If You're Going To Cook Hot Dogs In The Air Fryer, Always Use This Kind

You can put your hot dogs on the grill until they're nice and crispy; you can boil them in water, New York-style, and slide them right into a bun; you can even throw them on the griddle until they're as juicy and snappy as you've always dreamed. There are all sorts of ways to prepare hot dogs, and yet, for some reason, people still insist upon using the air fryer. This is something we wouldn't necessarily recommend; in fact, we consider it one of the worst ways to make a hot dog. But there are some reasons why you might want to use it anyway, and if you do, you'll want to get hot dogs with natural casing.

There are a few causes for not using an air fryer when making hot dogs. For one thing, unlike a charcoal grill or a smoker, the air fryer doesn't lend any flavor; it's just heating and circulating air, which, if you stick your tongue out for a moment, you'll find tastes of very little on its own. Another reason is that it has a way of messing with the texture of the hot dog, especially if it doesn't have a natural casing. Artificial casings may shrink and expose the inner part of the hot dog or blister, making it unpleasant. If it does have a natural casing, though, it will crisp up beautifully.

So you've given it some thought, you've weighed the options, and you've decided that the convenience of the air fryer — not to mention the possibility of seriously crispy hot dogs — makes it the best choice for your dinner on a fine summer day. What brand of hot dog do you choose? Well, as we said, you should go for the ones with natural casing. Brands like Nathan's Famous and Boar's Head typically note on the package if the hot dogs are in natural casing. 

Once you've got your dogs sorted out, you can commence cooking, which is thankfully quite straightforward. Spray the basket, pop those bad boys in at 350 to 375 F, and let them cook for about six minutes. If you want to be extra sure that everything is cooked evenly, you can flip halfway through, but hot dogs are thin enough that you don't have to worry too much. With that out of the way, all you need to do is sort out your condiments, whether you're making a New York dog with mustard, sauerkraut, and onions, or making use of a classic Mexican condiment.