Okay, fellow frankfurter enthusiasts, hold on to your seats! If I know one thing, it’s that the simple hot dog occupies a very special spot in our hearts and on our plates. Consider this. Can you imagine a summer ballgame without one? A back-yard birthday celebration with just cake and no dogs? Or the Fourth of July without the aroma of grilled franks filling the air? Didn’t think so. Seriously, it’s almost un-American.
And I’m not the only one who thinks so, apparently. Americans purchased close to 900 million pounds of hot dogs in grocery stores in 2023. That’s not a misprint. Nine hundred million. That amounted to close to three billion dollars in sales. Obviously, the nation has made itself clear: we adore hot dogs.
As many of you, I’ve descended into a rabbit hole of hot dog experimentation. Half curiosity, half survival mechanism sometimes you’re just cooking whatever means you have available. Grilling is fantastic, naturally, but it’s not always an option. What do you do when it’s raining, you run out of propane, or just don’t feel like hovering over hot coals? That’s where the epic hot dog cooking method battle begins.
I experimented with 14 various methods of preparing the same type of hot dog: traditional, all-beef, and skinless. All of them were prepared and sampled back-to-back so that I can truly know what is effective and what is certainly not. Below is what I discovered.
1. Microwaving
Let’s just get this one over with. I nuked a hot dog for 45 seconds. It was rubbery on the outside, unevenly warm in the middle, and had zero texture. The taste? Pretty much nonexistent. It was technically food, but chewing was akin to chewing a warm, wet sponge. If you’re absolutely desperate or are on zero time, it’ll do but just barely.
2. Boiling
This one brought some serious childhood memories. My mom would toss dogs into a boiling pot and serve them up in minutes. I loved it as a kid. But now, boiling seems like a disappointment. The hot dog emerges soft, wet, and bland. There is no texture, no snap, and nothing thrilling to it. It’s quick and utilitarian, perfect if you’re cooking for kids, but it’s not winning any taste competitions.
Mini Potato Skins
Equipment
- 1 Medium Pot For boiling potatoes
- 1 Baking Sheet For roasting/baking
- 1 skillet For rendering pancetta
- 1 Small spoon For scooping potato flesh
- 1 Sharp Knife For halving potatoes and chopping onion
Ingredients
Main
- 12 whole Dutch Baby Potatoes
- 6 Tablespoons Pancetta
- ½ cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup Guacamole
- 2 Tablespoons Red Onion Chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Wash Dutch baby potatoes and boil in a pot of salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and let them cool slightly.
- While potatoes cool, cook the pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until crispy.
- Drain crispy pancetta on paper towels, reserving rendered fat if desired.
- Once cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half lengthwise.
- Carefully scoop out most of the potato flesh from each half using a small spoon, leaving a sturdy skin shell.
- Place the potato skins on a baking sheet (brush with reserved pancetta fat if using).
- Fill each potato skin with crispy pancetta and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and skins are slightly crispy. Top with guacamole and chopped red onion before serving.
Notes
3. Slow Cooker
I tested two modes: high and low. At high, I ended up with what essentially was hot dog jerky. At low, it would take around two hours to become warm. The dogs had appeared nice and dark, but they ended up dry and contained nearly no juiciness. This technique is good for warming up hot dogs for a party, but it’s certainly not the way you should be cooking them.
Leek Potato Soup
Equipment
- 1 Large Saucepan Approximately 6-quart capacity
- 1 Immersion Blender For pureeing directly in the pot
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Ladle For serving
Ingredients
Main
- 1 pound leeks cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Heavy pinch kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
- 14 ounces approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon snipped chives
Instructions
- Chop the leeks into small pieces.
- In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.
Notes
4. Simmered in Water
A notch up from boiling. I maintained the water at around 150°F just below simmer and slowly warmed the hot dogs until they reached the same interior temperature. The result was an all-around better-heated dog with a subdued taste. No rough edges, but no thrill either. No browning, no contrast, no texture. It’s smooth and uncomplicated, but also unremarkable.
5. Pan-Seared
This is when things began to shift in our favor. I cooked a skillet hot and added the hot dogs, turning them every few seconds. They formed a great golden crust and remained juicy on the inside. The texture was fantastic, with a slight snap and some char. Want to kick it up a notch? Cook them in a bit of butter or bacon fat complete game-changer.
