A 2-Zone Heat Source Is The Secret To Better Grilled Hot Dogs

There are a lot of tips and tricks when perfecting your grill game. A number of them are focused on quality cuts of meat, like how to grill flank steak just right or avoid mistakes when cooking chicken, but not everyone thinks about applying these skills to the humble hot dog. Yet, hot dogs are one of the more common grilled items, whether poolside or at a church fundraiser, so why not give them the same attention and care you might a T-bone? In fact, cooking franks over a two-zone heat source is one of the best ways to ensure they turn out extra tasty.

Whether cooking over charcoal, wood, or gas, using heat zones to control and maximize the heat you're cooking over is one of the key secrets to grilling like a master. While charcoal or live fire cooking offers less absolute control than cooking over gas burners or on a kitchen range, it's still possible to create hotter and cooler areas on which to treat your hot dogs differently at different points in the cooking process. This allows for a deeper, more even cook than simply charring the heck out of cold dogs over high flames. Two-zone grilling adds flavor, retains moisture, and creates a truly pleasing textural experience with each bite.

It might sound complicated, but two-zone grilling is the quickest and easiest way to unlock new grilling achievements. It's pretty much what it sounds like: You're creating distinct areas on the grill, one hotter than the other. The idea is that you sear and char on one side, getting the exterior brown and crispy thanks to the Maillard reaction. The other side slowly cooks the interior and/or keeps some foods warm while you cook others. This helps avoid overcooking and drying out the meat and traps moisture and juices nicely. The method works beautifully with hot dogs because they're so easy to overcook.

Essentially, you're focusing high heat on one side of the grill and low or no heat on the other and moving your food between the two areas for the best results possible. With hot dogs, you're looking for char marks without scorching the casing. Two-zone grilling works with briquettes, wood charcoal, or gas flames. Bonus tip: If your grill has an elevated warming rack, you can utilize three heat zones for even more control.

If you're working with a classic charcoal or wood fire grill, like the classic Weber Original Kettle 22-inch Charcoal Grill, just bunch up the coals (after getting them piping hot) on one side of the grill bed. This has the added benefit of clustering and insulating the coals so they stay red-hot longer. The other side of the bed is left either empty or with just a single layer of hot coals, depending on how much heat you want.

Gas grills are even easier. With a two-burner model like the Char-Broil Performance Series 2-Burner Gas Grill, all you have to do is turn the left one to medium-high or high heat, and leave the right one off. On four-burner versions, bring the left two up to full temperature, place the third at medium or medium-low, and leave the fourth one off.

Throw the franks on the hot part of the grill just till you get grill marks on all sides, then move them to the cooler zone to heat inside and out. With a little practice, you'll get a beautiful snap on the charred casing and a juicy, tender interior that won't have the dull or grainy texture of boiled or undercooked dogs or burn from sitting on high heat too long.