Safe Internal Temperature of Hot Dogs

Want to know what the internal temperature of hot dogs should be when cooking?

The Safe Minimum Internal Temperature of a Hot Dog is 165°F (74°C). This should be checked with a food thermometer, but it is often when the hot dogs are steaming hot.

Why Hot Dogs Should Be Cooked to the Minimum Internal Temperature?

When cooking or reheating your hot dog, it is important to ensure that the meat has reached a safe internal temperature. At 165°F (74°C), harmful bacteria that are responsible for food-borne illnesses often die (spores and toxins may survive).

You need to remember that you cannot smell, see or taste harmful bacteria that might cause food-borne illness, this is why heating to recommended temperature is important.

Even though hot dogs are fully cooked, those people that are at an increased risk (children, pregnant women and the elderly) should ensure that the hot dogs are steaming hot, due to threats of food borne illnesses like listeriosis.

those at increased risk of foodborne illness should reheat hot dogs and luncheon meat until steaming hot before eating, due to the threat of listeriosis.

Understanding the Danger Zone

Cooked food like hot dogs, that are left sitting at room temperature, enter what is called the ‘Danger Zone’. The Danger Zone, According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is the range of temperatures 40 ° and 140 °F, where bacteria grows quickly.  At those temperatures, the harmful bacteria numbers can double.

If serving hot dogs at a cookout or barbecue, it is important that you do not leave them out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If the temperature is over 90 ° F, the time drops to 1 hour.

If you have heated up your hot dog, they should be kept in a warmer at 140°F (60°C) or higher to ensure that the food is out of the Danger Zone.