Tried making hot dogs over a campfire last weekend and they were burnt on the outside, cold in the middle, and my 9yo declared them "disgusting." What am I doing wrong? Do I need special equipment or am I just impatient with the heat?
The cold in the middle is the worst. You need to turn them more often and use a stick or holder instead of putting them directly on the grate. Also build a cooler zone on the edge of the fire.
Pro tip: soak your hot dogs in water for like 10 minutes before cooking. Sounds weird but it helps them cook more evenly. Also use medium heat not high.
Happened to me three times before I figured it out. You were probably cooking over the hot flame instead of the coals. Let your fire burn down first and cook over the white coals, not the orange flames.
Try making kabobs instead next time? My family actually prefers them over regular hot dogs. Easier to control the temperature and you get better coverage on everything.
I do campfire cooking with my kids every other weekend. The trick is patience and not having a huge flame. Stick them on a lower rack and rotate every minute or so.
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Hot dogs are actually hard to nail over a campfire. I switched to bringing pre-cooked ones and just warming them. Saves the whole burnt outside cold inside nightmare.