You'll Get Plumper Hot Dogs From The Grill With This Secret Trick

If you're truly a master of the grill, you already have a few tricks up your sleeve. You know how to use an onion to clean your grill and how to use a loaf of bread to find the grill's hot spots. And on those hot, sunny days, when all you want to do is sink your teeth into a perfectly grilled, mustard-topped hot dog, you know just what to do to make those dogs fat and juicy. Wait, what? There's a trick to making hot dogs plumper? Yes!

Whether you're a fan of Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, Ballpark Beef Franks, or Oscar Mayer Wieners, this grill hack will work on any hot dog. So, grab a kitchen knife, and prepare to amaze your friends, and your mouth, with this simple trick. According to The Kitchn, you make an X-shaped cut about 1/4-inch deep on each end of the hot dog with a paring knife. But what makes it work? How is this different from spiral cutting, poking holes, or slashing the side of a hot dog?

The basic idea is you're letting out the steam but keeping in the juice. According to The Kitchn, when you score the ends of a hot dog, it releases steam without breaking the skin on the sides. This traps the juices in your hot dog instead of letting them run out onto the grill. Now that you have them cut, how long should you cook these tricked-out hot dogs? The general rule is to grill hot dogs for six minutes, since most hot dogs are precooked. 

Once those beauties are done, it's bun time. Don't even think about going bun-less or wrapping a slice of bread around that masterpiece of meat! According to My Recipes, the best-tasting hot dog bun is Oroweat Potato Hot Dog Buns, but you may already have a favorite. At the end of the day, try not to think too much about how hot dogs are made. Just grab a frosty beverage, fire up the grill, and enjoy one of the summer's favorite foods.