Boiling hot dogs... Gross or not gross?

[EMode]

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!

Me too, I think boiling any meat is gross and technically hot dogs are meat

OP< i'm not sure if this is normal because I only grill hot dogs but when I work the concession stand at the field they put a little vinegar in the hot dog water, says it makes them taste better.

 

[leebee]

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!

If a boiled hot dog is limp, you've overcooked them. They really only need to be warmed, not cooked; they are cooked during processing, before they are packaged and shipped to the store.

 

[HM]

We mostly do our hotdogs boiled style. Nothing gross about it to me.

 

[Meriweather]

I hate boiled dogs. I like the skin a little charred, so grilled or fried for me.
We are grilling a lot of different sausages on Friday and they will be grilled. It doesn't take much time at all.

 

[kmb584]

I prefer them boiled but do grill them during the summer.

 

[girlswithbows]

I would go with gross. Definitely grill them.

 

[MIGrandma]

My Mom always boiled the hot dogs, so that's how I do it if we want hot dogs in the winter. In the summer we grill them (and if grilled properly they do not "shrivel"), and our favorite way is to cook them over the open campfire.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I have not tried this but my neighbor posted on Facebook......First time cooking corn on the cob in a cooler and it worked! Shuck corn, place in cooler, cover with boiling water and let it sit 40 minutes or so!

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I had no idea so many people boiled hot dogs. I like to eat them fresh off the grill with just the slightest of grill marks, personally. Not a fan of boiled, but only had them that way once. However, your house, your party, your dogs. Cook them how you want and if people don't like it, they don't have to eat them.

 

[cluvsdisney]

Boiled hot dogs are ok but grilled is so much better. My BIL has one of those hot dog steamers and cooked hot dogs in there while he was grilling other stuff and there was a bit of a friendly mutiny and everyone ended up wanting their franks grilled. Ha!!

But I basically agree with JennaDeeDooDah - do what's easiest for you.

 

[Disneylover99]

Growing up in the 70's I thought that boiling hotdogs was the only way to cook them. Everyone boiled their dogs. Now it seems gross to me to cook them this way, but I would still eat a boiled one.

 

[shoney]

For us, it is natural casing (boars head or nathans) on the grill.

We have found that kids tend to dislike natural casing so I will buy Nathan's or Sabrett regular hotdogs.
I stopped buying Hebrew National's because they were too salty.

We usually grill, but I will boil them for the kids in a pinch. We never boil natural casing, though. The Sabretts work best for boiling, IMO.

My husband's grandmother always served her dogs in a pot simmered with sauerkraut.

DH went shopping last weekend and came home with a package of Black Bear Black Forest natural casing hot dogs. (NEVER heard of it!) It is a 48 oz package that was on sale for 7.00 from $14.00.
They are awful! They did plump on the grill to an enormous size and tasted like bologna. I'll try to pawn them off on the kids and their friends.


A few years ago, someone bought us one of those electric hot dog makers. A red and white novelty item that rolls the hots on metal rods (like 7-11). It makes a great hot dog, too!!!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Boiling is easy and they taste "ok" at best. Some like it,others hate it. For guest on the fourth, I would certainly bring out the grill. It really takes no time to grill hot dogs and it makes all the difference, as does buying GOOD hot dogs. We like Nathan's. Cheap hot dogs are gross too. Another cooking method is to cook them in the oven. Simply place in a baking pan and stick in a 400 oven till they are as done as you like them. Easy and they look and taste better than boiled. We also do all the southern traditional toppings too: slaw, chili, mustard, onion and sometimes cheese.

What is going on your hot dogs????

 

[MOpGrad2013]

I absolutely hate grilled dogs--half cooked and burnt!

When serving a crowd, I place them on their skinny ends in the crockpot. Add about 2 cups of ice and set it on the 4 hour setting (HIGH).

They will be plump, moist and it smells good too. Because they are on their ends, it makes it easy for your guests to use tongs and pop them out. There is not much water so you don't have the soggy buns or "shaking water syndrome."

I think my crockpot is 6 qt, so that can hold about 50 1/4 pound hotdogs or 65 of the regular size. Again, I said for a crowd.

 

[elphaba91]

I have NEVER had a grilled hotdog! Everyone I know boils them. Maybe it's an Australian thing? What about cocktail frankfurts? Do you guys grill them too? You just put them in a pot with water, turn the stove on until the water boils then take them out. So easy even a child could do it! (Seriously, I cooked hotdogs this way as a child.) Just make sure not to overcook them or the skin will start to peel off. And under no circumstances should you poke them...unless you're into inside-out hotdogs...

 

[LJSquishy]

I wouldn't eat a hotdog if it were boiled, but clearly lots of people like them boiled so just do whatever works best for you...it's your house!

I only like grilled hot dogs, fairly charred, real beef dogs like the Costco ones...not the little ones in Ball Park packages or whatever, those make me queasy thinking about them!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Sorry, but it has to be grilled for me, in the summer.

I guess a steamed dog has it's merits.
I've eaten them this way.
But the only thing that would tempt me to eat a processed, fat and sodium, heart attack on a bun, would be a nice grilled dog! OMG, that adds so much to the flavor!

If I were to ever do a dog without being grilled, cooking inside, I might put them right under the broiler in the oven, and this will brown/char them a bit and give them that great grilled flavor.

 

[DVC Kathy]

We were in Bermuda, many moons ago, and a small diner type restaurant deep fried their hotdogs.

Didn't try one. I can deal with boiled, grilled, or pan fried, but not deep fried.

The crockpot idea sounds great as well.

 

[dawnhaze]

I wouldn't worry about it - hot dogs are gross no matter how they're cooked.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Also, if I were to boil hot-dogs, OMG, please do not over-cook them and boil them to death! bring them to a boil-simmer and then take them off the burner. Of course, keeping warm until served is okay.


And, here is one that I think the Southern folks here will really get.
Bologna, of course, is like sliced off of a huge hotdog.
Yes, one can eat cold bologna sandwiches.
But, here, fried (skillet browned) bologna is not unheard of.
Ever had fried bologna on a biscuit!!!
My son as actually picked up Oscar Meyer bologna at the store, so he could throw a couple of pieces in a hot skillet, and have fried bologna for breakfast.