Cookout season is rapidly approaching as the weather warms up, and it’s time to prepare all your favorite recipes for summer dishes. Among the favorites for the sunny season are hot dogs. When cooked correctly, they’re tender, flavorful and delicious.
When determining how long to boil hot dogs on the stove top, it’s not just as simple as tossing them in the water and waiting. The timing matters! So, how long do you boil hot dogs? Keep reading this guide for the answer to all your hot dog-related questions.
- How to Boil Hot Dogs
- FAQ
- Boiling Hot Dogs at Different Starting Temperatures
- How Long to Boil Thawed Hot Dogs
- How Long to Boil Refrigerated Hot Dogs
- How Long to Boil Frozen Hot Dogs
- Table: Boiling Hot Dogs at Different Starting Temperatures
- Boiling Hot Dogs by Brand
- How Long to Boil Nathan’s Hot Dogs
- How Long to Boil Sabrett Hot Dogs
- How Long to Boil Hebrew National Hot Dogs
- How Long to Boil Kirkland Hot Dogs
- How Long to Boil Maker’s Mark Hot Dogs
- Table: Boiling Hot Dogs By Brand
- Boiling Hot Dogs Based on Secondary Cooking Method
- How Long to Boil Hot Dogs in Water
- How Long to Boil Hot Dogs Before Grilling
- How Long to Boil Hot Dogs Before Baking
- How Long to Boil Hot Dogs Before Pan-frying
How to Boil Hot Dogs
- Fill a large saucepan or pot with water, making sure there’s enough water to cover all of the hot dogs.
- Turn on the heat and bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Add the hot dogs, one at a time, using a long utensil (like cooking chopsticks or tongs) to carefully lower each hot dog into the pot of boiling water. Be careful not to splash yourself with boiling water.
- Allow the hot dogs to boil for the recommended cooking time (see below for details).
- Once the hot dogs have cooked for the appropriate amount of time, pour the whole pot into a large colander to drain the liquid or carefully remove the hot dogs, one at a time, using the tongs or cooking chopsticks. Place the hot dogs on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- Allow the hot dogs to cool for several minutes before serving or using in a dish.
FAQ
Q: How long do you need to boil hot dogs?
A: The boiling time can depend on lots of different factors, like the starting temperature of the hot dog, the brand of the hot dog and what you intend to do with them once they’re boiled. Keep reading for specific boiling times for hot dogs in different circumstances.
Q: Can I boil hot dogs straight from the freezer?
A: Yes, you can boil hot dogs immediately after removing them from the freezer and unwrapping them. There’s no need to thaw them before boiling.
Q: Is it necessary to boil hot dogs before cooking them on a grill, in a skillet or in the oven?
A: No, it’s not always necessary to boil hot dogs before cooking them a second way, but you can boil them to make them a bit juicer.
Q: Do all hot dog brands take the same amount of time to boil?
A: Though many of them may share similar cooking times, not all hot dog brands boil at the same rate. This can be due to a difference in size, density and even what the hot dog is made of.
Boiling Hot Dogs at Different Starting Temperatures
The boiling time for different hot dogs can vary based on what temperature they’ve started at prior to boiling.
How Long to Boil Thawed Hot Dogs
If you’re boiling hot dogs that you’ve removed from the fridge or freezer and allowed to thaw to nearly room temperature, boil them for 4-6 minutes.
How Long to Boil Refrigerated Hot Dogs
Hot dogs can be boiled straight out of the refrigerator (as long as they’ve been removed from their original packaging, of course) for 5-7 minutes or until heated all the way through.
How Long to Boil Frozen Hot Dogs
Boil them for 8-10 minutes straight from the freezer.
Table: Boiling Hot Dogs at Different Starting Temperatures
| State at Start | How Long to Boil (in minutes) |
| Thawed | 4-6 minutes |
| Refrigerated | 5-7 minutes |
| Frozen | 8-10 minutes |
Boiling Hot Dogs by Brand
While hot dog boiling time is usually pretty standard across the board, some brands of hot dogs may take longer to boil due to their size, how dense the hotdogs are and even what kinds of meats and other ingredients are included in the hot dogs.
How Long to Boil Nathan’s Hot Dogs
Nathan’s hot dogs can be boiled for 5-6 minutes.
How Long to Boil Sabrett Hot Dogs
If you’re using Sabrett brand hot dogs, be sure to boil them for 4-5 minutes before serving.
How Long to Boil Hebrew National Hot Dogs
Hebrew National hot dogs are best when boiled for 8-10 minutes.
How Long to Boil Kirkland Hot Dogs
You should aim to boil Kirkland hot dogs (Costco’s house-label brand) for 5 minutes.
How Long to Boil Maker’s Mark Hot Dogs
Maker’s Mark hot dogs (Sam’s Club house-label brand) can be boiled for 4-6 minutes.
Table: Boiling Hot Dogs By Brand
| Hot Dog Brand Name | How Long to Boil (in minutes) |
| Nathan’s | 5-6 minutes |
| Sabrett | 4-5 minutes |
| Hebrew National | 8-10 minutes |
| Kirkland | 5 minutes |
| Maker’s Mark | 4-6 minutes |
Boiling Hot Dogs Based on Secondary Cooking Method
How long you decide to boil your hot dogs can also depend on whether or not you’re using a secondary cooking method and what that method is. Here, we’ve outlined the boiling times for several secondary cooking methods, including grilling, baking and frying.
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs in Water
If you’re not planning on cooking them further after boiling them, you should aim to boil hot dogs in water for 4-6 minutes.
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs Before Grilling
Before you grill hot dogs, you can boil them for 4-6 minutes to make the final result a little more succulent and juicier.
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs Before Baking
If you plan on baking your hot dogs, boil them for 4-5 minutes first to keep them tender and infuse them with the flavor of your cooking liquid.
How Long to Boil Hot Dogs Before Pan-frying
Pan-fried hot dogs can be boiled for 4-5 minutes before they go in the pan.
| Secondary Cooking Method (after boiling) | How Long to Boil (in minutes) |
| No secondary method | 4-6 minutes |
| Grilling | 4-6 minutes |
| Baking | 4-5 minutes |
| Pan-frying | 4-5 minutes |