Fall Pear and Potato Gratin
Equipment
- 1 Gratin Dish or 9x13 Baking Dish
- 1 Large Skillet For sautéing onions
- 1 Mandoline Slicer or Very Sharp Knife For uniform thin slicing of potatoes and pears
- 1 Saucepan For simmering potatoes
- 1 Box Grater For grating cheese
Ingredients
Main
- 1 large onion very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes very thinly sliced and simmered in water for 5 minutes, drained and patted dry
- 2 Bartlett pears peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 cup half and half or light cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 5 or 6 gratings nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated Swiss cheese I used Gruyere divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a gratin dish or a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook slowly until deeply caramelized and tender, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While onions cook, simmer the very thinly sliced potatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly and pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice the Bartlett pears.
- In a bowl, whisk together the half and half or light cream with salt, white pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg.
- Arrange a layer of the dry potato slices in the prepared gratin dish, overlapping slightly. Top with half of the caramelized onions.
- Distribute half of the pear slices over the onions, then sprinkle with one-third of the grated Swiss cheese.
- Repeat the layering process: remaining potato slices, remaining caramelized onions, remaining pear slices, and another third of the Swiss cheese.
- Carefully pour the cream mixture evenly over the layers. Finish by sprinkling the remaining Swiss cheese over the top.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the gratin is golden brown, bubbling, and the potatoes are tender when pierced. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
6. Butterflied and Griddled
By cutting the hot dog in half lengthwise and spreading it out like a book, you expose more surface area to brown. I placed it flat side down in a griddle and cooked it until the edges got all nicely browned and crispy. You sacrifice some of that creamy interior and the classic “pop,” but the flavor and texture are rich and rewarding. It’s not quite a traditional hot dog, but it’s still a fine chow.
Smothered Pork Chops
Equipment
- 1 Meat Mallet
- 1 Large Skillet
- 1 Shallow dish For flour dredge
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Tongs For handling chops
Ingredients
Main
- 4 bone-in pork chops 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Place the pork chops one at a time in a plastic bag or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to pound the pork chops to about 1/2 inch thick. Generously season each side of the pork chops with salt and pepper.
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat both sides of the pork chops in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Reserve the flour mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook about 3 minutes per side; remove and set aside. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until translucent and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Stir in the reserved flour mixture and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a low boil. Return the chops to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Reduce the temperature to low, cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the liquid thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Serve the chops with the onion gravy spooned on top.
Notes
7. Oven-Roasted
400°F baking for approximately eight minutes resulted in me with nice, even-cooked franks that were plump and had a light crisp on the outside. The oven doesn’t have too much to offer in terms of complexity, but it’s a good means of cooking dozens of hot dogs at a time without much fuss. Just don’t leave them sitting overcook, and they’ll dry out instantly.
Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob
Equipment
- 1 Oven
- 1 Oven Mitts For safe handling of hot corn
- 1 Tongs For easily placing and removing corn from the oven
- 1 Baking Sheet (Optional, if you prefer not to place corn directly on oven racks)
Ingredients
Main
- 4 ears fresh corn
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place corn husks directly on the oven rack and roast for 30 minutes or until corn is soft. Peel down the husks and use as a handle when eating.
Notes
8. Air-Fried
This one was more impressive than I had anticipated. My air fryer cooked a hot dog in just four minutes at 400°F, with golden-brown results and a great snap. The outside crisped and the inside remained moist. The catch is the size. You can’t really cook a dozen at once unless you have an extra-large model. But for one or two servings, it’s quick, easy, and delicious.
Air Fryer Doughnuts
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
- 1 Air Fryer 6-quart or similar
- 1 Doughnut Cutter or alternatives like a wide-mouth Mason jar and a pastry tip
- 1 Liquid Measuring Cup
- 1 Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Main
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup whole milk warmed (110 degrees F)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, plus more for the bowl
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 cup cake flour not self-rising
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk in a liquid measuring cup. Let stand until foamy on top, about 10 minutes.
- Beat the egg and oil using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until combined. Add the vanilla, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, cake flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a medium bowl. Add to the stand mixer in two additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until combined. Continue beating on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the dough is no longer sticky to the touch, about 1 minute.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead into a smooth ball. Brush a large bowl with melted butter. Add the dough and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 8 doughnuts with a doughnut cutter (or use a wide-mouth Mason jar to create the outer edge and the wide end of a metal pastry tip or a shot glass for the inner edge). Reserve the smaller rounds for making doughnut holes. Cover with the clean cloth and let rise for 30 minutes more.
