Hot dogs are probably the best picnic and family gathering food ever because everyone from the grade schoolers to grandpa loves them.
If you love hot dogs, and you want the very best, tastiest hot dog for your summer fun, experts agree that temperature is the most important consideration. Hot dogs must be hot enough but not too hot.
According to Nick Kindelsperger, writing for epicurious.com, the optimum temperature for a hot dog is between 150 and 160 degrees. The temperature is key because hot dogs cooked at under 140 degrees will be spongy and dull tasting. Cooked over 165 degrees, they get bloated and quickly start to dry out.
Kindelsperger advises a two-step process: poach and grill. Heat up water in a saucepan to 155 degrees. That is under the boiling point, which is 212 degrees. Then, drop the heat to low. Put in the franks and wait 10 minutes and you get the perfectly heated hot dog. But it's not grilled. So, quickly put them on a hot grill. In a few seconds, they will have a nice color. Perfection achieved. Remove instantly.
Oscar Mayer recommends dropping the 10 hot dogs into boiling water; return to boil and cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 7 minutes or until the hot dogs are heated through.
Get creative with condiments, if you wish: Yellow, Dijon or brown spicy mustard, ketchup, mayo, chutney, BBQ, Creole or chili sauce. Sauerkraut, sweet pickle relish, cornichons, dill slices, jalapenos, sliced or diced peppers. Grated cheddar, feta, blue, goat or nacho cheese, sour cream.
According to Nielsen data, Americans bought 1 billion pounds of hot dogs in retail stores last year. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) estimates we'll consume 150 million hot dogs during the 3-day July 4th weekend, 7 billion between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and more than 19.4 million at ballpark concession stands during the 2016 Major League baseball season.
