How Long to Boil Hot Dogs in Water?

Do you like your spaghetti with little hot dogs cut up in it like Sheldon Cooper? Are you also particular about your food and want to know long to boil hot dogs in water? Well, here I will walk you through a comprehensive guide to answer all your doubts.

Hot dogs have a wide variety of options to go with. You can have it with ketchup, mustard, onions, or even pickles. They are a great snack for get-togethers, especially baseball games or family barbecues.

If you are from the US, you know how important hot dogs are. It has become a part of your American culture over the decades, and is here to stay.

As an important part of your culture, you must learn how to cook amazing hot dogs. You can even call it a national hobby or pastime to make hot dogs! You would love a nice grilled/boiled sausage on a butter-toasted bun at any hour of the day.

The most common question is how long to boil hot dogs. Generally, it should take only about 6 minutes, but again it depends on what temperature you are boiling it in. Also, do you know you can boil hot dogs in beer?

There are countless numbers of ways to get your hot dog done. Depending on your mood and choice, you can happily play around with it. Give it an all-different flavor by trying new cooking methods instead of going all traditional.

The case in which the sausages are packed don’t come waterproof, which helps soak the seasonings as you put them to boil. Hence, to get a more flavorful sausage, boil them in well-seasoned water.

In this article, you will see the different ways and times to cook a hot dog. Also, there are a few ways to ace a perfect hot dog to jingle your tastebuds.

How long to boil hot dogs to get that perfect taste

Making a hot dog is one of the easiest things, but if you do not boil it properly it can change the entire experience.

Regardless of what liquid you choose, be it water or beer, boil it for 6 minutes, and you might get favorable results. However, if you think it still needs a little more cooking time, let it boil for one minute uncovered.

Scientifically speaking, you can easily tell whether it’s cooked or not once the internal temperature of your hot dog increases by heating it for some time. Before consumption, ensure your hot dogs have reached the temperature of 140F.

Another trick to know whether it is cooked or not is by checking its texture. If your hot dog is cooked, it will become dark in color with wrinkly skin.

Also, how long to boil frozen hot dogs will depend on how much time you spent defrosting. For instance, if there are only four hot dogs, boiling them for six minutes after fully defrosted is good enough. But if there are like 8-9, you will have to adjust the time accordingly.

Ensure you do not split the hot dogs, as splitting will make them lose some delicious flavors inside.

As you know, a hot dog’s main ingredient is meat. It can either be chicken, pork, beef, or turkey. But this meat is formed through processing.

Statistically, about 15%of meat extracted from hot dogs come without bone fragments. Hence, it is important to cook the meat properly by giving it an appropriate time to get the perfect taste you aim for.

How long to boil hot dogs in different ways

Do you know the best part about hot dogs? It could be your lunch, breakfast, or dinner!

Kids love hot dogs and so will your guests. Hot dogs are perfect for supper. The recipe is easy and quick to make provided you know how long to boil.

Below are the three different ways to cook hot dogs:

Skillet

• Firstly, boil the water until it starts to steam
• Now put in your sausages
• Ensure the water is only filled where only half of it gets covered
• Please keep your eyes on the sausages as they may get cooked in only a few minutes
• Once it’s done, add some butter to the hot dogs, and if you want to roast them, let them get blistered and crisp up
• After it’s done, remove them and serve them with buns or plain

You can also add in your loved condiments and enjoy.

Microwave

• Now that you are using a microwave place your hotdogs in a bowl that’s microwave safe
• Add some water to the bowl, leaving an inch from the top
• Now put it in the microwave to cook for about 3 minutes
• If you think it needs more time to cook or more water, add some
• Once done, get the hot dogs out on your plate

You can also use paper towels to wipe off the excess liquid. Voila! It is ready to serve with your favorite condiments.

Pan

• Turn the burner on and place the cooking pan on it
• Add water until the hot dogs get dipped
• Let the water boil first before you add in the hot dogs
• Use tongs to immerse the sausages in the boiling water
• Now under low heat, let it cook for about 6 minutes
• This depends on how soft you want it to be

Once you think it’s done, dry it off with paper towels, and you can enjoy them with your preferred condiments.

How long to boil hot dogs on stove

Making a hot dog is not difficult, and you can easily do it in minutes, resulting in a burst of flavor with the juicy hot dogs! You can cook it in any way you like. Grill it, roast it, or just boil it. Have it with bread or bun or just plain. Though it is one of the simplest snacks to prepare, it could ruin if not cooked properly.