- Place half of the doughnuts in a 6-quart air fryer and cook at 350 degrees F until golden brown all over, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes.
- Brush the doughnuts on all sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Place the doughnuts into the cinnamon sugar and sprinkle to coat on all sides. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
9. Simmered in Beer
That’s where it got interesting. I traded the standard water for a dark, malty porter and slowly simmered the hot dogs for ten minutes. The beer infused just enough to impart a deep, toasty flavor with a hint of bitter snap. It complemented nicely with the saltiness of the meat. You won’t get the snappiness you’d get from a dry-heat approach, but flavor-wise, this one’s a sleeper winner.
Beer-Simmered Bratwurst
Equipment
- 1 Grill
- 1 Large Stockpot Suitable for grill grates
- 1 Tongs For handling bratwurst
- 1 Basting Brush
- 1 Cutting Board Or platter for transferring brats
Ingredients
Main
- 6 cups German light ale
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 3 large onions unpeeled, roughly chopped
- 2 whole cloves garlic smashed
- One 3-inch piece fresh ginger peeled and chopped
- 3 pounds precooked bratwurst pricked with a fork
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat the grill for direct grilling, high heat.
- Combine the beer, caraway, coriander, mustard seeds, onions, garlic and ginger in a large stockpot. Then, add the bratwurst. Place the pot on the grates of the grill and bring to a simmer. Simmer the sausages until half-cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the grill and let the bratwurst sit in the liquid for 30 minutes. Transfer the brats to a platter or cutting board and strain the liquid into a bowl, discard the solids.
- Brush the sausages with canola oil and grill until the casings are crisp and golden brown and the sausages are cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Keep warm until serving.
Notes
10. Flame-Grilled
The original. The best. If there’s one technique that embodies summer, it’s grilling. Gas grill, charcoal, campfire, you achieve that smoky, blackened exterior and slightly firm bite that’s nothing short of alchemy. It can be finicky to achieve even cooking particularly if your flames are hungry but a bit of added care is rewarded. A little juice is sacrificed to the flames, but the taste is worth it.
Chicken Pesto Panini
Equipment
- 1 Panini Press For grilling the sandwiches to a crispy exterior and melted interior.
- 1 Sharp Knife Essential for slicing the focaccia and sun-dried tomatoes cleanly.
- 1 Cutting Board A stable surface for preparing and assembling ingredients.
- 1 Offset Spatula or Butter Knife Ideal for spreading the pesto evenly across the focaccia.
- 1 Measuring Spoons For accurate measurement of pesto and other ingredients.
Ingredients
Main
- 12 slices Boar’s Head FireSmith™ Flame Grilled Chicken Breast
- 6 tablespoons pesto store-bought is fine
- 12 ounces mozzarella sliced
- 12 sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 cups arugula washed
- 1 loaf of focaccia about 9x13 inches
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Oil as needed for pan
Instructions
- Cut the focaccia loaf horizontally into 6 equal sections, then slice each section in half to create 12 bread slices.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto evenly on the inside of one half of each focaccia section.
- Layer two slices of Boar’s Head FireSmith nFlame Grilled Chicken Breast onto the pesto-spread focaccia half.
- Top the chicken with two slices of mozzarella cheese and two sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add a generous handful of fresh arugula over the sun-dried tomatoes, then season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Place the other half of the focaccia on top to complete each sandwich.
- Preheat a panini press to medium-high heat. If using a skillet, lightly oil it and preheat over medium heat.
- Lightly brush the exterior of each focaccia sandwich with a thin layer of oil.
- Place sandwiches in the preheated panini press or skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and gooey.
- Remove paninis, slice in half if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
11. Smoked
In all honesty, this took my breath away. I smoked the hot dogs with hickory wood in a smoker, and after about six and a half minutes, they had a deep, rich flavor that hung on the tongue. It’s strong perhaps a bit too strong for most people but if you smoke it with apple or cherry wood, it isn’t quite as overpowering. You’ll need the gear or some DIY tricks to pull it off, but if you can make it happen, do it.
