The Overlooked Defrosting Mistake That's Ruining Your Grilled Hot Dogs

Grilled franks might be a relatively effortless meal to pull off at your cookout, but there are many common mistakes almost everyone makes with this dish. When it comes to defrosting hot dogs to grill up for dinner, there's an even more critical mistake that can ruin the meal: Not allowing the sausages to defrost fully and reach room temperature before you fire up the grill and throw them onto the grates. Remember, patience is a virtue — even when grilling. 

It's important to allow the hot dogs to reach room temperature for a couple of reasons. First, a hot dog might seem defrosted to the touch, but the inside is still partly frozen. Then when you throw these half-frozen dogs on the grill, the outside will achieve that nice charred texture while the inside is still cold — ew! In addition to the uneven cooking, grilled hot dogs should only take about six minutes and if you need more time for the inside to defrost and cook at the same time, you could end up with dry sausages. As a friendly reminder, hot dogs should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here's how to defrost hot dogs the right way to pull off a delicious grilled meal: First, plan ahead and defrost hot dogs in your fridge. Expect this to take up to one day if the hot dogs are frozen solid. It's not safe to defrost any perishable foods, like hot dogs, on the counter or doused in hot water. Or, thaw the frozen sausages in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. When the hot dogs are defrosted with your preferred method, you can leave them on the counter to reach room temperature. However, do not leave the frankfurters on the counter for more than two hours or the meat might spoil.

With all that effort to make sure the hot dogs are fully defrosted, we've got some more tips to finish off the grilled food for a satisfying meal: Test out these hot dog hacks you should know like adding crushed potato chips for a crunchy topping. And while you might be a purist who prefers solely a squirt of ketchup or mustard, there are many toppings to elevate grilled hot dogs. Try pickled red onions for tang, guacamole for flavor and creaminess, or go with sauerkraut for a sour touch to your grilled hot dogs.