The Best Way To Cook Hot Dogs

The Best Way To Cook Hot Dogs

Like most hot dogs, Snake River Farms American Wagyu dogs are fully cooked. Since these gourmet dogs are already cooked, does it matter how you heat it up?

Yes, but what is the best method? A quick online search identified a long list of possible ways to cook a hot dog:

1. Grill – obvious.
2. Stovetop – old school.
3. Microwave – convenient, but no thank you.
4. Bake – sounds like a good way to dry out a hot dog.
5. Broil – a once-popular way to cook a dog.
6. Toaster oven – do people still own toaster ovens?
7. Panini grill – fancy!

We headed to the kitchen and the patio to run a few tests and discovered a few things. First of all, it’s hard to mess up a Snake River Farms hot dog. The two common errors are to overcook (burn) or undercook them. There’s nothing really enjoyable about a hot dog with a cold center.

Use a Thermometer 

I’ll admit, I’ve never used a thermometer when cooking a hot dog. The USDA recommends cooking and keeping hot dogs at 140°F so I did some tests.

I tested a sampling of SRF hot dogs by using a skillet with about ½" of water to bring them up to temperature. My thought was adding a char with a grill might change the actual texture.

Long story short, the best non-scientific results were achieved at an internal temperature of 150°F. The flavors were well rounded and pronounced, the texture was firm to the bite and there was a high level of juiciness.

At 140°F and under, the flavor was not as savory and the juiciness was not developed. It was still fine, but the difference was surprising.

Over 160°F, the hot dogs were noticeably less juicy and the overall texture was slightly more tough. Here are the details of the specific cooking methods we tried.

Using the Grill 

If you have a grill, especially a gas grill, there’s no easier way to fire up a batch of dogs in a hurry without messing up the kitchen. There are two schools of thought when it comes to grilling a skin-on hot dog like those from Snake River Farms. The first is to cook them until they burst or split. Many of our East coast customers prefer this "splitter" method and say it’s the traditional way to prepare their dogs.

The second is to grill slowly to develop a nice char, warm the hot dog all the way through and keep all the savory juices inside.

We tried both. Our preference is the “slow grill” method. The hot dog has a nice crust, it has a noticeable pop when you bite into it and it’s juicy and flavorful.

The Splitter is still a great method. If you’re careful and remove the dog from the grill “split side up” you keep most of the juice and it does add some texture. The juices spill on to the bun and there are convenient pockets for condiments to settle.


Both methods are simple to execute. Here’s how:

• The Slow Grill 

1. Light grill and set it to medium. 
2. Once up to temp, place hot dogs on the grill. 
3. As soon as the dog starts to heat and brown, rotate them one quarter turn. 
4. Continue until the outside develops a nice crust and the internal temperature is about 150°F. 
5. Remove hot dogs from the grill and serve. 

• The Splitter

1. Light grill and set to medium. 
2. Once up to temp, place hot dogs on the grill. 
3. As soon as the dog starts to heat and brown, rotate them one quarter turn. 
   
4. Continue until the outside develops a nice crust and the internal temperature is about 140°F. 
5. Turn up the heat to medium high and let the hot dogs cook until they split. 
6. As soon as the dogs split, remove from the grill. 
7. Remove from the grill split side up to keep the juices from spilling out and serve. 
   
   

Next, we moved back into the kitchen. One common way to cook a hot dog is to boil it in water. It’s as simple as placing hot dogs in water, then bring them up to boil, drain and serve. We have certainly cooked hot dogs like this in the past, but the sight of a grey, boiled dog always left us a little cold. If that’s your method of choice, have at it. We decided to bust out a frying pan and go a different route. 

The Stove Top 

My mother was an amazing cook and made dishes that dazzled family and friends for miles around. On the other hand, my father made things like ketchup sandwiches. I did learn one lasting cooking tip from him and that was to cook a hot dog properly you had to cook it in beer. I’ve utilized that nugget of information to provide a first-rate stove top cooking method. 

1. Place frying pan or skillet on burner. 
2. Add enough beer (or water if you prefer) so there is one half inch of liquid in the pan. 
3. Turn the burner to medium until the beer begins to simmer. 
4. Add hot dogs and cook until the beer has reduced by half and the hot dog is 140°F. 
5. Pour out any remaining beer and place hot dogs on a plate. 
6. Wipe out pan and add a splash of vegetable oil. 
7. Put hot dogs back in the pan, turning frequently. 
8. When the dogs have an even brown color remove and serve. 

 It's no surprise. Snake River Farms Gourmet Hot Dogs are easy to prepare. While there is no right or wrong method, we found that cooking until the internal temperature is at least 150°F. provides the best flavor and texture.

We focused on our American Wagyu dogs, but these techniques apply to our Double R Ranch hot dogs as well. Now get out there and fire up a batch of hot dogs! Your family and friends will thank you.