While there is no wrong way to cook frankfurters, there is nothing simpler than cooking them in the oven. It's a great option when the weather doesn't allow you to grill them outdoors and guarantees a tasty and succulent result with virtually no effort. Regardless of how you intend to use frankfurters after cooking them in the oven, in a recipe or on a delicious hot dog, their flavor will surprise you.
Ingrediants
Beer Stewed Wurstel
- 1 medium white onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) of Worcester sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) of brown sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of red pepper (optional)
- 5 frankfurters
- 350 ml of a beer of your choice (light, red or dark)
- 5 hot dog buns
For 5 servings
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Bake the Wurstel in the Oven in the Traditional Way
Step 1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place it in the oven
Spread the aluminum foil on the baking sheet and wrap it around the edges to keep it firm. In this way the frankfurters will not risk sticking to the pan, and you will also find it less difficult to wash it. After coating it with aluminum foil, place it in the lit oven and let them both preheat.
- You can use any type of pan or pyrex dish. The only requirement is that it is large enough to comfortably hold all the sausages, without them touching.
- It is better to use a pan with edges and not a plate, to prevent the frankfurters from accidentally falling.
Step 2. Preheat the oven
Once the pan has been inserted, turn on the oven at 200 ° C. After 10-15 minutes it should be warm enough. If you have an oven thermometer, you can use it to monitor the temperature so you know when the time is right to put the sausages in the oven.
- Preheating the oven is to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed to cook the sausages evenly.
- Also preheating the pan will allow a delicious crust to form around the sausages.
Step 3. Remove the pan from the oven and arrange the frankfurters on the foil in a single layer
Put on oven mitts and be careful not to risk burning yourself. Place the pan on the stove or kitchen worktop protected by a trivet, then arrange the frankfurters in a single layer.
Make sure the frankfurters aren't touching to make sure they cook evenly. They don't need to be far apart, just leave a couple of centimeters between one and the other
Step 4. Cook the sausages in the oven for 45 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking with the tongs
When about 20 minutes have passed, carefully flip them using kitchen tongs so that they brown evenly on both sides. Return them to the oven and let them cook for another 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown on the outside.
The pan will be hot, so don't forget to put on oven gloves
Step 5. Make sure the internal temperature of the sausages has reached 71 ° C
To be sure they are fully cooked, they must reach at least 71 ° C. Stick them with an instant-read thermometer where they are thickest to measure the core temperature.
When cooking meat, always consider the core temperature to gauge if it's cooked, rather than relying on cooking time. If the frankfurters are small, they may already be cooked after 30 minutes, while larger ones can take up to an hour to cook
Step 6. Let the sausages cool for about 5 minutes, then serve them
During cooking, the juices of the meat tend to flow towards the center. Leaving them to rest for a few minutes, the juices will have time to redistribute themselves inside the frankfurters, which will therefore be softer and more delicious.
Store leftover frankfurters in the refrigerator. Transfer them to an airtight container and eat them within 2-3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them and consume them within a couple of months
Suggestion:
try serving the frankfurters with a side of sautéed onions and peppers, roasted vegetables or potatoes.
Method 2 of 3: Cook the Wurstel in the Oven with the Grill
Step 1. Move the top shelf of the oven as high as possible
In most ovens, the grill is located at the top. The coil gives off an intense and direct heat to cook food quickly, so the best way to take advantage of it is to bring the frankfurters as close to the grill as possible.
If you have an old oven, the grill may be located in the drawer under the main compartment. If so, leave the shelf in its original position
Step 2. Turn on the grill and let it heat for 10 minutes
Most ovens do not allow you to adjust the temperature of the grill, almost all allow you to simply turn it on and off. If your oven allows you to choose between a "low" or "high" temperature, choose the latter option. The grill will heat up in about 10 minutes.
As the grill will heat up very quickly, it is important to adjust the height of the shelf before turning it on, otherwise you could get burned by touching it later
Step 3. Arrange the frankfurters on the wire rack with a gap between them
Use a pan suitable for grilling meat, consisting of a grill that goes inside a pan. Being raised from the bottom of the pan, the grill allows hot air to circulate around the sausages, ensuring more even cooking.
It is important that there is a pan under the grill that collects the fats released by the frankfurters during cooking. If fat falls to the bottom of the oven, it could catch fire
Step 4. Cook the sausages for 15-20 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes
Use tongs and turn them gently at intervals of about 5 minutes to prevent them from burning. You will likely need to slide the pan out of the oven to be able to turn them. Wear oven mitts so you don't get burned.
