Why You Might Not Want To Use A Meat Thermometer When Cooking Hot Dogs - Tasting Table

"Backyard BBQs usually have both hamburgers and hot dogs, but for how inexpensive they are and how easily they cook, hot dogs are the king of summertime gatherings, as well as an easy way to add protein to a quick meal. They are simple to heat up, but out of all our tips you need when cooking hot dogs, the most important may be to avoid piercing the skin with a sharp meat thermometer needle."

"Primarily, checking the internal temperature of a hot dog is unnecessary from a food safety standpoint. Hot dogs are packaged and sold already fully cooked, so in theory, you could eat them cold, straight out of the packaging, though they might not be as delicious. However, poking a hole in the casing of the dog is almost guaranteed to let the juices escape from the hot dog, leading to a drier, tougher frankfurter, so it's best not to stab the sausage with a thermometer."

"The simplest way to ensure that your franks are fully hot and ready to eat is to follow the cooking directions on the packaging. Most directions recommend cooking for about six to nine minutes, and offer various cooking methods like steaming, grilling, boiling, microwaving, or cooking on the stovetop. Look for changes in texture to the outside of the hot dog, like browning, blistering, wrinkling, or the skin tightening or splitting open, to know when they are hot and ready to eat."

Hot dogs are an inexpensive, easily cooked staple for summertime gatherings and quick meals. Most hot dogs are sold fully cooked, so internal-temperature checks are unnecessary for safety. Piercing the casing lets juices escape and produces a drier, tougher frankfurter. Follow package cooking directions—typically six to nine minutes—using methods like steaming, grilling, boiling, microwaving, or stovetop. Look for external cues such as browning, blistering, wrinkling, skin tightening, or splitting to confirm readiness. Avoid cooking hot dogs inside their plastic packaging because heating plastic can leach chemicals into the food.

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