Can You Freeze Hot Dogs? Will They Be Ruined?

Want to stash extra hot dogs in the freezer for a future backyard barbecue? Here’s what you should know before you do.

Inexpensive and ideal for grilling, hot dogs are a staple of outdoor cookouts. For that reason, Southerners who love to entertain in their backyards tend to keep a supply of hot dogs handy, and storing a pack or two in the freezer can serve as an extra level of impromptu-picnic insurance.

But is it actually safe to store hot dogs in the freezer? And for how long? What effect does the freezing process have on the hot dogs’ flavor and texture? We consulted a group of chefs and experts to get these answers.

Is Freezing Hot Dogs Safe?

When considering storage safety for hot dogs, it’s helpful to remember that “hot dogs, through processing, are already a ‘cured’ product. Technically, they are fully cooked when you buy them. They’re just cold and a little slimy,” explains corporate executive chef Kelly Anderson.

However, no chef or nutritionist will ever recommend eating hot dogs “raw” because, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they can become contaminated by listeria during the processing and packaging. Still hot dogs’ perishability isn’t as quick and delicate as that of “fresh” meats.

Registered nutritionist and dietitian Stephanie Dunne also tells us that “freezing is a great way to keep uncooked hot dogs fresh for use at a later date. (If you) want to buy them on sale or intend to use one package over an extended period of time, freezing extends their usability while keeping them safe from harmful bacterial and mold growth.”

How Long Can You Store Hot Dogs In The Freezer?

“You can freeze hot dogs, no problem,” Trevor Craig, scientist and food safety expert at Microbac Laboratories, assures us. As far as safety goes, the FDA claims that hot dogs can be stored in the freezer for up to one to two months.

That said, Craig warns that longer freeze times mean that the hot dogs “won’t be as high quality” in terms of taste and texture, so it’s always smart to cook and eat the hot dogs as soon as you can.

If you decide to freeze and defrost, Craig says that “after defrosting, they are probably good refrigerated for a week, maybe two at most.”

The Best Way To Freeze Hot Dogs

Freezing hot dogs in their original packaging is generally the easiest option, and Dunne has a method that will prevent the hot dogs from sticking together or getting freezer burn: “After I remove the first hot dog via a cut in the short end of the package , I slightly separate the remaining hot dogs within their own package. Then I put the package inside a zippered freezer bag and place the whole thing in the freezer. Although the ideal way to freeze hot dogs to prevent freezer burn would be to wrap them individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before placing them in an airtight container, my simpler method has not caused any degradation in taste or texture.”

Can You Freeze Cooked Hot Dogs?

If you fired up your grill and cooked more hot dogs than your group could eat in one sitting, you’ll be glad to hear that “for a cooked hot dog, all of the same (freezing) principles apply,” says Tyler Thomas, executive chef of The River and Rail Restaurant and owner of Yard Bull Meats, both in Roanoke, Virginia.

But Thomas encourages you to focus on one factor: “The safety aspect of freezing a cooked hot dog. There are very specific details for handling food to prevent someone from getting sick. It is crucial to think about how the cooked hot dog was stored during the cookout, what contaminants may have come in contact with the hot dog, and then how it was packaged and cooled after the cookout.”

Tyler says that “in a perfect scenario, the hot dog was held above 145°Fahrenheit during the cookout for no more than four hours and then cooled to below 70°F within the first two hours and then to 41°F in the next four hours. If all this is done, you could freeze and thaw your hot dog as previously mentioned.”

But if the cooked hot dog lingered out in the hot sun all day long during your cookout, it’s advisable to throw it out rather than trying to freeze it for later consumption.

Also, “the expiration clock on the hot dog began ticking the day it was made, so if it was in the fridge for a few days and then cooked, cooled, frozen, and thawed, you would ideally consume it immediately after thawing.”

Related: Our Editors Tried 9 Hot Dog Brands To Find The Best One—The Winner Surprised Us

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