How to cook slow cooker hot dogs for a crowd with beer, water or in bbq sauce. Easy way to keep warm for hours or cook frozen hot dogs to tender and plump ready for a bun.
You know me and how much I love easy Crock pot recipes right? I don’t know why it took me this long to explain how to cook these babies this way. Left whole or cut into bite size pieces to be served as an appetizer, we will share all the choices. (post may contain affiliate links present)
Best Way to Cook Hot Dogs for a Crowd
Years ago we shared our hack for cooking a lot of wieners for a party with our Instant Pot hot dogs. I still say that is a game changer but isn’t quite as big as this pot. That doesn’t keep them warm when done as well either if you ask me.
If you are hosting a party for the holidays or just having another family over for dinner and want to enjoy yourself instead of standing by a grill for hours, this is a great way to cook beef franks. Ready to get started? Here are our tips and tricks on how to cook links low and slow.
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Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….
- This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
- I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.
Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. 😉
How Long to Cook Hot Dogs in Crockpot
Ok so this isn’t nearly as fast as How Long to Cook Air Fryer Hot Dogs, but you get a totally different outcome. This way will yield plump very tender outsides while the other will give you a bit of a crisp on the casing. If you wanted both you could stick them into your air fryer basket when done in your pot for 1 minute.
Frozen Hot Dogs in Slow Cooker
If all you have are dogs right out of the freezer that is okay too!! You will want to separate them from one another, not adding them in as one big chunk. To do this you can run cool water over the top and use your hands to break them apart. Just set inside, overlapping as little as possible and cook on high 2.5-3 hours or as hot as you’d like.
Crockpot Hot Dogs in Beer
Whether you use lager or water these will come out a bit more like Boiled Hot Dogs, super plump and a bit wet when you lift them out. Not a huge difference but just to note. I will say that this is a great way to add flavor though. Just add 1/4 cup or so of beef broth or Pabst with them for this method.
with BBQ Sauce
If you want to set it and forget it this is your best bet. They can sit in this thick sauce for quite some time even if they continue getting softer that is kinda’ part of the yum. You can choose to add the links whole or if serving as an appetizer. If you cut them into bite size pieces like our Hot Dog Burnt Ends and serve with toothpicks it is always a hit.
Do you need water to cook hot dogs?
You don’t. Using this method or our Hot Dogs in the Oven, the wieners will release some moisture as they heat up so you are good to go. There is actually a bit of water inside each package so just slice open and dump everything in there. When done you will see a bit of water in the bottom which will continue steaming them, even a bit on the keep warm setting.
How to Cook Crock Pot Hot Dogs
- Open package(s) and dump into your pot, no need to add water but if you want to add flavor you can pour in 1/4 cup beer or broth.
- Set the lid on and set to high for 1.5-2 hours.
- if you are cooking a lot it is best to rotate dogs in the Crock once during this time
- Once warmed to your liking create a hot dog bar with all your favorite toppings and you’re ready to eat!
Ingredients
- Bun length Hebrew National dogs are our favorite
- Buns
- Ketchup and hot dog mustard etc…
This is a great method if you want to feed a crowd over a long period of time. Whether you grilled your links initially, cooked in the slow cooker itself or in the oven you can keep wieners warm for hours. Just lay inside, press “keep warm” button and keep the lid on.
Cooking hot dogs on low in slow cooker will take 2-3 hours, a bit longer than on the high setting. Once plumped and hot enough, just switch to the warm setting. Leave the lid on and they can sit there for a few hours beyond that.
Absolutely. If you want them to stay a bit crispy on the outside just put a few paper towels under the lid. Then set it on top to absorb the moisture that will accumulate over time on warm.
Slow Cooker Hot Dogs
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1-3 packages hot dogs
- 1-3 packages buns
Instructions
- Pour the entire package of hot dogs and the liquid in the package into a slow cooker. Cover and set to high.
- Cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until plump and as warm as you'd like. Remove from slow cooker and place into a hot dog bun. Serve with your favorite hot dog toppings such as mustard and diced onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
