• Business Insider spoke with chefs and grilling experts about common hot-dog mistakes people make.
• Avoid boiling hot dogs, and make sure not to grill them over direct heat.
• Don't split or poke the hot dogs before grilling them, and make an effort to prep the buns.

Whenever possible, spend a little extra on all-beef hot dogs.

Grillers on a budget might be tempted to add bargain-priced hot dogs to their cart, but a truly sublime hot dog starts with quality meat.

Tim Hollingsworth, the chef and owner of Otium in downtown Los Angeles, told Business Insider that you'll end up with a tastier dog if you skip the cheaper brands.

He recommended keeping an eye out for natural, all-beef hot dogs, which usually aren't that much more expensive and are available in just about every supermarket.

Avoid boiling your hot dogs.

Though they may look pink, most hot dogs are actually already cooked and technically ready to eat right out of the package. This means that boiling them for ages before throwing them on the grill is probably unnecessary, and it can suck the flavor right out of your dogs.

But you may want to make sure your chilled hot dogs are heated through before tossing them on the grill.

To accomplish this, chef and cooking-school instructor Candace Conley told BI that lightly poaching your dogs for a minute or two in a covered saucepan of hot water — that's been taken off the heat — will allow them to come to a more ideal grilling temperature without compromising on flavor.

Don’t cook your hot dogs over direct heat.

Since hot dogs are small portions of meat, they can easily burn when cooked on an open flame. 

"To avoid burning or overcooking your dogs on the grill — which can cause the casing to burst — cook them over indirect heat on the grill grate and move them around frequently so every side gets touched by the heat source," Claudia Sidoti, principal chef and head of recipe development at HelloFresh, told BI.

Plopping your hot dogs right over the flames can also lead to their casings charring and burning before the inside even has a chance to warm up.

Avoid poking or splitting your dogs.

You may be tempted to poke your hot dogs with a knife or fork while they're grilling to test for "doneness," but you should try to break the habit.

"Since hot dogs are usually precooked, there is no need to split them open or pierce them during the cooking process. By poking and prodding your dogs, you release the delicious juices that make them juicy," Sidoti said.

Instead, gently turn your hot dogs using tongs to ensure their casings stay intact and full of flavor.

It's smart to adjust your grilling temperature to the fat content of the hot dogs.

Compare a few packages of hot dogs, and you'll probably notice that different styles and brands contain different amounts of fat.

Adapting your cooking process to this variation is a crucial part of serving up delicious hot dogs.

"Consider the fat content in the hot dogs to determine what heat you should be grilling at. Higher-fat dogs should be cooked at a medium heat whereas leaner dogs should be grilling on a medium-low setting," said Julie Busha, grilling expert and creator of Slawsa hot-dog condiment.

Make sure the grill is hot enough before adding your hot dogs to it.

A grill that is too hot can burn your hot dogs or split their casings, but a grill that's too cool can also cause hot-dog havoc.

"If your grill is too cold, your hot dog will get dried out or tough," Hollingsworth said. "Be sure to preheat your grill for a few minutes. I usually aim for a grill temp of 425 degrees with a cook time of about 10 minutes."

Don’t forget to prep the buns.

Perfectly prepared meat is undoubtedly the centerpiece of the hot-dog experience, but the bun is also an important factor. No one likes cold buns.

"A hot dog bun should be gently toasted, which can be achieved by throwing the buns on the grill for about one minute per side," Sidoti told BI.

For added flavor, brush the inside of the toasted bun with a little butter or oil.

Consider "bathing" your hot dogs before grilling.

Boiling hot dogs for a long time before grilling is a bad move, but "bathing" them in flavorful liquid might actually make your hot dogs tastier.

"Keep an aluminum pan filled with a mixture of hot beer, onions, and seasonings on indirect heat and place your hot dogs in before grilling," Busha told BI. "This not only warms the hot dogs but also helps firm up that natural casing without breaking it."

Right before serving, simply pluck the hot dogs from their bath and give them a perfect char on the grill.

Adding sugar-based sauces while the hot dogs are on the grill can take them up a notch.

Hot dogs can be great out of the package, but there are a bunch of easy ways to add extra flavor to take your grilling to the next level.

"Once your hot dogs have cooked for a few minutes, brush on some barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, or, if you're feeling creative, any sauce with a sugar base," said Hollingsworth. "The sauce will caramelize as it finishes cooking."

