I Found the Best Way to Make Hot Dogs This Summer and It’s Not on the Grill [CNET]

This genius hack gives you perfect hot dogs in 4 minutes with no preheating or cleanup afterward. Summer is saved.

When perusing Reddit for summer cooking tips, air-fryer hot dogs surfaces as one of the most engaged discussions, and people certainly have opinions. It is undoubtedly hot dog season and the air fryer reigns as the buzziest kitchen appliance of the past decade, so it tracks.

That begs the questions: Can you cook a hot dog in an air fryer? Are air-frying hot dogs better than boiling wieners or tossing them in a microwave or on a hot grill? I wasn’t about to just take Reddit’s word for it — plus, there’s no taste-testing in that — so I tossed a few kosher dogs in my trusty air fryer to find out. 

The result was an instant summer spectacular, and the cooking time is faster than a microwave. I tried a few times and temps to land on the absolute best way to cook a hot dog in an air fryer.

Why are air-fried hot dogs so doggone good?

The air fryer’s hot convection heat cooks salty, fatty hot dogs to a crisp in minutes. It’s nearly impossible to overcook a hot dog so you don’t have to worry about that. Using your air fryer to make hot dogs will save you on propane and from having to clean the grill. Air fryers also don’t need to heat up the way grills do. And boiling hot dogs takes time. I also personally don’t care for the soggy boiled dogs with very little snap.

Plus, you can toast your hot dog bun in the air fryer with the dog. The same can’t be said for the microwave or boiling method.

So, toss aside your grilling apron and pick up the air-fryer basket. Making air-fryer hot dogs takes about 4 minutes and almost no effort or cleanup, and you could cook an entire package at once. 

How to make a perfect hot dog in an air fryer

Spoiler alert: Air-fryer hot dogs couldn’t be easier. This is true one-step cooking. I used this $45 Dash air fryer but almost any model will do. 

• Step 1: Score your hot dogs with a knife (optional).
• Step 2: Cook hot dogs for 4 to 6 minutes on high (400 degrees F).
• Step 3: Add hot dog buns to air fryer about 1 minute before hot dogs are done.
• Step 4: Dress with your condiments of choice or chopped onions and serve. 

Should you score hot dogs before cooking in the air fryer?

I tried both scored and unscored dogs. There wasn’t a huge difference, and the unscored hot dogs didn’t show any signs of bubbling or bursting. Scoring your hot dogs will prevent the occasional explosion and gives you some crispier edges if you like that sort of thing. 

What else can you make in the air fryer?

The better question might be what can’t you make in an air fryer. I’ve discovered the air fryer is excellent for making filets of salmon and whole-roasted chicken. You can make bacon in under 10 minutes and even cook a perfect medium rare cheeseburger in the air fryer with no cleanup.

Here are six things I’ll only cook in the air fryer from now on, and seven things I won’t ever make in the countertop cooker again.