Smoked-Turkey Gravy
Equipment
- 1 Large Stockpot For simmering stock
- 1 Fine-mesh Sieve For straining stock
- 1 Fat separator (optional) For removing excess fat from stock
- 1 Saucepan For finishing the gravy
- 1 Whisk For thickening gravy
Ingredients
Main
- Turkey neck and giblets reserved from Smoked Turkey recipe
- 3 pounds fresh or frozen turkey pieces necks, wings, backs, or 3 pounds fresh or frozen chicken wings and backs (thawed if frozen)
- 2 medium carrots halved lengthwise
- 1 medium yellow onion quartered
- 1 small piece celery about 4 inches long
- 1 small fresh or dried bay leaf
- 6 cups Easy Homemade Turkey Stock or store-bought chicken or turkey broth, or water, or a combination
- ½ cup dry white wine or water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1 to 2 tablespoons Wondra flour
- Kosher salt we use Diamond Crystal and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Combine turkey neck, giblets, turkey pieces (or chicken), carrots, onion, celery, bay leaf, and stock/broth/water in a large stockpot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
- Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface during the initial simmering.
- Cover partially and continue to simmer gently for at least 2 hours, or until the stock is rich and flavorful.
- Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve set over a clean bowl, discarding all solids.
- Allow the stock to settle briefly, then skim off any excess fat from the surface (or use a fat separator).
- In a saucepan, whisk together the flour with a small amount of the defatted stock or cold water to create a smooth slurry.
- Heat the remaining defatted stock in the saucepan over medium heat.
- Gradually whisk the flour slurry into the hot stock, ensuring no lumps form, and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency, then season generously with salt and pepper.
Notes
12. Deep-Fried
This one’s totally crazy. I put a couple of hot dogs in 350°F oil and removed them after more than a minute. The casings bubbled and cracked, and the insides remained piping hot and juicy. It’s decadent and sloppy not your daily procedure but the flavor and texture are in a whole different league. Call it the fun fair version of your normal dog.
13. Steamed
This technique doesn’t receive the attention it deserves. Steaming the hot dogs using a steaming rack set over boiling water for around five minutes yielded plump, juicy, and uniformly heated hot dogs with a gentle but gratifying snap. No color or crisp, but fantastic texture and ease of prep. A fine option if you need consistency with minimal cleanup.
Buffalo Wings
Equipment
- 1 6-quart Saucepan with steamer basket
- 1 Kitchen Shears or Knife for jointing wings
- 1 Half Sheet Pan & Cooling Rack for chilling and roasting
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl for tossing with sauce
Ingredients
Main
- 12 whole chicken wings
- 3 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
- Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.
- While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl along with the garlic. Pour this along with hot sauce and salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine.
- Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.
Notes
14. Broiled
This was the best-selling one for a reason. I put the hot dogs in the broiler for roughly five minutes, no turning at all. The skins blazed and crisped up perfectly, while the interiors remained tender and juicy. It got the perfect mix of flavor, texture, and convenience. No fancy equipment, no mess of the grill just excellent results straight from the oven.
Sherried Sardine Toast
Equipment
- 2 Small bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Basting Brush
- 1 Half sheet pan
- 1 Cooling Rack To fit inside half sheet pan
Ingredients
Main
- 2 3.75-ounce 2-layer tins brisling sardines in olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves divided
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest reserve the lemon and cut into 4 wedges
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 1/2-inch thick slices crusty bread, such as sourdough, country loaf or rye
- 1 ripe Hass avocado
- Coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Drain the oil from 1 tin of sardines into a small bowl and set aside. Drain the oil from the other tin into another small bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon of parsley, vinegar, lemon zest, and black pepper, to taste. Add the sardines, stir to combine and set aside for up to 1 hour.
- After 45 minutes, put a rack 3-inches from the broiler and heat the oven to the broiler setting on high. Brush each slice of bread on 1 side with the reserved oil. Put the bread, oil side up, onto a cooling rack set inside a half sheet pan and broil 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
- Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Smash the flesh in each half with a fork.
- Spread the avocado evenly onto the toasted bread. Top evenly with the sardines. Pour any remaining dressing on top and garnish with the remaining parsley.
- Season lightly with sea salt and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Final Thoughts
Hot dogs are uncomplicated, but the manner in which you prepare them can completely alter the experience. If you’re in the mood for crispy, juicy, smoky, or all three, there’s a way here to suit your mood (and your kitchen equipment). Of course, some are superior to others, but each of these had something going for them even the microwave, just about.
So the next time you’ve got a bundle of franks and a little bit of curiosity, try shaking things up. You might just discover your new favorite.
