The 14 Worst Hot Dog Mistakes Everyone Makes

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Hot dogs. They're as American as apple pie, fireworks, baseball, and eating too many s'mores when you're at your in-laws' house in the country. (No? Just this writer?) "To me, a good hot dog is as American as it gets," Thomas Odermatt of Butcher's Bone Broth told Chowhound. "It's praised street food, a Costco staple, and a crowd-pleaser — only if the wiener is any good." Moreover, hot dogs are only getting more popular, so you have every motivation to learn how to cook them well, which requires overcoming the worst mistakes made by home cooks. Unfortunately, for a food that's generally classed with mac and cheese and frozen peas in the "easy as they come" category, there are a surprising number of potential mishaps that can arise.

The good news is, as long as you've got some tips in your back pocket, you don't have to worry all that much about it. "Great hot dogs are about simple ingredients, smart cooking, and good company," said Eric Tanaka, managing partner and chef at TD & Co. "Buy quality, treat them with care, and have fun with it."

There are so many choices at the grocery store that it's hard to tell the best hot dogs from the worst ones. Instead of throwing up your hands, though, take the time to search for good options. "When it comes to buying hot dogs, quality really does matter," said Dennis Littley, chef and recipe expert at Ask Chef Dennis. "Look for brands with fewer additives, and avoid anything that lists too many fillers or preservatives. You want something that's meat-forward and not overly processed."

If you want the best outcome, don't shy away from cost. While hot dogs might be quick to cook and consume, they're not as easy to make as you'd think. "Most of the people I speak to have no idea what goes into making a good hot dog," said Tim Tobitsch of Food Truck Insight. "It is a labor-intensive process that involves grinding, seasoning, emulsifying, casing, and smoking meat." If you want to enjoy the best results, he said it's worth paying a premium. "I encourage interested consumers to explore regional brands in their area," he said. Tobitsch recommends brands such as Smith's, Thumann's, and Sahlen's, each of which has its own distinct seasoning blend. 

And if you don't have good local options, Applegate Farms Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dogs and 365 by Whole Foods Market Uncured Beef Hot Dogs are solid ones to explore. Whatever you choose, look for responsible suppliers who raise their beef on grass, without hormones or antibiotics, said Ashley Lonsdale, chef-in-residence at ButcherBox.

It's true that hot dogs have a long lifespan. Indeed, this is part of their appeal. "When I began my career in restaurants, I specifically chose hot dogs as a core part of my concept because they are easier to manage in terms of shelf life," Tim Tobitsch said. They're fully cooked due to the smoking process, often cured, and vacuum-sealed, all of which help them last a longer time in the fridge compared to fresh meat.

However, they don't last forever. "Check the sell-by date before purchasing," Tobitsch advised. Then keep an eye on them, and don't toss them once the clock counts down to zero. "It's likely that a package of hot dogs will be good for several weeks beyond your purchase date." Note that the sell-by and expiration dates are a matter of food quality, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not food safety. So if the hot dogs are still sealed and look and smell fresh, they are probably okay to eat — but that's a personal choice.

When choosing a hot dog, you should also remember that lasting a long time and tasting good are not necessarily the same thing. "Most supermarket hot dogs are packed with preservatives, which gives them a long shelf life, but that doesn't mean they'll taste fresh," Eric Tanaka said. "The key to buying hot dogs is to go local. Seek out butchers or small producers who make fresh hot dogs from local meat sources." Not only will you get more flavor and better character, he said, you'll get more transparency in the supply chain.

Once you open your hot dogs, make sure you don't keep them in the fridge too long, either before or after cooking. "I always recommend keeping them sealed in the fridge until you're ready to use them, and once the pack is open, use them within a few days," Dennis Littley said. "If you're not going to get through them quickly, freeze the extras. Food safety-wise, even though they're precooked, hot dogs should always be heated thoroughly before eating to avoid any risk from bacteria like listeria."

For this reason, Thomas Odermatt said it's probably a good idea not to buy value packs unless you're feeding a large crowd that will eat them all at once. Once opened, he said hot dogs will only last five to seven days in a standard home fridge. Make sure that the fridge is set to below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the safe temperature for food. It's a good idea to wrap them in a Ziplock bag with the air squeezed out, Tim Tobitsch added.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you don't want to leave them out of a fridge too long either. The danger zone for food is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the range at which bacteria thrives because it is neither too hot nor too cold for them. You should never leave food out of the fridge for more than two hours at 90 degrees Fahrenheit or below, a window that shortens to an hour above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you're headed somewhere else or having a cookout, try to replicate those conditions in your cooler, Ashley Lonsdale advised. "Any high-quality cooler should produce similar conditions with bags of ice or ice packs." If you purchase hot dogs frozen, she added, make sure to thaw them either in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water rather than simply leaving them on the counter.

