The Only Way To Cook a Hot Dog This Weekend, According to Nathan’s Famous

This is how you make sure they're juicy, crisp, and delicious.

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In my family, hot dogs have a reputation as "kids' food" at cookouts. It's an easy, fairly low-effort way to feed a lot of people-and fast. That is why we grill a whole lot of hot dogs in the summer.

I decided to put more thought into our hot dogs this year. So, I turned to the experts at Nathan’s Famous to ask about the best way to cook this American summer staple. The brand has been in the business since 1916, so I suspected I'd learn a trick or two.

The Nathan's Famous Method of Cooking Hot Dogs

Phil McCann, vice president of marketing at Nathan's Famous, says the brand has stuck with one cooking method throughout its 100-year history.

Nathan’s uses two temperature zones for cooking. You start hot dogs on a lower-temperature cooktop or grill to slowly heat through. Then, roll them over to a higher temperature zone to split the surface, or “what we call ‘popping’ the dog”, McCann says.

This method, with a longer cook time at a lower temperature, creates a hot dog with a juicy texture, fully developed flavors, and a surface with crispy bits where the casing pops, McCann explains.

Read More: My Family Taste-Tested 7 Different All-Beef Hot Dogs—Here’s What We Thought

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Here's the method in more detail, in case you want to test it out:

• Prep: It takes about 20 minutes to cook hot dogs using Nathan’s Famous method. They should be served piping hot, so have everything ready (buns, condiments, and sides) before you begin.
• Create two temperature zones: Heat one side of a grill to 350°F and the other side to 400°F. If you're using a stovetop, heat a cast-iron skillet set over medium; later, increase the heat to medium-high.
• Cook the sausages: Place the hot dogs on the lower-temperature surface first. Cook one side for 10 minutes, then use tongs to turn the hot dogs and cook the other side for 10 minutes. 
• “Pop” the dogs: Move the hot dogs to the hot side of the grill. (On a stove, increase the heat to medium-high.) Use tongs to lightly press the hot dogs to the surface while rolling them back and forth. Do this for about a minute, until the surface is browned and “popped” (or burst) in a few spots. Serve the hot dogs immediately.

You don't need to use Nathan's Famous hot dogs for this to work. Just choose quality, all-beef hot dogs—in casings or skinless—for the best flavor. Keep in mind that if you're using skinless dogs, there's no casing to pop.

Should You Score or Spiralize Hot Dogs?

McCann says Nathan’s prefers not to slash its hot dogs, but personally, I like to score them. It creates pockets perfect for nestling in condiments, especially if we're making something like a fully-loaded Chicago hot dog. However, those cuts do allow juices to escape, ruining the chances of experiencing a slow-cooked, juicy texture. Next time, Nathan's has convinced me to try its method!

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