In the above section, you already know about boiling amazing hot dogs to perfection. But how do you do it on a stove along with pan frying it?

Pan-frying the hot dogs will allow the meat to cook from the inside thoroughly, adding a crispier outer layer to your favorite snack. Pan-fried hot dogs are quite famous among hot dog lovers. You should try it if you haven’t yet.

• Now when you are using a stove, keep it at medium heat
• Place the frying pan on the stove with some water, and make sure you don’t make the pan stuff
• Boil only a few hot dogs at a time
• Now, once the water evaporates, add some butter to make it crispier and flavorful

You can even add different sauces and dips to this. For example, schezwan and peri-peri can be used for spicy or sweet chili for some sweet, tangy flavor.

These sausages can also be used as sides with rice, noodles, or just plain. However, you have them. These are going to taste a lot tastier than usual.

The Do’s of  boiling hot dogs

1. Flavoring the liquid to boil the hot dogs

Before you add the frozen hot dogs to the pot, try flavoring it with some of your favorite seasonings. This will help in making the hot dogs tastier.

2. Poking holes before you put them to boil

Though it is uncommon for the sausages to explode with boiling. But to be cautious, it is better to poke a few holes into the hot dogs.

3. Draining the hot dogs

It is very important to dry your hot dogs with the help of paper towels before you use them. This will help to prevent it from getting sticky and soggy.

4. Have them hot

Who would like a cold hot dog? No one, right? So, once you are done cooking, and there’s still time to eat or serve them. Just put them in a hot pot. Else you can also steam them a bit before consuming.

The Don’ts of  boiling hot dogs

1. Do not split the sausages

Splitting the hot dogs will make them less flavorful and juicy. You can easily prevent them from bursting by poking them.

2. Do not put the entire packet in the pot

Boiling the sausages while they are in the package is not at all recommended. There are a lot of chemicals in the plastic packaging, which is not only hazardous but also will spoil the taste.

3. Do not overcook the sausages

Don’t you want your hot dogs hard and grey, right? Hence avoid overcooking them. Cooking them for too long will ruin the taste.

4. Do not keep the hot dogs for too long

Hot dogs should be cooked when you want to eat them. Cooked ones will not only lose the taste and flavor but might also get spoiled.

Tips to boil hot dogs

Below are the top few methods that can change your taste in hot dogs. The flavors that the seasoning can do is heavenly, which you should try the next time you make them:

1. Seasoning the water

Did you know just ½ tsp of salt can do so much with the taste of boiled hot dogs? Imagine what could spices do.

Try using cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and Italian spices, adding flavor and depth to the hot dogs.

2. Add garlic

Are you a garlicky person? If you are a great fan of garlic, this seasoning will be a game-changer for you. Just adding 2-3 unpeeled cloves of garlic to the water will give your hots a garlicky, earthy taste. Try it yourself!

3. Using stock

Besides seasoning the water, the stock is another way of spicing hot dogs. Stocks are flavorful, instead of using water, try using the stock. This will make a huge difference to the taste.

Don’t worry if you do not have stock. You can always use bouillon. Adding a pinch of it will do the magic. Chicken or beef bouillon is the most preferred. However, veggie bouillon can also be used.

4. Using beer

Did you know using beer instead of water can truly change the game? Using beer makes a major difference to the hot dogs you should try at least once.

Just replace water with a whole can of beer, boil it, and add your hot dogs. Different beers have different tastes, so choose whichever you like the most. Also, do not worry about your kids getting drunk. The alcohol boils out once you cook the hot dogs, so enjoy eating!

Condiments that go with hot dogs

As you know, how to get the perfect flavor of hot dogs by boiling them, but are they safe to consume? Let’s find out in the below explanation.

One of the most important things to remember is to boil the hot dogs before you grill or fry them.

This boiling step will help in striking out all unnecessary doubts about safety.

Boil, grilling, and frying are great ways to cook hotdogs. Each method will produce different results. So, whatever way you prefer your hotdog to taste, make sure the method you use matches!

Aside from the traditional ketchup and mustard, there are so many condiments that you can dress your dog up with. These include:

• Chili
• Sweet relish
• Minced/Fried onions
• Sauerkraut
• Jalapenos or hot peppers
• Thinly sliced tomatoes
• Shredded cheese
• Coleslaw
• Mayo

Final Thoughts

Unopened hot dog packages can last in the fridge (see the expiration date) or for up to 6 months in the freezer. Once the package has been opened, keep the remaining hot dogs in a ziploc bag in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Leftover hot dogs can remain in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just reheat it in a pot of water or in the microwave.