Here's a surprising truth: You may be cooking your hot dog wrong. While the best way to cook a hot dog certainly depends on your personal preferences, you have far more options beyond the classic boiling or grilling. "I personally love pan-searing them in a cast iron skillet," Dennis Littley said. "The heat gives the outside a gorgeous, blistered texture and locks in the juiciness. You can also spiral-slice them before cooking to get extra crispy edges and better flavor absorption." If you're interested in learning how to spiralize hot dogs, it's easier than you think with a little knife work. However, if you're an old dog that doesn't feel like learning a new trick, a Slotdog Hot Dog Slicing Tool will do that trick for you.

Even if grilling is your hot dog dream come true, Ashley Lonsdale said you should still keep the cast iron pan method on standby. "If I'm not grilling, a cast iron grill pan conducts heat evenly and works to crisp up the hot dog casing in the same way a traditional grill does." If you want to cook a lot of them, Tim Tobitsch added, then a flat-top griddle at a low-temperature setting works great. Consider the 2-in-1 Reversible 14" x 16" Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Cooking Griddle, for instance. For those who really have to boil them, though, you can. Just make sure to dress them up a little, Eric Tanaka said. "At least throw some beer and spices into the water to keep them from tasting flat."

"Air fryers are surprisingly great too," Dennis Littley said. "They're quick, no mess, and you get a satisfying snap." If you have the time, you can get similar results in the oven with a large batch of hot dogs, but for a hot dog or two, you can't beat a countertop appliance such as the Chefman TurboFry Touch Air Fryer.

Why does it work so similarly? Because, Tim Tobitsch explained, an air fryer is basically a tiny convection oven. It has a circulating fan to keep the air temperature even so that, combined with the rack on which your dogs sit, they get steady heat from all sides. This is similar to what they'd get if you were grilling and turning them or watching them on the stovetop in a griddle but with less labor-intensive babying.

When you think of "sodium," does the image of a hot dog pop unbidden into your head? Certainly no one in their right mind would take a salt shaker to a frankfurter, but that doesn't mean you can't zhuzh them up in other ways. While most artisanal hot dogs are already well seasoned, Tim Tobitsch said "some lower quality hot dogs may not have a great flavor."

If you're going to season hot dogs, though, you've got to do it right. "Think about hot dogs like bacon or even ham," Ashley Lonsdale said. "While I wouldn't recommend adding salt, introducing a mustard glaze or hot honey wouldn't be out of place." There are plenty of ways to do this, Dennis Littley said, suggesting that a touch of smoked paprika, garlic powder, or cracked pepper goes a long way. Moreover, "I sometimes brush mine with a little mustard or hot sauce while they're still warm in the pan to give them a zingy outer layer. A light honey glaze with chili flakes is also a gamechanger. It's about enhancing what's already there without overpowering it."

If you're looking to get even more creative, do like Eric Tanaka and sauté them in a pan with a little oil and some sliced onions; then caramelize them with ketchup. This will give them a lovely color and a "sweet-savory bite." As if that's not creative enough, holiday fried rice in his house always involves hot dogs. (Would love an invitation to this Christmas party, by the way).

"Wait," you're thinking. "Now I can't even throw hot dogs right on the grill? Isn't life hard enough as it is?! I want a redo." Before you spiral into complete nihilism, know that we're only talking about a little oil here. "Hot dogs bring their own fat to the party, which is why they sizzle and brown so easily," Thomas Odermatt said. But "A touch of oil when pan-frying? Total game-changer. It helps create an extra crispy skin that's seriously satisfying."

The thing is, Dennis Littley said, "It's not about deep frying — just creating a flavorful crust and helping with even browning. Without it, you risk dry spots or uneven color, especially in stainless or cast iron pans." You wouldn't want to do that to a perfectly good hot dog, now would you? Of course not. You're not a monster.

If you want to take things to the next level on a weeknight without putting in a lot of extra effort, Eric Tanaka said you can split them in half and sear them in a cast iron pan with a touch of oil. "You get more texture, better browning, and the interior picks up that rich, caramelized flavor."

You shouldn't leave food unattended no matter what you're cooking, hot dogs or otherwise. Simply walking away from the stove accounts for 33% of home fires, according to the New York City Fire Department. To further increase kitchen safety, create a three-foot clear zone around your stove where kids are not allowed, and remove flammable items (e.g. paper towels) from the immediate vicinity.

Hot dogs, by virtue of being oily themselves — even if you don't add any to the pan — are especially dangerous, because they can spit oil out of the pan and onto the stove, where it could catch fire. In fact, oil and pans are at the top of the list of cooking items not to leave on the heat when you're not around, so take heed. If nothing else, you could ruin a good dog, and no one needs that. As discussed, life's hard enough.

