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If you are hosting a cookout during the weekend, you will probably throw some hot dogs on the grill.
Perfectly grilled hot dogs not only show your excellent cooking skill but are a great way to connect with friends and family.
Every time somebody boils a hot dog, the hotdog makers feel bad.
Get to know how to cook your hot dogs the correct way.
Some people do not know how they can get smoky and snappy on the outside while still juicy and warm inside your hot dogs.
Many people get charred, hard, and dry stuff that tastes bland even when topped with the most delicious condiments.
When grilling hot dogs, you must ensure that they don’t burn and split open as this pill the tasty juices.
You also don’t want nicely charred hot dogs on the outside but ice-cold, bland on the inside.
The most common culprit in the above three scenarios is cooking them over high heat.
If the temperature is too high, the outer side of the hot dog will get burnt before the inside.
Continue reading the full recipe below to get clear instructions on how to set your grill temperatures right.
The Procedure
Step 1: Thaw out the Hot Dogs
If you had frozen them, make sure that they are at room temperature before you place them on the grill.
Avoid cooking anything frozen.
Always thaw frozen proteins like meat or hotdogs in the fridge overnight and allow them to reach room temperature.
By avoiding grilling frozen foods, the food cooks even when placed on the grill.
Avoid freezing hot dogs since they can stay fresh even when stored in a standard fridge.
Choosing between pork, beef, and chicken hot dogs is also another paramount step you need to do before you begin grilling.
Beef hot dogs stand up to the classic seasonings such as mustard, garlic, onion, and tomatoes while still maintaining their meaty flavor.
Step 2: Properly Preheat the Grill
Whether you use a charcoal or a gas grill for cooking your meats, having it preheated to the right temperature before cooking is a must.
Charcoal grills give your food that smoky, tasty flavor that is different from typical gas-grilled foods. The first step in lighting a charcoal grill is using a chimney starter.
When the coals get white ash over the top, spread the charcoals flat with the use of long tongs and then replace the top grate.
Let the high grate heat up for some minutes then start the grilling process.
If you are cooking a few hot dogs, move some coals to one side of the frill for the highest cooking efficiency.
When cooking many hot dogs at once, spread the charcoal evenly and add a few more if you need them.
When using a gas grill, preheat it to the highest temperature setting and then turn it down to medium heat before putting the hot dogs on the grill.
Do not worry if you have no grill since you can also use an ordinary stovetop with a burner.
Just place a cast iron grill pan on the stove then preheat it to medium-high.
Avoid adding any oil since you won’t achieve the same charred effect as on the grill.
Step 3: Make Some Slits in the Hot Dogs Before Placing Them Onto the Rack
Make around four to five small cuts on the hot dogs using a paring knife before placing the hot dogs on the preheated grill.
Slight cutting ensures that they don’t dry up during grilling.
Do not split the hot dog into a full down-length slit.
Although some people cut the hot dog into two for faster cooking, all it does is dry out the meaty juices.
Step 4: Ensure That it is Evenly Charred
The hot dogs will take around 2 to 3 minutes to build up grill marks on one side.
Once you achieve this, turn them over and repeat. It is after this that they get fully cooked.
If you spend
more than 6 minutes grilling a hot dog, all you get is a dry, bland hot dog.
Make sure that the char is around the hot dog.
A great way to ensure that they are excellently cooked is when the meat juices start to drip from the hot dog.
Note that hot dogs made from grass-fed beef have less fat.
Less fat means that they have minimal protection against charcoal or gas heat.
Cook them for about a minute less on each side to avoid dry, tasteless food.
Step 5: Include Butter
Spread a small amount of melted butter on the hot dogs just before you remove them from the grill.
Spread some butter on the buns too.
After adding butter to the bread, place them on the high rack on the grill for around 20 seconds to warm them up.
Warming the hot dogs ensures that they go hand in hand with the sizzling hot dogs.
Nobody likes cold buns in combination with yummy hot dogs.
Step 6: Choose Your Toppings Wisely
If you like the Chicago-style hot dogs, then add mustard, sweet pickle, white onion, sport peppers, relish, tomatoes, celery salt, and a pickle spear.
If this is not your thing,
Then it is wise to add mustard.
Since some people do not like too many ingredients in their hot dogs, it is wise to ask your guests before selecting any topping for them.
The charcoal smoke gives the meats enough smokiness and so mustard balances out the flavor perfectly.
Juicy, smoky-flavored, and perfectly grilled hot dogs make the list of the best way to unwind during hot summer days.
Enjoy your hot dogs with relish.
Take pleasure in them with the toppings of your choice.
Apart from the toppings mentioned in the above recipe, there are variations to the ingredients you can add to your hot dogs.
Add pretty much anything you like which can fit on the bun.
Okay, maybe not ice cream, but you understand what we mean!