If you want a better flavor, avoid skinless hot dogs.

You know that satisfying snap you get when biting into a perfectly cooked hot dog? That's from the meat's casing.

Busha told BI that opting for a skinless hot dog not only sacrifices that snap but can also cause the hot dog to lose moisture more easily on the grill.

Texture is an important factor in the hot-dog experience, so choose dogs with natural casings for the best results.

Don’t stick to just one type of condiment.

Only using one condiment can make even the tastiest hot dogs seem boring.

Though mustard or ketchup work just fine, don't be afraid to experiment with different flavors and combinations for a more gourmet experience.

Sidoti told BI that for an ideal flavor balance, you should opt for an acidic topping, which complements the smokiness and high fat content of the hot dog.

For example, you can try creating Caribbean jerk-inspired hot dogs with grilled pineapple, cilantro, lime zest, a splash of rum, and a dusting of jerk seasoning spices.

This story was originally published in June 2019 and most recently updated on June 14, 2024. 

Read More:

• I tried hot dogs from 4 fast-food chains and the winner was affordable and tasty
• Chefs share 5 of the best and 4 of the worst things to do when grilling
• 11 mistakes you're making when grilling steaks
• 10 simple summer desserts you can make on a grill

• I'm a mom of two and divorced. I had to restart my life at almost 40. 
• My kids have different lifestyles between my house and their dad's. 
• I make a budget for them to spend on Father's Day buying things for their dad. 

Ever since my divorce, Father's Day has made me uncomfortable. I don't enjoy thinking about, celebrating, or spending my money on the person who broke our family apart.

Although it's been a few years since my ex initiated our divorce, it's been stressful co-parenting with someone who communicates differently and has different means to mine.

My tween son and daughter may experience lavish trips and vacations, tickets to pro soccer games, and barbecues with the other parent's family, but I can't forget how I felt before and after our divorce.

My kids want to celebrate Father's Day

I remember carrying groceries alone, planning and hosting birthday parties alone, changing every diaper, filing every lunch box, doing homework sessions, and tying every shoe tie. Back then, I gave the kids construction paper, crayons, and markers to make a Father's Day card, which we presented with glee.

Now, while I drive to the store so my kids can pick out a card and a gift for their father, I keep these bad memories to myself while I buy the card and the bow and wrap the gift.

During the divorce process, I forgot about how this holiday would feel. My kids will want to celebrate Father's Day regardless of how their parent's marriage ended, so I will fork out the money for their cheerfulness.

I do encourage the kids to get a card, like I used to for my own father. I stand there in the aisle, waiting patiently, until they choose a card they are delighted with, usually it is something humorous. I try to put my resentment aside when my kids brainstorm ideas about the special gift they want to get their dad.

I have a small budget to help them buy their dad a gift

I try to spend $50 or less for a Father's Day gift but every year is different. Post-divorce I've spent anywhere between $25 to $100 on a gift from my kids.

One time my kids wanted to fill a cooler with snacks their father liked. I sighed and rambled off a few snacks while my kids' piled chips and candy, hot sauce and jerky into the cooler. Their excitement is contagious though and I roll with it because it's really all about them and their kindheartedness is something I can help to nurture.

Another time it was a gift card to a favorite restaurant for chicken wings. This year, they wanted to customize a bobblehead doll that looked like their father.

Holidays look different now that I'm divorced

According to the decree my kids will spend Friday to Sunday with their father to celebrate Father's Day. It's important to have Father's Day and Mother's Day details in a divorce decree to limit stress and so everyone is on the same page for these special days.

All holidays look different now as a divorced parent, and what helps is finding ways to enjoy my own company when I'm without my kids on certain holidays.

This year while my kids spend time with their father, I will honor my own who passed away before my kids were born. As much as it hurts to miss him, I try to make it a day of joy and remembrance.

I'll go on a long walk and embrace the beauty on the trail and in new beginnings. I'll reflect on my childhood memories of my father, running together, bike rides, how much he cared about our dog and my dad's voice singing oldies songs on the porch.

Then I'll re-read the Father's Day card I sent my dad a year before he died. I was surprised to find the card and envelope in his car under papers on the backseat after he died.