Ever busted a hot dog while cooking it in the microwave or forgetting about it on the stove? This is down to a temperature mistake that causes hot dog splits: If you cook the hot dog too unevenly or too high, it causes the water and fat within to expand or steam. With nowhere to go, it must escape somewhere, so it goes out through the casing. Even if the hot dog doesn't burst, the worst-case scenario, improper temperature control can still lead to bulging and uneven cooking.

To fix this, Ashley Lonsdale said "Cook hot dogs over medium-high or high heat to quickly crisp the casing and heat them through." Make sure you don't crowd them because this will prevent you from getting a nice crust in the time it takes to heat them to the correct temperature, which should be between 145 and 175 degrees Fahrenheit, Tim Tobitsch said. A ThermoPro Digital Meat Thermometer can help you monitor proceedings.

One of Julia Child's most beloved cooking tips was never to crowd mushrooms because they get rubbery rather than delicate, but this tip could easily apply to hot dogs as well. "In general, crowding food while cooking creates inconsistent results, and hot dogs are no exception to the rule," Tim Tobitsch said. "Hot dogs are less likely to heat evenly if they are too tightly packed. It also becomes difficult to easily maneuver them to ensure all sides of the frank are evenly cooked."

The hot dog mistakes continue. "When you cram hot dogs together, they steam instead of sear, and you lose all that golden crisp you're aiming for," Dennis Littley explained. "It also drops the pan temperature, so you don't get that nice Maillard reaction that brings out depth and texture." Other problems arise, such as dropping the heat of the pan too much (because the hot dogs go in cold) and losing valuable contact with the pan, which is where the flavor develops.

If you've got to cook gobs of hot dogs, you should steam or boil them, Erik Tanaka said. "That ensures they all get evenly heated, even if it's not the most flavor-forward method." Whatever you do, make sure your hot dog is evenly cooked and has enough structural integrity to snap when you break it in half. "This is how I have been taught to judge a good hot dog," Thomas Odermatt said. "Judge it by the snap!"

Although buns are often taken for granted at a cookout, more a vehicle for the hot dog than a treat unto themselves, that's a mistake. "It's half the experience," Dennis Littley said. "Toast it, either in the pan with a little butter or directly on the grill. A warm, crispy bun changes the whole feel of the dish." It can even take the place of seasoning the hot dog itself if you're short on time.

There are tons of options when looking for hot dog buns, so choose something that is high-quality and fresh. The Whole Foods Market Brioche Hot Dog Buns or New England Split-top Frankfurter Hot Dog Buns will both provide a nice complement to any type of hot dog. If you want to go the affordable route, though, you can order Amazon Fresh White Hot Dog Buns online as well.

Boring toppings are definitely among the worst hot dog mistakes. Even the best hot dog and bun can do with a little excitement. "My go-to is still the iconic grilled dog in a bun with mustard, ketchup, and relish — simple and perfect," Thomas Odermatt said. "If I'm feeling creative, I'll smoke the dogs a bit longer and serve them on a bun with a scoop of classic German potato salad and a splash of Tabasco. The cool, creamy salad complements the hot dog's richness beautifully."

If you like things a bit simpler, then match your condiments to the type of hot dog you're using. A little mustard enhances high-quality artisanal hot dogs, Tim Tobitsch said, but don't add too much. On the other hand, if you're working with garden-variety dogs, bring in those dominant flavors: ketchup and relish.

For those who like to experiment, unconventional hot dog toppings can take your meal from good to great. "A hot dog is basically a blank canvas," Dennis Littley said, advising fun ingredients such as slaw, kimchi, sriracha mayo, or even crushed chips to add that crunchy texture. "There's no reason a hot dog at home shouldn't feel like something you'd get at a great food truck," he said.

Last but not least, don't think of frankfurters as exclusively American. One of the worst mistakes you can make with the humble hot dog is, after all, assuming it must be humble. "From a beefy, snappy Chicago dog to a spicy Korean-style creation with kimchi and gochujang mayo, the possibilities are endless," Thomas Odermatt said. Stock up on creative international ingredients such as Sir Kensington's Gochujang Everything Sauce, Kikkoman Sriracha Mayo, or Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce to make this easier. Or Odermatt said you can "Try pineapple chunks for a tropical kick or spoon some Middle Eastern muhammara over a bed of Fattoush salad."

Ashley Lonsdale loves layering on flavors, à la Colombian hot dogs, "which use multiple sauces full of herbs and garlic and potato chips for a satisfying crunch." And let's not forget about American regionalism. There are many types of American hot dog styles as well, so be sure to explore!