How To Microwave Hotdogs?

A hot dog is a classic dish that everyone enjoys. Don’t have time to cook dinner? Get a hot dog!

Need a quick snack between tasks? Hot Dog is there to save the day.

You can find hot dogs in most stalls in your neighbourhood.

They sure taste good and can also be heated in a microwave for easy meals.

Microwaving hot dogs is easy. Start by wrapping the hot dog in a paper towel, then pop it in the microwave for roughly 45 seconds at 74 °C.

The perfect hot dogs are not hard to cook. You need to follow basic guidelines and do a bit of practice to learn how to microwave hot dogs and serve a delicious meal. Keep reading to know more!

Can You Microwave A Hot Dog? 

Microwaving hot dogs is a quick and safe way to prepare a meal.

Simply defrosting the hot dogs and reheating them in the oven is enough to serve them. 

You can heat a hot dog in a microwave since they are always pre-cooked.

So you do not have to worry about cooking or frying.

Even just pre-heating them to a specific temperature makes them edible. 

It is better to let the internal temperature reach 74°C before serving.

This ensures that there are no living bacteria or pathogens in the hot dog to invade your body.

Do not forget to use microwave-safe plates instead of normal plastic ones.

Plastic containers or bowls may melt and mess up your oven.

Unsafe plastics may also leach into your food and induce harmful chemicals into your body. 

How To Microwave Hot Dogs

Do you ever think about how hot dogs from the stalls taste so good while your home-cooked ones don’t?

You do not need a flat top grill to cook up the tastiest hot dogs.

Cooking hot dogs in your own home can be delicious, too, if you know how to do it! 

Here is our take on how to execute the perfect hot dog in five easy steps using a microwave oven.

Step 1: Defrosting The Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are frosted and kept packaged in supermarkets.

After you have bought them, you should keep them in the refrigerator.

Otherwise, there is a chance of bacterial growth in the hot dogs, leading to botulism and food toxicity.

You first need to defrost the hot dogs after taking them out of the refrigerator.

Do this by either soaking the packet of hot dogs in normal water for 5 to 10 minutes or using an oven.

Use the “Thaw” option in the oven to defrost the pack of hot dogs.

Step 2: Slicing Or Cutting The Hot Dogs

After defrosting the hot dogs, cut them a bit or slice them halfway with a sharp knife.

This makes sure of even heat distribution throughout the whole meal.

It also lets out excess water and gaseous substances from the hot dog.

Step 3: Wrapping the hot dog in a paper towel

Take a damp paper towel and wrap the hot dogs with it. Cut off the excess paper after you have covered the hot dogs.

Step 4: Microwaving The Hot Dogs

Put the wrapped hot dogs on a microwave-safe plate inside the oven.

Turn up the temperature to 74°C and set it for 45 seconds if you are cooking one hot dog.

For multiple hot dogs, increase the timer accordingly.

Step 5: Taking The Hot Dog Out

When the timer runs out, use a pair of gloves to take out the hot plate.

Be careful not to touch the hot dog immediately. It would be scorching. Let it cool for some time. 

After cooling down, pair up your hot dog with a fluffy bun or slice and sprinkle it over your favourite meals. Bon Appetit!

Oven Settings To Microwave Hot Dogs

There is no need for industry-level grills to cook up your hot dogs.

Your day-to-day average microwave oven can handle the task pretty well. 

It does not actually matter whether you have an electric oven, a microwave oven, or even a grill.

Any type of oven is sufficient to heat your hot dog. Generally, most households have microwave ovens. So, it’s the most commonly used one.

Microwaving hot dogs in an oven needs to be perfect, or you will be left with undercooked meals that are cold in the middle and stiff in the end.

It would be best to heat the hot dog evenly to distribute the temperature uniformly. 

The duration of microwaving depends on the number of hot dogs and the wattage of your oven.

Typically, a microwave oven of 800 to 1000 watts needs 45 seconds to cook a hot dog perfectly.

If your oven has a higher wattage, shorten the microwaving time, and you should be good to go.

Tips For Microwaving The Best Hot Dogs 

Although it may sound easy to microwave a hot dog, in reality, you will often be disappointed with how the meal turns out after microwaving.

The most common issues include hard middle parts, stiff ends, curled-up textures, and uneven taste. 

To avoid this, you can follow some of our pro tips to get perfectly cooked hot dogs from your microwave oven.

• Use a damp paper towel to wrap your hot dogs and keep them juicy, plump, and tender.

• Keep your hot dogs in the middle of the microwave plate to ensure even heat distribution.

• Do not exceed the microwave interval for more than 30 seconds to avoid hardening.

• Pierce your hot dog in the middle or sides with forks to eliminate chances of undercooking.

• Monitor the microwave oven. Take out and rotate the hot dogs if needed to keep them adequately heated.

• Don’t forget to defrost the hot dogs properly. Excess water in hot dogs results in foul odour and flavor, resulting in a bad hot dog experience.

Is It Safe To Microwave A Hot Dog? 

It is entirely safe to microwave hot dogs. It is, in fact, the safest way to consume a meal.

As long as the hot dog reaches 74℃, it should be free of bacteria and pathogens.

On the flip side, if the hot dog is not microwaved adequately, it can be dangerous to eat.

Listeria bacteria in undercooked meat may cause toxicity and food poisoning.

If you are an elderly person or pregnant, these cases can make you very sick.

To avoid this, the hot dogs need to be adequately microwaved until the thriving bacteria and pathogens residing in the meat are killed.

Microwaving hot dogs ensures safe and healthy food for you. 

Also, microwaving does not change the texture, taste, and flavour.

It makes them juicy and tender instead, which is perfect for eating with a bun or slicing into meals.