Can You Freeze Hot Dogs? Yes-Here’s How
A can of cheap, delicious hot dogs can make for a quick meal on the go or at home. You can have them for lunch or dinner, or both if you’re not too picky. But what happens when that can is left over? It won’t likely go to waste, but it can be difficult to eat just one while they’re straight out of the can. The question comes, can you freeze hot dogs?
How Can You freeze Hot Dogs?
- Unroll aluminum foil from a new package of hot dogs across the opening space between the two plates, so there are two sheets of foil.
- Place the hot dogs can on top of the first sheet of aluminum foil, so the can is sitting upright between the two sheets.
- Unroll the second sheet of aluminum foil across the can and pull it tightly over the can. Then seal edges by crimping together to form an airtight pouch around can content.
- Fold excess foil around the tin into a taut square, fold the taut square in half vertically, then tuck the folded portion under the opposite side. This is to create a tight package that can be stored flat or stacked neatly until needed for future consumption.
- Store bagged hot dogs in freezers, where they can stay for up to three months without impacting taste or texture enough to matter – unless you can’t consume them in three months.
You can store your hot dogs in your refrigerator or freezer. This can depend on how long you plan to keep them for, but the longer they sit out, the more it dries out and becomes unappetizing.
How To Thaw
- To thaw, remove the can from the package and place it flat on a plate or cutting board for an hour. Open the can and heat the dogs over stovetop or grill until heated through.
- Add your favorite dish for lunch or dinner – maybe both if you can eat hot dogs frequently without developing gout. Or don’t do anything special with them at all if you prefer it simply because they’re great dogs straight out of the can. There are no rules that say bagged dogs have to get used up.
- If the can won’t be opened after being frozen, allow it to thaw until the seal is possible to break, then remove the can from the plastic.
Throw out the can and its contents if it has been stored for longer than three months in the freezer. Untreated metal cans intended for food storage should not be allowed to freeze and thaw repeatedly due to the potential for rust. Otherwise weakening seams that would cause can-be integrity to come into question, particularly if you’re using a can opener that punctures the can. If you don’t want to waste your money on cheap hot dogs, find similar cheap sausages and can them yourself.
Unopened hot dogs can be frozen for up to 2 months, while opened can no longer be stored for this length of time.
What Can I Do With Frozen Tinned Hot Dog Sausages?
The easiest thing would be to eat them straight out of the freezer – can’t get any easier than that. No cooking or heating up is required.
However, if you would prefer to eat them in their prime, all you have to do is thaw them out. It can take a few hours or can take a whole day depending on your room temperature. Once they’re defrosted, you can reheat them in the oven/microwave for a couple of minutes and can serve hot!
How Can I Reheat Hot Dogs?
Reheating hot dogs can be done in two ways, depending on what your purpose is. Sometimes, you just want to eat the hot dog already reheated, while other times you need it crispy to use for another dish. If you are looking forward to eating the slices of hot dogs right away without making much fuss about it, using the frying pan can quickly heat up your sliced pieces quite well. Just make sure that you are using a bit of oil when cooking these in the frying pan so that they can come out tasty and crisp.
If you want to use them for another recipe though, then reheating can be done in several ways including microwaving or boiling water in which case the latter will offer better results because boiling can bring out more flavor.
Can You Microwave Hot Dogs?
Yes, you can microwave them after they are fully frozen. You can also remove the casing before microwaving it for extra browning and/or crisping of your hotdogs. I wouldn’t recommend freezing hot dogs with their casings still on. It would make it very difficult to defrost and cook properly without bursting the casing open. It’s ok to freeze them ahead of time if using pre-cooked ones.
How Long Can They Be Frozen for canning?
Yes, another great way to preserve them is canning. Hot dogs are actually one of the easier foods to can because there’s no need to worry about liquid being added. If you’re canning them inside their casing or steaming them first, make sure it’s a USDA recipe designed for canning these types of products. It may help to freeze overnight before putting up because this will create smaller chunks that fit through can lids more easily. I wouldn’t recommend keeping them for over a year. Maybe 6 months maximum if stored properly in a dark place that doesn’t get too cold.
If they are still in their packaging and have not been opened, there is no problem with freezing them until the day you plan on using them or cooking them. This can help protect from foodborne illnesses.
Do Hot Dogs Contain Any Additives?
Yes! It can be a good idea to read the label before using them since it can help you make informed decisions on which ingredients you might prefer to avoid. Some types of hot dogs can contain sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, cellulose gum, maltodextrin, and guar gum. So, consider whether these fit your dietary preferences.
You can freeze hot dogs, but the best way to defrost them is in water or in the refrigerator. This can take up to 24 hours. Hot dogs can also be thawed out at room temperature (about an hour for this method).
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