Can You Cook Hot Dogs in the Microwave?

Kids love hotdogs, and if you enjoy snacking on them too, you’ll want to find all the ways to make them fast and without compromising the taste.

Hotdogs are easy to prepare since they are usually precooked. You only need to preheat them to the proper temperature.

Can you cook hot dogs in the microwave? Yes, you can. In fact, microwaving hot dogs is one of the fastest ways to get them ready in under a minute.

A microwave helps you cook hot dogs without exploding. By following the correct procedure, you should be able to microwave this satisfying snack in a minute or 2.

In this post, you’ll learn how to microwave hot dogs and more.

How to Cook Hot Dogs in a Microwave

If looking for a fast way to make hot dogs, your best bet is popping them in the microwave. And since hot dogs are pre-cooked, you won’t have to worry about over or undercooking them.

You just need to get them warm enough to eat.

To cook hot dogs in a microwave, you need to:

• 1. Place the hot dog on a paper towel-lined plate

Placing the hot dogs on a paper towel-lined plate makes cleanup easy. The towels absorb the moisture and grease that leaks from the hot dog as it cooks.

If cooking more than one hot dog, line them up in a row, leaving a little space between them. You don’t want the hot dogs to cloud together as this might result in uneven cooking.

Remember to use a microwave-safe plate.

• 2. Pierce the hot dog a few times(optional)

Pricking a hot dog with a fork or any other sharp utensil before cooking allows steam from inside it to escape instead of building up. This prevents it from exploding.

However, some sources claim that there’s no danger of explosion at all. They argue that piercing the hot dogs will actually let the juices run out during the cooking process and leave you with dry, hot dogs.

Therefore, you can choose either method.

• 3. Cover with another paper towel

To get plump juicy hot dogs after the end of it all, you need to cover them with another paper towel. The towel holds moisture next to your hot dogs as they cook.

• 4. Heat on high

Cooking time can vary depending on the wattage of the microwave you’re using. If using an 800 to 1000 watts microwave, the following are the expected cooking times:

• 1 hot dog – about 40 seconds
• 2 hot dogs – 1 min to 1min 15 secs
• 3-4 hot dogs – 1 min 30 secs to 2mins 30 secs
• 5-6 hot dogs – 3mins to 3 mins 30 secs
• 7-8 hot dogs – 4 to 5 minutes
• 9-10 hot dogs – 6 minutes

If your microwave boasts a higher wattage, you’ll have to use shorter cooking times.

• 5. Check on halfway

Now that microwaves vary in their cooking power, you need to check just how your hot dogs are doing halfway through cooking.

If still cold or lukewarm, let them continue to cook. If hot to the touch, take them out of the microwave immediately.

Let them cool down for some time before removing the paper towel.

If you can’t stand the craving, consider wearing oven mitts to avoid getting burned by the steam that is usually trapped underneath.

• 6. Serve hot

Now that your hot dogs are well cooked, it’s time you served them to your loved ones. You can serve them on their own or between buns.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Microwaved Hot Dog

Listed below are a few tricks that can help you cook the best hot dogs for your family.

• Use quality paper towels to prevent paper towel fibers from getting on your hot dogs.
• Cover the hot dogs well with a paper towel before heating them on high power. If possible, use a wet paper towel as it helps retain all the juices in your hot dog.
• You can also choose to soak your paper towels in chicken broth to add more flavor to your hot dogs.
• Avoid exceeding microwave intervals for more than 30 seconds at a time. Doing so can lead to the hot dogs’ explosion, burning, or hardening.
• Turn the other side and rotate the hot dogs to help them cook evenly.
• Always pierce the hotdogs with a fork before microwaving to prevent explosion.
• If you don’t have a paper towel, you can always use a microwave cover to cover your hotdogs as they cook.

FAQs

Conclusion

By now, you already know the answer to the question of whether you can cook hot dogs in a microwave. Well, you can cook hot dogs in the microwave as it is straightforward.

Cooking the hot dogs will only take you a minute, especially for a single or double serving. You just need to set the heat on high and increase cooking time if preparing more than one hot dog.

If your kids are always craving this snack, you now know how to go about it. No more trips to the snacks store now and then. Cheers!