How Long to Boil Hot Dogs?
Question:
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs?
How long should you boil hot dogs in order to cook
them?
Answer:
Hot dogs should be remain in boiling water for about 3 to 4 minutes to become hot all the way through.
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs?
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs
The truth is that hot dogs are fully cooked when purchased. That being said, hot dogs do not need to be boiled at all in order to be cooked… but if you’ve ever tried a cold hot dog, you will probably agree that they must indeed be boiled (or otherwise cooked) before eating!
Hot dogs should become heated through and ready
to eat if boiled in water for 3 to 4
minutes.
If cooking for a crowd, the time could be extended
to 5 or 6 minutes.
The process that occurs when boiling hot dogs is referred to as osmosis, where water molecules seep through the porous skin into the hot dog. The entering water in turn forces salts and other chemicals within the hot dog to leak out into the boiling water. This process of taking in water forces the hot dogs to “plump”. Many people consider a “plump” hot dog as the visual cue to when the hot dogs are ready. This is fine, as long as the hot dogs are not left to boil for too long.
Over boiling hot dogs will change both the taste, texture and color of the dogs. Once the salts and preservatives are forced from the hot dog, flavor is decreased and the color begins toward greyscale. Once more water is absorbed than the skin can withstand, the dogs will eventually burst open. Popped open boiled hot dogs, unlike popped open grilled hot dogs, are soft and mushy and considered unpleasant to eat by most people.
How to Boil Hot Dogs
1) Fill a pot (or pan) halfway with water and place
it on the stove.
2) Once the water
boils, carefully
add the number of hot dogs desired.
3) When the water returns to a boil (this should
just be a few minutes, depending upon the number of
hot dogs added to the water and the temperature of
the hot dogs when added), continue to
boil the hot dogs for about 3 to 4
minutes.
4) Carefully remove the boiled hot dogs with tongs
and place them into buns.
Note: Two minutes may be long enough for some tastes and 5 minutes may be fine too, but the general consensus is that 3 to 4 minutes of boiling provides a nicely heated hot dog.
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs?
For Additional Information
To find out how long hot dogs last, visit our hot dog page.
To find out how long deli meats last, visit our deli meat page.
These tongs are tough enough to use on the BBQ grill, yet are also the perfect accompaniment to boiling hot dogs. This sale makes them a sensible purchase to accomplish both tasks.
As an alternative to boiling, check out this copycat recipe to make some Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Dogs at home. If you’re lucky enough to be able to secure flour and yeast during this time, then these pretzel dogs might be the perfect choice for a “stay-at-home yet feels like a trip to the mall” family dinner.
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