• President Joe Biden is making a play for Nikki Haley's former supporters.
• Haley endorsed Trump, but urged the former president to appeal to her millions of voters. 
• A self-described centrist Republican Haley voter said he just can't support Donald Trump again.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Roger, who is affiliated with the Haley Voters Working Group. The group is comprised of former primary supporters of UN Ambassador Nikki Haley who are supporting President Joe Biden in the general election or considering supporting the president. He is only identified by his name due to the sensitivities of his continuing work on defense policy. We've also included a statement from Trump at the bottom of the story.

We are speaking to voters, officials, and others directly connected to politics this election cycle to get a first-person look at the stakes of this election. We fact-check their statements, vet our sources, and edit their responses for length and clarity.

I voted for former President Donald Trump twice. It's clear now that his behavior is one of the greatest threats to the Constitution we've ever seen. But for a few words in the 14th Amendment, he wouldn't even be eligible to be a candidate.

We're seeing it in real time. I don't want to be a part of that. We are not an autocracy. I don't know if I can vote for Joe Biden. And yes, his age is a legitimate concern. Father Time is undefeated. But if I've got a choice between an autocrat and someone of his age, I'm not choosing the autocrat. No, sir, no, thank you.

Trump started losing me when he started the shenanigans after he lost the 2020 election. All that weird stuff leading up to January 6. And if it hadn't been for Vice President Mike Pence, who is a great man, we would have been at a constitutional crossroads.

The former president will say anything, and he'll do it with a straight face. He reminds me of PT Barnum; there's a sucker born every minute. You just have to do your research. He's done tremendous damage to himself. Not once has he accepted any accountability for the messes he's gotten himself into.

Trump's a convicted felon now, though I thought the New York case was definitely the weakest one against him. Honestly, having handled classified documents in my military career, I looked at the list of things they found in the pool house and by the toilet. I was like, my goodness, he's in a heap of trouble here. You can't explain that away. He had multiple opportunities to gracefully return those documents.

Trump's treatment of Nikki Haley made it even worse.

I don't like how Trump treated Nikki Haley. The name-calling, what he said about her husband when he was deployed. My goodness, he never finds the high ground. She's one of the smartest people you'll come around who understands all of these issues. But she doesn't play to the left; MAGA hates her.

It was a stung when she endorsed him. I had to give it a little bit of reflection. I've watched the video several times. She has to remain politically viable moving forward. She is fundamentally a Republican. In the big picture, she never pretended that she was anything else. And she said that it was her personal choice. She gave the caveat in there that she encouraged him to reach out to his voters. In retrospect, he's had all this time to reach out to the over 4 million Haley voters. He's never done it. The Biden campaign actually has.

I never liked Trump's tone and the way he behaved, but I did vote for him because I thought he was right about the border. His fiscal policies were mostly sound. The border is a real issue. There's many of us that believe that this issue began back in January 2021 after President Biden was sworn in, because he turned around and canceled all of Trump's executive orders and policies. You have to understand the bigger picture here. The effect of flooding in these undocumented immigrants brings the border to New York City, Chicago, Detroit, and Atlanta. It brings the border everywhere because we are not vetting these people.

I'm an old-school Reagan fan, and Nikki Haley is a genuine Republican. She understands the importance of Ukraine. She understands the importance of how we project our foreign policy. An, if you think about it, there's a lot of crossover there that the current administration is trying to do. Trump being elected would be a disaster for Ukraine. Forty-six Republicans voted against funding NATO — that scares the devil out of me. It's like no one is paying attention to the things that are really important. We want democracy, we want liberty, and we want freedom to flourish, because that's what true American values are. We don't want to send American troops to fight over there.

Serving in the military had a profound effect on my life.

I met my wife during my first tour in Korea. We've been married 35 years now. The military is a microcosm of our society as a whole. Growing up in rural South Carolina, I learned a lot about people by working beside them. It gets you away from a myotic way of thinking. One of my assignments took me to the DMZ. You come face-to-face with North Korea. You see them living in the past. They come out in these old woolen Soviet uniforms. It's very stark there. You sort of understand the dangers in the world.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, it got me. You look on a map, you can tell what the stakes are. There's nothing good coming from Russian aggression. And so that's what drew me into being involved, adding my voice and perspective to the mix.

