Did you know that you don’t actually need to literally “boil” hot dogs? To cook your hot dogs or frankfurters, you only need to put them in hot water, turn off the heat and let them warm up. And there is a very simple reason for that, which most people are actually not aware of. Find out why and also how exactly and how long you need to boil your hot dogs to turn out delicious.
Hot dogs or frankfurters are everyone’s favorite meal. They are not only tasty, but extremely easy to prepare. You can literally serve a delicious dinner in 10 minutes, or feed a large crowd at your party.
Boiling hot dogs is the easiest method of preparing these delicacies. It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Just boil your dogs. But how do you really boil hot dogs to get them cooked through completely and even avoid cracking? And how long does it take to boil them?
Boiling hot dogs or frankfurters – in a literal sense – can even be a bad idea. If you leave your frankfurters in boiling water, sometimes they can crack or even explode and take a very unpleasant shape.
You won’t believe it: The secret to boil your dogs to get the perfect result – and prevent cracking – lies in that you don’t need to literally boil them. Frankfurters are actually a cooked meat product. So you don’t have to worry about cooking any raw meat. Your only task is to heat your dogs through for a better taste and texture.
There is a reason why you don’t need to leave your frankfurters in boiling water.
Hot dogs are pre-cooked products. They are not raw. You could even eat them cold, right from the fridge, e.g. in a hot dog salad. So you don’t need to cook your franks as you would do with any raw products, you just actually need to warm them up.
The process is simple. The only equipment you’ll need is a saucepan or cooking pot large enough for your franks.
Bring up the water to a boil, place your hot dogs in the saucepan and turn off the stove. Then leave your franks in the hot water for 5 minutes, covered.
It’s that easy, your boiled hot dogs are now ready to serve.
Of course the most traditional way of serving boiled hot dogs is in a bun, with your favorite sauces and toppings. Use any of the following condiments and toppings, or experiment with whatever you see fit for your dogs:
But this is of course the American way of serving franks. You can also eat them more like they do it in Germany or in many other parts of the world. Serving your boiled franks “naked” on a plate with your favorite condiment and fresh crusty bread. In Germany, for example, they serve their boiled hot dog with only one condiment, which is mustard.