What Are The Best Hot Dogs To Grill

How Long Do You Cook Hot Dogs On A Griddle

How to grill the perfect hot dog

In general, you can cook hot dogs on a griddle for between 5 to 10 minutes.

That is to make sure that the heat reaches the middle of the hot dog to cook it through.

However, that depends on the temperature of the griddle that you cook the hot dogs on.

If you use high heat, make sure that the hot dogs completely thaw before cooking.

That way, you will not burn the skin of the hot dogs and leave the inside raw.

It is best to cook the hot dogs over middle heat to ensure that the heat gets in the middle of the hot dogs.

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Best Budget Hot Dogs: Signature Select Uncured Jumbo Beef Franks And Heritage Farm Hot Dogs

Our recommendation here comes with the caveat that both of these options have arguably the worst sodium stats in the line-up . However, if you’re looking to cook out on the cheap, then both of these brands are good choices. Signature Select jumbo franks provide a slightly cheaper alternative to top brands like Hebrew National , while Heritage Farm provides basic hot dogs for less than a dollar. For those gatherings where you’re not sure how many guests to expect, either of these brats are worth the grab.

Buy It: $7.99, Safeway $0.44, Kroger

The Hot Dogs Are Split Badly

Generally, chefs are not fans of cutting up meat before or during the cooking process since it results in juices flowing out. Unless you’re really, really concerned with getting lots of char marks on your dog, it’s best never to split a dog all the way down the middle.

But chef Darryl Harmon of Clinton Hall in New York City said there is good reason to create little slits .

“When you do this before putting them on the grill, it tends to get crispier on the outside without losing moisture on the inside once you cook it,” said Harmon. “The hot dog can actually also expand and will still be juicy on the inside.”

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The Right Internal Temperature For Hot Dogs

Grilling hot dogs is all about watching the temperature of the grill. This balance will ensure that your hot dog has cooked well inside and outside.

The ideal internal temperature for a hot dog during grilling is 140°F or warmer. According to the safe grilling guide, the right internal temperature for a hotdog is 165°F. At this temperature, food-borne diseases, like listeriosis, get destroyed. After heating to 140°F or above, you need to maintain the temperatures high so as to keep the hot dog from the danger of getting contaminated again.

Avoid Poking Or Splitting Your Dogs

This Is The Best Way To Grill Hot Dogs

You may be tempted to poke your hot dogs with a knife or fork while they’re grilling to test for “doneness,” but you should try to break the habit.

“Since hot dogs are usually precooked, there is no need to split them open or pierce them during the cooking process. By poking and prodding your dogs, you release the delicious juices that make them juicy,” Sidoti said.

Instead, gently turn your hot dogs using tongs to ensure their casings stay intact and full of flavor.

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But How Do You Grill Hot Dogs Without A Grill

Oh, boy. Well, do you have a stovetop with at least one working burner? If so, then slap a cast-iron grill pan or regular ol’ cast-iron pan on that working burner and preheat that pan to medium-high. Don’t add oil. Otherwise you won’t achieve quite the same char-effect you’d otherwise be reaping from the grill.

How Do You Cook Hot Dogs On A Powerless Smoked Grill

A powerless smoked grill AKA an indoor grill AKA the George Foreman Grill makes grilling dogs super easy. Just preheat your grill on high, which should take no more than five minutes, and then grill the dogs for 2 to 3 minutes, turning them throughout. If you want more grill marks, just cook them longer. You can also use the grill to toast the hot dog buns. It just takes a minute!

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It’s Smart To Adjust Your Grilling Temperature To The Fat Content Of The Hot Dogs

Compare a few packages of hot dogs and you’ll probably notice that different styles and brands contain different amounts of fat.

Adapting your cooking process to this variation is a crucial part of serving up delicious hot dogs.

