How To Best Cook Hot Dogs In The Air Fryer

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Having lively outdoor cookouts in the summer is a time-honored tradition for many folks, but when hosting the event, it can be a challenge to get all that appetizing charred cuisine on the grill. Even the largest grill only has so much room, and when it is teeming with goodies like barbecued chicken wings and grilled summer fruits (we recommend watermelon and peach), the hot dogs some regard as quintessential BBQ fare can easily be forgotten. However, that doesn't mean you need to go without.

Tossing the hot dogs in the microwave would be a mistake because the salt and additives within could cause sparks to fly. Yet, if you have an air fryer like the West Bend Compact Air Fryer, you can serve crowd-pleasing franks to everyone more quickly than they can be grilled. Pro-tip: it is best to preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit before placing the hot dogs inside so they begin cooking as soon as the basket is locked in.

Cook them for three minutes, then either turn them with tongs or simply give the basket a shake so every side gets an even crisp. After the hot dogs are turned, they go back in the air fryer for four more minutes until they have that signature snap on the outside while remaining tender and juicy on the inside. They are ready to serve immediately with your favorite condiments, but if you want to go the extra mile, there are a couple of ways to level up those dogs and make them something special.

Instead of serving them on soft, room-temperature buns, take the hot dogs out of the air fryer when they have one minute left, place them in their bread blankets, and put the assembled hot dogs back in for the last minute. That will crisp the buns just as if they had been toasted on the top rack of the grill for the last minute they cook. Now, just about the only giveaway that they weren't cooked over flames will be the lack of charred grill marks.

Whether you're cooking them in an air fryer or charring them on the grill, you should definitely be seasoning your hot dogs. You don't need to make any super special steak rub — even a little garlic powder and paprika will go a long way to accenting the flavor that will make your hot dogs stand out. You can be as creative as you want with the seasoning, but bear in mind that hot dogs are already somewhat salty, so you will probably want to leave the salt out of your mix.