LABOR DAY
Freeze a hot dog until it is solid. That’s the first step to cooking one, according to a video published this summer and now viewed tens of millions of times. The icy cold hot dog is then shaved with a vegetable peeler and air-fried into bouncy curls.
In other videos, hot dogs have undergone more extreme treatments: sliced into ringlets and pine cones or slashed with cross hatches and fish scales. Though these preparations promise browned bits and quicker cook times, not all glow-ups are worth the effort.
In tests with various brands of hot dogs (including beef, pork, poultry and plant-based) on charcoal and gas grills, and a campfire, on their own and in buns with toppings, the soundest method for consistently snappy sizzled hot dogs was also the most straightforward — vegetable peeler and TikTok tutorials not required.
The setup is minimal: a flame, a grate and tongs. Same with the method. Here are the three tips to keep in mind.