different easy techniques that’ll help you achieve grill-like results.
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Do You Close The Lid When Grilling Hot Dogs
Since cooking hot dogs can be quick, there is no need for you to close the grills lid while cooking.
However, you do need to make sure that the hot dogs completely thaw before cooking.
Closing the grill lid creates convection inside the grill, which helps cook the hot dogs all the way through.
So I do recommend closing the lid of the grill when cooking hot dogs.
If you like the post then do not forget to share it on social media!
Our Last Tips For Grilling Perfect Hot Dogs On A Gas Grill
Grilling hot dogs on a gas grill is easy if you follow the right cooking tips. Here are some useful tips for grilling perfect hot dogs on your summer barbecue party.
- It is important to set the right temperature for your grill to enjoy the perfect and juicy hot dog. Remember to get the grill hot enough to cook the hot dogs but not so hot that you end up burning or overcooking the dogs for so long that they burst open.
- A lot of gas grills these days come with an upper rack. The rack is a good place to keep your grilled hot dogs warm until they are ready to serve.
- Remember to preheat the grill before your start and make sure that the hot dogs have been properly thawed out.
- Depending on the size of the grill and available cooking area you may be able to grill 6 12 hot dogs going simultaneously. It does require a bit of experience to cook a dozen hot dogs at the same time though.
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How To Grill Hot Dogs A Guide
Alright, now lets get to actually grilling a nice frank. Youll get this recipe for grilled hot dogs, and Ill also tell you how to prep the buns so theyre not just meh.
For grilled hot dogs, youll need:
- 8 hot dogs, of whichever type you like
- 8 hot dog buns, cut down the middle
- mustard, ketchup, relish
- 2 oz melted butter
If you want to add anything else to the hot dogs, like a side dish or salad, feel free to improvise.
Thaw your hot dogs if theyve been sitting in the freezer, and make sure they get up to room temp before grilling. Especially for beef franks.
Prep the grill and grates
First up, youre going to need to make sure your grill is clean, and the grates dont have any residue from the last grill party. Otherwise the franks will stick to the grates, and this is never a good thing.
Grab a grill brush and clean the grill, if it needs any cleaning.
Afterwards, heat your grill to medium-high.
If youre using a gas grill, this can take up to 15 minutes.
If youre using charcoal, they should develop a white layer on the outside.
Both cases, close the lid if your grill has one.
Put the hot dogs on the grill
First, youll need to make sure your franks are prepared for the grill. If you want to avoid any burst hot dogs, lightly score them on all sides. Do not do this with beef franks or youll lose precious juice !
Once your grill is hot enough, place the hot dogs on the grill. If possible, place them at a angle or across, so you get those nice grill marks.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Hot Dogs On A George Foreman Grill
Cooking hot dogs on the grill or any cooking appliance does not take too long.
They are perfect for a quick snack or a walk-around meal while at a party or an event.
It would take around 7 minutes to cook hot dogs on a regular grill since you would want to flip them over midway into cooking.
That is a bit different when you use a George Foreman grill.
A George Foreman grill has two heating elements, one on the cooking surface and one on the lid. That means that you do not have to flip the hot dogs over when you are cooking.
If you use a George Foreman grill, you will finish the cooking process in just 5 minutes.
Just make sure that the hot dogs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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How To Cook Hot Dogs: The Best And Worst Ways
Senior Editor of Food & Drink and Style & Beauty, HuffPost
My vegetarian brother hovered over the stove, staring at a package of uncooked beef hot dogs that he graciously planned to cook for the rest of us, his omnivorous family . What do I do with these? he asked, and I chuckled to myself at his naiveté.
But two days later, my meat-eating, hot-dog-loving friend asked me the same question, and I realized: Does no one actually know how to cook hot dogs?
First of all, most processed hot dogs are precooked, so you wont likely give anyone food poisoning if you serve them cold, straight from the fridge in all their slippery, rubbery glory. But you shouldnt do that.
The ideal hot dog is heated up until its nice and plump on the inside and golden on the outside. However, if you ask someone about the best way to prepare a hot dog, you should get ready for a fight. Few people agree on whether you should grill them, pan-fry them, microwave them, roast them in the oven or boil them. You can even spiral-cut them or cook them up into creepy little octopuses. Food writers have tested every which-way in the name of science, but theres still no consensus.
