Which is Better: boiling, frying or grilling?

Hello everyone,
Looking to start my own Hot Dog empire soon so I am doing some initial research.  I do have extensive restaurant experience but we all know about the 5 P's (proper planning prevents poor performance).  In your experience, which is the best way to cook hot dogs, boiling, cooking on a flat-top, or grilling?  What do most people prefer?
 
Thanks for the advice!
John 

Welcome John.
 
You really opened a can of worms with that question, at least here in the Photto Home.
 
I brought home a new (to us) name hot dog a few weeks ago and wanted to test them, so I put them frozen into a pot that steams.  My sisters and their friends all RAVED about them and I liked them a LOT.  Phottoette however doesn't often even allow me to use pots and pans here and has taken over the hot dog cooking duties and she fries them.
 
And personally boiling them is a very close kin to streaming.
 
I personally think you should get a dog you like, and try all three, then decide for yourself what you want to serve.  It wouldn't hurt to try them out on your friends and neighbors, they can add a lot to your experience too.
 
Photto

I personally hate burnt grilled dogs but that is me - its all a matter pf personal taste.

whats the "norm" in your area??
hotdogs vary just like the weather when you go to different parts of the country
what sells great in my area might be repulsive to folks up there....
 
case in point.....Chicnscoop says grilled dogs are low on the list..... down in my neck of the woods people actually look for the ones with the most char on them....

Boil, then steam......

Depends on the dog.
Some dogs fry well, others don't
Some dogs boil well, others don't.
Some dogs grill well, others don't.
Some dogs steam well, others don't.
Some dogs flattop well, others don't.
It's simple----1. Ask your customers how they like their dogs cooked then go find a dog that cooks well the way they like it prepared. OR------2. Ask your customers what kind of dog they like and then try different cooking methods to find the way it cooks & tastes best to them.

From my experience my Nathans (skinless) do best little browned on the flatop and then kept warm in the steam pan. Vienna Beef and Sabretts (natural casings) do best simmered and brought up to temp. Hot dogs with corn syrup (the cheaper brands) do NOT do well kept long on a flat top.

also from my speriance the nathans dont do well in water they turn greyish brown within 15 min. I have a pot on the stove of just water i keep it hot, when a dog order comes in  i toss the dog in by the time the bun is warmed it's ready.. but like I always say i sell very few dogs.......................LOL maybe thats why?? lol.. the boars head i do on the grill tho.

SAms club... blue and white box... 80ea. 8 to 1 all-beef at about $20.00 (10 lbs.) or 0.25 per unit... steam those and people RAVE about them...  Keep them in the steamer and don't ever let them touch water (no holding pan for hotdogs) and they keep for hours if necessary.  They steam to temp from frozen in about 4 minutes and they don't cool your cooking water.
Boiling requires too much water, thus taking too long to heat up, and if you put frozen product into the water it cools below boiling point.  water-logged dogs are just not as good as steamed, and the steamed just last longer.
6 years of QA testing...

tbone654


SAM'S  club... blue and white box... 80ea. 8 to 1 all-beef at about $20.00 (10 lbs.) or 0.25 per unit... steam those and people RAVE about them...  Keep them in the steamer and don't ever let them touch water (no holding pan for hotdogs) and they keep for hours if necessary. 

We use the same but we hold them (thawed) in SIMMERING water. do not boil or they will be like rubber. Folks also rave about our dogs too. We do not cook up a pile at once either.

Grilled Hot Dogs Are the Best especially in the south!

I'd like to be in a position to prepare them both steamed and grilled. Perhaps a steamer to get them up to temps and hold then grilled batch at a time to order. Every customer I have ever spoken with has liked to have choices.
 
 

Personally, I like them off a flat top grill,
 
But for my cart, I am going with steamed.  easier to prep, and they keep well.
 
In the future I plan on getting some type of griddle for the cart to do burgers and try some dogs on the grill and see what the peeps like
 
al

Personally, I like them off a flat top grill,
 
But for my cart, I am going with steamed.  easier to prep, and they keep well.
 
In the future I plan on getting some type of griddle for the cart to do burgers and try some dogs on the grill and see what the peeps like
 
al

sorry about the double post
 

So, Where's our OP??????

Foodbme


So, Where's our OP??????

One post wonder???

I do not like hotdogs ugh! But I grill mine on my vending cart........(and that is the only way I can get one down)...
For the little ones at home I boil for them....

from what i have read, taste is regional, just like chili and bbq.  different strokes for different folks.  once i get my cart going, i will have to do a few days of taste testing on different crowds to see what everybody likes around here. i think my first choice is going to be bakers and chefs, steamed.

hello , going back to an earlyer post on this thread about the sams club blue and white box 8 to 1 dogs  , does anyone know if these are skinless or with a casing? thanks,jim

Sam's are skinless. Someone stated if you boil them they turn to rubber. Too true. 
I serve Vienna Beef 8-1 NC and steam them. Never had a complaint. I ask if they (customer) would like me to split it and grill it on my flat top. Half want them steamed - the other half like em split and griddled.