How Long to Cook Hot Dogs in Microwave

How long to cook hot dogs in microwave so they are tender and juicy. Whether they are defrosted or how to cook frozen hot dogs, we will explain all the ways to make this quick lunch for all.

Wondering how long to cook hot dogs in microwave, and what method is best? We will share all about this popular fair food so you can make them yourself. Probably one of the cheapest and most loved foods for kids, let’s talk wieners y’all. Just one of many microwave recipes on our site. (affiliate links present)

How to Cook Hot Dogs in Microwave

First thing is first, you can’t just throw these babies in and turn your machine on. You’ll regret that about a minute into it. You can pretty much do that with air fryer hot dogs because they don’t cook quite as quickly. These on the other hand will literally explode!! A little poking or slicing is all you need.

At the least you’ll want a fork to just poke poke poke a few times from the top to the bottom. Want to make them prettier? Use a knife and kinds’ spiral slice them all the way down instead. You’ll get a more even cook this way and kids love it. I’ll show you what I mean below.

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1. Always use microwave safe dishes with lids to cook, plastic is no good.
2. Cook times may vary slightly if you have a very small unit with less than 1000 watts.
3. Remember to use pot holders to remove food from inside as it may be very hot when done cooking.

Cooking Hot Dogs in Microwave

If you cringe at the thought that there isn’t a veggie with every single meal, you can nuke those too! That is right, we have instructions of how to cook carrots in microwave here too. Serve together!

This method is a lot better than boiling hot dogs for sure. That takes a lot longer to heat up, and have you ever had to wait around to watch water boil? I mean, let’s not go there. Another thing is when you submerge any food into hot water it sucks all the flavor right out of it, no good.

Using hot air I would say this is better hands down if your babies are thawed out. If not I prefer our air fryer frozen hot dogs method over this. I’ll explain how to do both in the printable recipe card down below though.

You’re going to use your machine at full, 100%, normal power for this one. It is better to start off with the minimum amount of time because you can always add more. No need or want for shriveled skins.

Microwaving Hot Dogs

This is what I mean by slitting all the way down so air can escape and the dogs to expand while they heat up. You could also cut on a diagonal and spin it around so it’s like a candy cane. Always use microwave safe dishes and be careful when removing them as it will be warm, possibly hot.

The cook time is quick and varies slightly depending on how large yours are. I mean typically most of them are the same and have a very small difference in how long and/or wide they are. Between a “regular” one and jumbo may be a difference of 45 seconds max.

Cook Sausage in Microwave

If you had something more like brats size you would want to follow the same steps but increase the timing from 1 minute to about 2. For both we are referring to pre cooked (safe to eat out of the package) and not raw pieces, those would take longer.

• Defrosted: Poke or slice dogs diagonally all the way down. Lay on a plate and heat at 100% (regular) power for 1 minute, that’s typically how long to microwave perfectly.
  • If you want them really quite hot you can add 20-30 more seconds but watch carefully.
• Microwave a Frozen hot dog: Set on microwave safe plate with a few paper towels underneath.
  • Heat hot dogs on high for 30 seconds, flip block over, heat for another 30 seconds.
  • Do this until you can separate them.
• Replace paper towels once they are separated and lay on dry ones on a plate. Poke with a fork all over so they don’t explode.
  • Heat for 1 minute and check. If not hot enough add another 20-30 seconds.

And there you have it. You can warm the hot dog buns in about 25 seconds, then fill and dress with all the fixings like ketchup, hot dog mustard, fry sauce, relish and diced onions. If yours are left over and you want to reheat then. Wrap in damp paper towel and heat again for 20 seconds or so. You just wet a paper towel to keep it moist and not dried out.

How do you know if a hot dogs is fully cooked

Well when you buy them, unless they are raw, they have already been steamed and could be eat a hot dog right out of the fridge. If you are very concerned you can check after heated to ensure they have reached an internal temperature of 160 F or higher.

We have heated corn dogs this way too but since those are out of the freezer usually take longer, about 2-3 minutes or so. I like to wrap those dogs in a paper towel to stay moist too though. Better yet after they are warm, crisp the outsides with corndogs in air fryer. Game changer y’all.

Quick and easy meal even teenagers can “cook” after school to fill their bellies before dinnertime. 😉