However you want to cook your dog, theres a simple technique for each method that you should master before cookout season approaches. Check them out below, ranked from our favorite to least favorite methods.
How To Grill Perfect Hot Dogs
Should you boil hot dogs before grilling? Like many hot dog purists, deciding how to roast your hot dog can be quite a challenge. To some, the questions of how long to grill hot dogs on a gas grill are even more disturbing. However, there are tips and tricks on how to grill hot dogs on the stove that you can follow.
This article will guide you on how to make hot dogs better. It will turn you into a grill master whose hand works on preparing the best-grilled hotdogs. You will learn the right hot dog temperature settings and tell if the hot dogs were cooked with the food thermometers when grilling and avoid the common mistakes during grilling, such as burning and shriveling the hot dog. Here are the tips and tricks that you should use when you need to grill the perfect hot dog.
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Use A Properly Preheated Charcoal Grill
Are you using a gas or charcoal grill? Rizzas preference is the latter. The charcoal method gives grilled food so much more flavor, he says.
If you are using charcoal, use a chimney starter.
When are the coals “are all ashed over, spread the charcoals flat using long tongs and replace the top grate. Let that heat up for a few minutes and then begin to grill,” Rizza says.
If you’re cooking just a few hot dogs, bank the coals to one side of the grill for greatest cooking efficiency. If you’re cooking a whole bunch, spread the charcoal evenly and consider shaking on a few more if it looks like you’re going to need them.
Using a gas grill? Fine. Preheat it to the highest possible temperature and then, just before putting the dogs on the grill, turn it down to medium heat, he says.
All Pork Vs All Beef Franks
This comes down to purely a matter of taste. Some folks love the juiciness of all pork, while others prefer the big beef flavor.
For brands you can find at most markets, Ball Park is my top choice with an all beef bun-sized frank. Niman Ranch does a nice all pork dog. Oscar Meyer is a pork and beef mix and is a classic frank for a reason. Nathans also gets great ratings, but I am biased and reserve those for train stops in and out of NY city.
Now, on to the round up of the
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How Do You Grill The Perfect Hot Dog
Turn on your grill. Cook the hot dogs on the cooler side of the grill so that they can heat through without burning on the outside. Cook one minute on each side. Move the hot dogs to the hot side of the grill. Serve. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Put your hot dogs in a pan or tray. Cook for 15 minutes.
Hot Dog Method: Crosshatched
- Grilling time: About 6 minutes
- Rating: 7/10
About This Method: I followed the helpful video from Southern Bite to make shallow crosshatch-style cuts on opposite sides of each hot dog. This method instructs you to brush sauce on the hot dogs, but again I skipped that step to see how the cutting technique itself affected the cooking. I grilled the hot dogs over medium-high heat, turning occasionally.
Results: You can make the crosshatch as loose or as tight as youd like . All of those little grooves added up to lots of char and crispy bits. It does create a texture that feels a little strange on the outside and just a tad bit tough, but the inside of each frank was nice and juicy.
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Can You Cook Hot Dogs On A George Foreman Grill
If I am asked this question, I would say a definite yes and would even argue that cooking hot dogs on a George Foreman grill is the best way to cook the best hot dogs you have.
George Foreman grills cook your hot dogs with two heating elements, so you do not have to flip them.
It is easy to do and all you need is to make sure that you time it perfectly.
George Foreman grills can put nice grill marks on the hot dogs in just 5 minutes.
That means that you also do not have to wait for too long to finish your hot dogs when you use a George Foreman Grill!
Prepare Your Buns Or Toast
Towards the end of your hot dog grilling period, slice your bun into two halve. Use a pastry brush to smear melted butter over the buns. Put your buns on the grill with the buttered area facing the surface of the grill and heat for a maximum of one minute. Remove the bun from the heat immediately your one minute elapses.
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What’s The Best Type Of Hot Dog To Grill
Theres a lot of debate about the best hot dog to grill, so we say experiment with different brands until you find a favorite. If youre looking for a place to start, GQ made a top 10 list of their favorite hot dogs to grill. The top contenders were Nathans Famous Beef Franks, Trader Joes All Natural Uncured All Beef Hot Dogs, and Hebrew National Beef Franks.