“Consider the fat content in the hot dogs to determine what heat you should be grilling at. Higher-fat dogs should be cooked at a medium heat whereas leaner dogs should be grilling on a medium-low setting,” said , grilling expert and creator of Slawsa hot-dog condiment.

Best Pork Hot Dog: Hillshire Farms Cheddarwurst Smoked Sausage Links

How to cook hotdogs on the grill – Keep on Grillin’ – Cooking on the Grill How-To Tips Episode #3

Generally speaking, I’m not a huge fan of cheddar brats. Most cheese-filled hot dogs seem to taste too artificial, or worse, lose their signature ingredient on the grill. Hillshire Farms’ cheddarwurst links are the first I might reach for again, however. The cheddar melts well without running completely out of the link, and the sausage also crisps well in the broiler without frequently splitting, which can be a problem even in bigger franks where extra ingredients aren’t included. Cheese loving kids in your lives will thank you if you bring these to the grill.

Buy It: $2.44, Walmart

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The 10 Best Hot Dogs For Your Grill Ranked

  • 3/11
  • Schaller & Weber Wieners. Pork and beef combination. The poor showing surprised me, because Ive always admired this venerable, well-regarded, New York-based brand. Unpleasantly bland. Polyester-tasting was one comment.
    • 4/11
    • Oscar Mayer. The Classic Wieners, unlike any others, are made with turkey, chicken, and some pork. An Oscar Meyer hater guessed these blind. Another thought the extraordinary blandness might appeal to young children. The Classic Beef Franks were considerably bettersalty, slightly smoky, although very soft. These pulled the brand up from ninth place.
    • 5/11
    • Niman RanchFearless Uncured Franks. A big jump in pleasure and satisfaction from the bottom three. Beef and pork. Mild, somewhat sweet, quite juicy, not much personality. A good, healthy hot dog.
    • 6/11
    • **Boars Head Beef Frankfurters **with natural casing possessed a lovely snap. Sweet and juicy, extremely mild, lacking pizzazz. Rating was lowered by the less appealing skinless Beef Frankfurters, which seemed saltier.
    • 10/11
    • Trader Joes All NaturalUncured All Beef Hot Dogs. An exceptional hot dogthe fattest, densest, and meatiest. Plenty of punch.
    • 11/11
    • The Original **Nathans Famous Beef Frank **with natural casing. Distinctive and pleasing. Big flavor. Snappy, rich, and juicy. Tasters recognized and liked the Skinless Beef Franks, served afterward. Natural casing was the star, though.

    You’re Not Giving Hot Dogs A Short Bath

    Boiling the heck out of a hot dog before grilling is just wrong, but giving it a little moisture bath isn’t a bad idea for several reasons.

    We always suggest simmering hot dogs in water for roughly 3 to 5 minutes before grilling,” said Elias Cairo, owner and meat master salumist of Olympia Provisions.

    For an extra bit of flavor, Cairo says to sausages in a hoppy ale: “If you really want to kick it up a notch, simmer it in beer first and then grill.” This will also help firm up natural casings so they’ll be less likely to burst on the grill.

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    What Are Some Common Mistakes To Avoid When I Grill Hot Dogs

    • Dont boil your hot dogs before grilling them. Doing so may zap some of the flavor out of them. If you want to make sure your dogs are cooked all the way through, you can poach your dogs for a minute or two in a covered saucepan of hot water.
    • Dont grill your hot dogs over an open flame. Most hot dogs are small, so improper placement on the grill can burn and ruin them. Instead, cook them over indirect heat and turn them regularly so that every side gets grilled.
    • Dont poke or cut holes into your hot dog before or during grilling. If you do, the delicious juices will spill out! You dont need to poke holes into your dog to check for doneness because most hot dogs come pre-cooked. Instead, focus on grilling the dogs to your liking.

