Boiling hot dogs... Gross or not gross?

[AustinTink]

We're having a get together for the holiday weekend. It's very low key... Just a few close friends and their kids over to watch our neighborhood fireworks display. I'm making queso and some desserts. I want to make hot dogs for the crowd without firing up the grill. It's too hot and I'm too lazy.

So my question is how to make hot dogs for a crowd without grilling? Is boiling them gross?

 

[jdb in AZ]

We're having a get together for the holiday weekend. It's very low key... Just a few close friends and their kids over to watch our neighborhood fireworks display. I'm making queso and some desserts. I want to make hot dogs for the crowd without firing up the grill. It's too hot and I'm too lazy.

So my question is how to make hot dogs for a crowd without grilling? Is boiling them gross?

Actually, I prefer them boiled. The ones that get cremated over a camp fire are gross, IMHO.

 

[manning]

Actually, I prefer them boiled. The ones that get cremated over a camp fire are gross, IMHO.

Do it all the time. Even microwave. How do you think they do it at a hot dog stand?

 

[AustinTink]

Actually, I prefer them boiled. The ones that get cremated over a camp fire are gross, IMHO.

Do you just boil them or put them in a steamer basket? I always grill them or fry in a skillet, never boiled. It seems like the way to go for a crowd.

 

[sonnyjane]

Actually, I prefer them boiled. The ones that get cremated over a camp fire are gross, IMHO.

Yup! When I still ate meat, I LOVED boiled hot dogs. Didn't like them over a grill or fire. DH thought I was nuts but I preferred them that way! No basket or anything, just boiled in water.

 

[NDDisneydad]

I prefer them boiled!

 

[ilovepcot]

Another that prefers them boiled.

 

[ronandannette]

I've personally never done this, but I've read about it more than once and it sounds like it should work:

For a crowd, stand several dozen wieners on end in a crock pot, packed in snugly enough that they won't fall over but with enough room for them to "plump". Add a small amount of water to the bottom and cover tightly. Heat on high for several hours until they have expanded and are hot. Turn down to the "keep warm" setting and serve as needed.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

You learn something new all the time. I didn't know there was any other way to do it. That's how they are done here. It never occurred to me they could be cooked on a grill.

 

[powellrj]

I've personally never done this, but I've read about it more than once and it sounds like it should work:

For a crowd, stand several dozen wieners on end in a crock pot, packed in snugly enough that they won't fall over but with enough room for them to "plump". Add a small amount of water to the bottom and cover tightly. Heat on high for several hours until they have expanded and are hot. Turn down to the "keep warm" setting and serve as needed.

I have done this before and it does work!

 

[kimblebee]

Not gross. I prefer them barbecued but would eat them boiled in a pinch. I had an ex who's dad boiled hamburgers. Now THAT'S gross!

 

[scrapquitler]

We're having a get together for the holiday weekend. It's very low key... Just a few close friends and their kids over to watch our neighborhood fireworks display. I'm making queso and some desserts. I want to make hot dogs for the crowd without firing up the grill. It's too hot and I'm too lazy. So my question is how to make hot dogs for a crowd without grilling? Is boiling them gross?

.

Cook them in the crock pot. Stand them up on end in the crock pot - you can get a lot of them in there - cover and heat on low for about 2 hours.

 

[karensi]

My DD recently cooked hot dogs in the crock pot, she didn't even put any water in. I admit I was skeptical at first but they were really good. Just put them in the crock pot and forget about them until you're ready to serve them. Very easy and tasty too.

 

[DisMN]

We prefer them boiled too.

My big question is are there any SKINNY hot dogs available anymore? Someone mentioned a hot dog in a crock pot "plumping" up and I almost threw up. I don't want a dog that does that........I want the old baseball park hot dog. LOL

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Growing up my mother would sometimes boil hotdogs. They were ok.

But I think for the 4th of July, there's something neat about grilling them. We just do them in batches if we need more.

I do like the crockpot idea, and may try it - in the winter.

Oh, and any hotdog tastes better, IMHO, with a buttered, toasted roll.

 

[clh2]

I also would 3rd or 4th the crockpot idea. Easy Peasy!

We usually boil or microwave our hot dogs. Occasionally we grill them, but logistically - hot dogs are our "go-to" in a pinch - need it quick meal, and that is contrary to how we grill.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Boiling is OK. That being said we only boil the natural casing dogs.

I would grill them however we have a propane grill. And if I was having a get together I would have to do more than hot dogs. But that is just in my DNA.

 

[Jennasis]

I can't stand shriveled up grilled dogs. Blech. Boiling is the way to go for me!

 

[anniemae]

I'm going against the crowd, I hate boiled dogs. I prefer a grilled hot dog, especially on the 4th, something about the grill makes them taste better to me. For some reason boiled hot dogs seem gross to me, I hate the smell, the gross water in the pot, the limp texture of the hot dog. But it seems I'm in the minority on this thread!

 

[leebee]

I like grilled hot dogs best, for sure, but usually they take careful watching so they don't get charred beyond recognition.

We grew up eating boiled hot dogs for the majority of the year; grilled was only for the summer months when the BBQ was set up. Remember that hot dogs are already fully cooked (you can eat them raw, like bologna ), so you really only need to heat them through. My mom used to do them in her largest frying pan, out flat, with just enough water to almost (but not quite) cover the dog, then simmer for a little while- 5 mins after the water comes to a simmer maybe? Just roll them around a little for even heating.

A compromise between boiling and grilling would be to panfry them. Put a little bit of butter in the bottom of the frying pan and put the dogs in. Roll them around so they cook evenly- maybe 8 mins total, depending on the heat you use.

I think the "plump" comment was because of Ball Park Franks ("They plump when you cook 'em!" was their ad for years.) All hot dogs plump a bit when you cook them because the proteins expand. Just don't think about it if it grosses you out! I think Nathan's hot dogs are the skinniest I've ever eaten, but then they taste more like the roll than like a hot dog.

If I was digging out the crockpot, I'd put beans in it, not hot dogs!