In response to Roger's comments, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung sent the following statement to Business Insider: "President Trump dominated the primary in record-breaking fashion and it wasn't even close. Voters know that President Trump is the only person who will beat Joe Biden and take back the White House. It was revealed that investigators in that case likely engaged in evidence tampering and mishandling of those documents, which is why a filing was made earlier this week to dismiss the case. Joe Biden being elected again would be a disaster for America. President Trump will put America First instead of getting into more wars and more conflict like Biden has done." (Editor's note: Special counsel Jack Smith's team has said the order of documents taken from Mar-a-Lago during the classified documents probe may have shifted from when FBI agents originally seized the material.)

• Patrick Synge fired one of his employees for secretly working a second remote job while on the clock.
• He shared how he caught the employee and why he decided to fire them. 
• He says overemployment is sometimes "unethical" and can hurt worker productivity. 

This as-told-to essay is based on an email conversation with Patrick Synge, the cofounder and chief commercial officer of the business-process-outsourcing and remote-recruitment company Metrickal. The business is headquartered in Barcelona and has 10 full time, fully remote employees, in addition to more than 200 contractors worldwide. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm the cofounder and CCO of a business where every employee works fully remotely. In January, I caught one of them secretly working a second full-time remote job.

Here's how it all played out — and why I decided to fire them.

My business is headquartered in Barcelona, but one of my employees was based in Peru. He was hired in 2022, and in the beginning, he did his job very well. But then, I started to receive complaints from clients about missed assignments and deadlines. He had also become quite unresponsive. These complaints from clients started to become somewhat regular.

When this employee started refusing certain shifts he usually worked, I became suspicious. I had a feeling that he was doing something on the side, but because there was no proof, I didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

So instead, I had one-on-one meetings with him to discuss his job performance. When the same issues continued, I told him that if things didn't change, I'd have to let him go.

While he showed some signs of improvement, his overall performance didn't change much. This put a significant burden on the rest of the team, who had to cover his shifts and deal with missed deadlines.

How I ultimately caught him

In December, unrelated to this particular employee, my company rolled out the time-tracking software called DeskTime.

My long-term goal is to introduce a four-day workweek at my company, and I decided the first step in this process would be understanding how my employees spend their time and what could be optimized to boost productivity.

So our entire team of full-time employees and freelance contractors started using DeskTime. They each had to install the app on their computers, so everyone was well aware that this was being implemented.

After a few weeks, I looked through the tracking data of the struggling employee and noticed there was another company's name — a US business — that regularly appeared in the data. It became clear to me that this employee had worked on some other company's tasks.

I fired them the next day.

The DeskTime data showed that the employee was using software during the workday that was unrelated to his job tasks. It also included a screenshot feature that captured his computer screen — and showed him working on a platform where the other company's name was visible.

Based on the DeskTime data, I estimate that he had spent close to half of his work time working for this other company. It seems that he forgot about the tracking software since once it's downloaded, it doesn't require any manual switching on and off.

To be honest, all the other signs — missed deadlines, lack of flexibility, and unresponsiveness at certain times — had already made me quite certain that he was doing something else during working hours. I would have probably fired him anyway, but the tracked data was the missing hard proof.

I believe he was working for the other company full time because soon after I fired him, he updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect that he was working full time at the other company.

Why I think overemployment is sometimes unethical

I know some people may judge me, but I generally don't support the trend of overemployment. I think it's sometimes unethical and just wrong.

First of all, I don't think it's fair to the rest of the team who have to cover up for someone else's low performance. This is why keeping this employee of mine in the company wasn't an option. He wasn't fair and respectful to the team, and that's something I can't tolerate — his actions were just selfish.

Secondly, I don't believe a person can productively do two jobs at the same time, even if you use AI or other tools. Their attention will be scattered, so the quality of their work will suffer. As an entrepreneur, I have to think about my business and clients first. I can't afford to lose clients because someone wants to make extra money.

I really don't mind people having side hustles to earn extra income. But this should be something they do on their own time and that doesn't affect the quality of their day job.

Are you working multiple remote jobs at the same time and willing to provide details about your pay and schedule? Has a coworker or employee of yours done so? If so, reach out to this reporter at jzinkula@businessinsider.com.

Correction: June 13, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated Patrick Synge's role at Metrickal. He's the chief commercial officer, not the CEO.