    What’s The Best Grilling Temperature For Hot Dogs

    This Is The Best Way To Grill Hot Dogs

    We recommend setting your Traeger to at least 375 degrees Fahrenheit to grill hot dogs, but you can grill hot dogs at any temperature up to 500 degrees. Our recommendations depend on the overall recipe, including how crispy you like your hot dog skin. A cooler grill temperature leads to less crispy skin because the hot dog will cook evenly throughout. A hotter grill will lead to crispier skin on your hot dog because the skin will cook more quickly than the inside.

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    How You Can Cook The Best Hot Dogs On Blackstone Griddle

    The first thing you should remember when cooking hot dogs is to make sure that the heat is right.

    You do not need too much heat as it will most likely burn the outer skin of the hot dogs.

    When cooking on a griddle, you need to stay near it as the hot dogs will easily burn.

    You might want to make sure that the outer parts do not get burned and cook all the way through.

    You cannot achieve that if your hot dogs are also frozen or too cold.

    It will only make them want to stick to the cooking surface with the interior staying cold and undercooked.

    At lower temperatures, you will need to cook the hot dogs longer.

    The goal is to make the skin of the hot dogs blister a little bit as it is a sign that the hot dogs are hot inside and well cooked.

    Use a spatula to flip the hot dogs frequently to distribute the heat evenly throughout the hot dogs.

    That way, the heat inside the hot dogs will be even and they cook perfectly.

    Pan Frying On The Stove

    Love a crispy outside on your frank? Pan frying hot dogs browns them up just right.

  • Add water to a skillet or frying pan. Cover the surface with half an inch of water.
  • Turn the heat on medium-high. Heat the pan until the water starts to boil off.
  • Gently add the hot dogs. Youll only want to cook a few at a time with this method.
  • Steam them. Roll the hot dogs frequently to get them browned on all sides.
  • Famous Tip: Want a more decadent flavor? Swap out the water for a generous dab of butter or a few tablespoons of oil.

  • Serve. Use tongs or a fork to remove the hot dogs. Then enjoy!
  • Famous Tip: For a rich and toasty bun to pair with your frank, try this trick.

    After you take the hot dogs out of the pan, turn off the heat and place the buns face down in the leftover juices. Let them simmer for about 45 seconds.

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    Epic Hot Dogs For Grilling Girl Carnivore

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

    Sausages, brats, whatever you like to call them Time for some Epic Hot Dogs! July is #nationalhotdogmonth, and these are the most mouth-watering dogs. From bacon-wrapped brats to cheese stuffed and fully-loaded weiners there is enough inspiration to get you through every day of the month without doubling up.

    Bring on the hot dogs!

    Looking for a big bold dog to toss on the grill this weekend? Stock up on the best hot dogs your money can buy and load up the toppings bar because these are the weenies youve been waiting for.

    Serve them alongside a fun platter of nachos, grilled wings, and an ice-cold cocktail . Oh, and of course a burger or two.

    Dont Forget To Prep The Buns

    Best Way To Grill Hot Dogs | How To Grill a Hot Dog

    Perfectly prepared meat is undoubtedly the centerpiece of the hot-dog experience, but the bun is also an important factor.

    No one likes cold buns, so don’t neglect them.

    “A hot dog bun should be gently toasted, which can be achieved by throwing the buns on the grill for about one minute per side,” Sidoti told Insider.

    For added flavor, brush the inside of the toasted bun with a little butter or oil.

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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.

    You’re Just Buying Any Old Hot Dogs

    The term “hot dog” does not mean a specific type of meat, and many hot dogs on the market contain a mixture of both pork and beef. While very few people would classify a hot dog as a health food, there are a lot of brands out there with meats that contain more filler than food. Harmon advises taking a closer look at that hot dog packaging before checking out.

    I avoid buying pork hotdogs, I recommend going with all-beef because they tend to grill better due to having a higher fat content, he said.

