Learn
How to Grill Hot Dogs & Sausages
Easy to make and fun to eat, there’s nothing more crowd-pleasing than charcoal-grilled hot dogs and sausages. Just a few simple steps and some must-know info, and you’ll be grilling them perfectly every time. You’ve got this — let’s get started!
What You’ll Need
Before starting, make sure you have everything on this list. We recommend Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets. And don’t skip the digital meat thermometer — it’s the best way to make sure your hot dogs and sausages are done.
Fuel and Tools
- Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets
- Kingsford® Chimney Starter (Optional)
- Preferred Ignition Aid (Fire Starters, Kindling or Lighter Fluid)
- Digital Meat Thermometer
- Tongs
- Paper Towels
- Parboiling Method for Sausages: Large, Grill-Safe Pan
Ingredients
- Hot Dogs of Your Choice
- Sausages of Your Choice (Bratwurst, Italian, Pork, Chicken, Turkey and More)
- Cooking Oil
- Parboiling Method for Sausages: 2 Cans of Beer (Pale Lagers Work Best), Broth or Water
- Optional: Buns, Sauerkraut, Sautéed Onions and Bell Peppers, Condiments of Your Choice
How to Build Your Fire
- Give your top grill grate a good brushing and set it aside. Pour Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets into a chimney — or pour them in a mound and light. Wait for coals to light fully.
- Once the charcoal turns gray with ash, arrange coals in a Two-Zone Method: coals on one side of the grill and a void on the other.
- Coals should be at Medium Heat — around 400°F. How to control the heat when grilling with charcoal.
- Add the grate and let it heat up.
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How to Gauge Grill Heat Without a Thermometer
Carefully hold your hand about 5” to 6” above the grate, and refer to the temperature settings below:
• High Heat (450° to 550°F):
2 to 4 seconds
• Medium Heat (350° to 450°F):
5 to 6 seconds
• Low Heat (250° to 350°F):
8 to 10 seconds
Make sure your clothing doesn’t touch the grate, and always move your hand away from the heat before you feel discomfort.
When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.
- When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with tongs and oil the grate thoroughly. This will help prevent the hot dogs and sausages from sticking to the grate. For more details, see How to Prep a Charcoal Grill.
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Here’s How to Handle a Flare-Up
Flare-ups happen to even the most skilled grill masters. Flare-ups are just fat rendering and dripping onto the coals. With a long-handled, metal spatula, simply move your food to the other side of the grate, shut the bottom dampers, and close the grill lid until the flames subside.
Credit: World Champion Pitmaster Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q.
How to Build Your Fire
Get Grilling
Classic Grilled Hot Dog
- Place your hot dogs directly over the coals on the hot side of the two-zone fire.
- Set them down perpendicular to the grate to create nice grill marks, and to make it easy for you to roll and rotate them to avoid burning. Watch them closely, and keep them moving.
- Once your hot dogs are nicely browned and covered with grill marks, move them to the cool side of the grill to finish heating. Your hot dogs are fully heated when they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. This should take about 5–7 minutes, depending on the size of your hot dogs.
- For an extra layer of flavor, brush your hot dog buns with oil and place them on the cooler side of the grate for 2 to 3 minutes until toasted and warm.
- Add your favorite toppings and you’re good to go!
Classic Grilled Hot Dog
Get Grilling
Butterflied Grilled Hot Dog
- The butterfly method almost doubles the hot dog grilling surface, so you get more char.
- Simply slice your hot dogs right down the middle, but don’t cut completely through (imagine an opened book).
- Place the hot dogs on the grate, directly over the coals, cut-side down, for about 3 minutes.
- Flip them over and cook for about 2 minutes.
- When you place your hot dogs in buns, see how conveniently the split area easily holds your favorite condiments.
Butterflied Grilled Hot Dog
Get Grilling
Grill-Only Method for Sausages
- Lightly coat your sausages with cooking oil.
- Place them on the cooler side of the grill. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes and flip them halfway through.
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How Should I Keep the Sausage Skins From Piercing? The casings on a fresh sausage will plump up with delicious juices as the meat inside heats up. Be careful not to pierce or break the skin, as those delicious juices will escape. Instead of a fork, use a pair of long-handled tongs to move and rotate your brats throughout the cooking process.
- Next, move the sausages to the warmer side of the grill, directly over the coals.
- Grill them for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F on a digital meat thermometer for pork sausages and 165°F for chicken or turkey sausages.
- Please keep in mind that sausages made from poultry may cook more quickly than sausages, like brats, that are usually made from pork.
- To retain the delicious juices, rest the sausages for a few minutes before serving.
Grill-Only Method for Sausages
Get Grilling
Parboiling Method for Sausages
- Place a large, grill-safe pan on the grate. Pour 2 cans of beer or 24 ounces of water or broth into the pan and add your sausages. If using beer, any beer will do, but pale lagers work best.
- Boil in the liquid bath for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sausages turn white.
- Once your sausages are cooked through, you’ll want to sear them to achieve the crispy skin and grill marks everyone loves.
- Move the pan over to the cool side of the grill and remove the sausages, placing them directly over the coals.
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How Should I Keep the Sausage Skins From Piercing? The casings on a fresh sausage will plump up with delicious juices as the meat inside heats up. Be careful not to pierce or break the skin, as those delicious juices will escape. Instead of a fork, use a pair of long-handled tongs to move and rotate your brats throughout the cooking process.
- Watch your sausages closely, and rotate them to avoid burning. You want even grill marks on all sides. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Cook your sausages until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F on a digital meat thermometer for pork sausages and 165°F for chicken or turkey sausages.
- Please keep in mind that sausages made from poultry may cook more quickly than sausages, like brats, that are usually made from pork.
Parboiling Method for Sausages
The Finish
- You can serve your hot dogs immediately, right off the grill.
- To retain the delicious juices of your sausages, let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Recipes containing alcohol are intended for those 21 years of age and older only. Please drink responsibly.
For safe meat and other food preparation, reference the USDA website.
The Finish
Adventurous Eats
Take your taste buds outside their comfort zone with these unexpected twists on grilling favorites.