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    Outlaw’s Burger Barn Creamery Vineland

    Staff recommendation

    Popular footlong hot dogs from Outlaw, located in the Magnolia Court business center, include the RY Dog with cheese sauce, charred red onion and jalapeño the O.G. Dog with American cheese, applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, barbecue sauce and crushed house chips and the Barn Dog with sharp white cheddar, chipotle lime slaw, pickle and barbecue sauce .

    Finish off your meal with one of Outlaw’s many ice cream cakes, including flavors such as strawberry crunch and Reese overload.

    Go: 1370 S Main Rd, Vineland 856-691-5438, outlawsburgerbarn.com.

    Other reader recommendations: Stewart’s Drive-In Jims Lunch .

    Best Beef Hot Dogs: Teton Waters Ranch Hot Dogs And Simple Truth Uncured Beef Hot Dogs

    Marinated Grilled Hot Dogs

    Looking for flavorful beef brats without the salt overload? Both Teton Waters and Simple Truth provide fantastic franks that, while slightly less tasty than our top picks, still make for great cookout material. Teton Waters and Simple Truth’s hot dogs also both have six grams of protein and 370 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. If you’re particularly watching your salt intake, you’ll want to reach for Teton Waters, which contains only 320 milligrams of salt per serving.

    Buy It: $6.49, Instacart $4.99, Kroger

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    Maui’s Dog House North Wildwood

    Expert recommendation

    Quality hot dogs are hard to come by in South Jersey, unless you’re at Maui’s, a beachy, bright yellow and orange stand that’s been serving dogs since 1999. Maui’s offers Hofmann hot dogs, a company out of Syracuse, New York, made on on a flat top grill.

    At Maui’s there’s no dearth of toppings, from sauerkraut slow cooked in beer to homemade chili to gooey Wisconsin cheese. Some of Maui’s most popular combinations include the Forget About It , Better Call Saul and the Alabama .

    Go: 806 NewJersey Ave., North Wildwood 609-846-0444, mauisdoghouse.com.

    Other reader recommendations: Hot Dog Tommy’s .

    How Long Should You Cook Hot Dogs

    Hot dogs are done grilling in a matter of minutes. It generally takes no longer than 10 minutes for a hot dog to heat through, and may take less than five.

    The leaner your hot dogs, the less grill time they require. Most standard-sized beef franks need between four and eight minutes on the grill. Some people choose to keep their hot dogs on the grill for only a couple of minutes before moving them up to a warming rack to continue heating.

    Hot dogs are ready when they reach an internal temperature of at least 140°F. Its always a good idea to keep an instant-read thermometer close by when grilling. This is a good way to avoid the dreaded cold-in-the-middle hot dogs.

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    Best In Show: Nathans Famous Skinless Beef Franks

    Host of the annual 4th of July hot dog eating contest, this brand took the title of champion. Our panel unanimously agreed that Nathans Famous combined all of the best qualities into a winning hot dog. It tasted flavorfulseasoned but not saltyand had a gentle snap with every bite. Nathans Famous has had plenty of time to perfect the recipe: The company has been serving up its signature franks for well over a century .

    What Is The Best Way To Cook Hot Dogs

    How To Grill Hot Dogs

    Its always tempting to just grab a few hot dogs and heat them in the microwave for a few seconds and snack on them. Honestly, I dont judge you. But, I assure you turning simple hot dogs to a full meal is more rewarding.

    Let me show you how to properly cook them:

  • Start by choosing high-quality, filled with spices organic hot dogs.
  • Add the hot dogs to a pan containing a small amount of water and cover it while its on the flame. Leave them until they cook.
  • Crisp up the exterior by grilling the hot dogs on a grill or putting them to roast in the oven.
  • Prepare your perfect sandwich starting with a soft, light, and rich bun.
  • Add on top of the hot dogs whatever toppings you prefer. Really it can work with absolutely anything. Just please dont forget to add the sautéed, caramelized onions!
  • Fry some fries on the side, prepare a delicious potato side dish, or simply a buttered-up and juicy corns.
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