Be very careful not to touch the top of the oven while turning the frankfurters. The coil will be hot and you could get badly burned
Step 5. Remove the frankfurters from the oven when they are lightly roasted and show the typical signs of grilling
The marks will not be as marked as those produced by the barbecue, however after a while you will start to see darker lines forming on the surface of the frankfurters left by the grill they are placed on. By cooking the frankfurters in this way you will be able to recreate part of the typical flavor of a barbecue even when it is raining or cold outside.
Since frankfurters are made from ground pork, it is important to measure their core temperature to judge whether they are cooked, rather than just relying on their appearance
Step 6. Use a meat thermometer and make sure the internal temperature of the sausages has reached 71 ° C
Insert the tip of an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the frankfurters, taking care to reach the thickest part. If the reading indicates that they have reached the core temperature of 71 ° C, it means they are cooked.
If the frankfurters are not yet fully cooked, put them back in the oven for 5 minutes and then measure the temperature again
Step 7. Let the sausages rest for 5 minutes, then serve them
By giving it time to cool down a little, you'll avoid burning your tongue. Furthermore, the juices of the meat will be able to redistribute themselves from the center towards the outside, making it tastier and more succulent. Your diners will think the frankfurters were cooked on a real barbecue.
If the frankfurters are left over, transfer them to an airtight container or resealable food bag. If you keep them in the refrigerator, you will need to eat them within 2-3 days; instead if you freeze them, they will last even for a couple of months
Method 3 of 3: Cook the Frankfurters in the Oven with Beer and Onions
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C
Since the frankfurters will have to cook slowly immersed in beer along with a large amount of onions, you need to make sure the oven is hot to get a good result. Turn on the oven in advance and let it heat for at least 10-15 minutes, so that when it's time to put the pan in the oven, it has reached the desired temperature.
By preheating the oven, you will be able to calculate cooking times more accurately. If you cook the frankfurters in the cold oven, you will need to take into account the minutes it took to heat it when calculating the cooking time
Step 2. Cut an onion into rings and finely chop two cloves of garlic
Take a sharp knife and carefully slice a medium-sized white onion. Cut it into horizontal slices about an inch thick, then separate the individual rings with your hands. Next, finely slice the garlic cloves.
- If you don't want to use that much onion or if you only have large onions, you can use half instead of one whole.
- If your eyes get watery when you cut the onion, try placing it in the freezer 10-15 minutes before you start slicing it. Do not leave it in the freezer for more than a quarter of an hour, otherwise it could become soggy.
- Some people choose to omit garlic. Garlic brings a good flavor that is complementary to that of onions and beer, but feel free not to use it.
Step 3. Spread the garlic and onions in a baking dish
The size of the pan does not matter, the important thing is that the edges are at least 5 cm high. You can use a standard size one (about 25x35cm).
Since this is a single dish, you will only have to wash the pan. However, to get it done even faster, you can use a disposable aluminum container
Step 4. Season the onions with oil, salt, pepper and Worcester sauce
After putting the garlic and onions in the pan, add 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) of Worcester sauce and finally salt and pepper to taste. Stir to evenly distribute the toppings.
- If you want, you can also add a tablespoon (12 g) of brown sugar to give a sweet aftertaste to the sausages.
- If, on the other hand, you like spicy foods, you can add a teaspoon of chili.
Step 5. Place the frankfurters on the onion bed
Gently push them down to sink them into the onions. The onions will cook dipped in beer, soften and wrap the frankfurters, so both will turn out incredibly flavorful.
Step 6. Pour 350ml of beer into the pan
Feel free to choose the variety of beer you prefer, from the cheapest available at the supermarket to a locally produced craft beer. Whatever beer you select, pour it into the pan until the frankfurters are half submerged.
- Depending on the type of beer, the flavor of the sausages will vary. For example, pale beers have a mild taste, IPAs leave a bitter note in the mouth, while dark beers have a rich and intense flavor.
- For an intermediate option, you can choose an amber beer that has a slightly richer taste than the light one, but not as intense as the dark one.
- It may take less than 350ml of beer to submerge the bottom half of the frankfurters, depending on the size of the pan.
Step 7. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil
Seal it by wrapping paper around the edges of the pan. The foil cover will trap the juices and cooking liquid, so the frankfurters will be softer and tastier.
Use two partially overlapping sheets of aluminum foil if one isn't enough to seal the pan
Step 8. Bake the sausages and cook for about an hour, turning them halfway through cooking
When the oven is hot, place the properly sealed pan in the center of the oven. After about half an hour, the frankfurters will be ready to be turned. Put on oven gloves and carefully remove the pan to turn the sausages, then let them cook for another 30 minutes.
- When you lift the tinfoil, a cloud of boiling steam will come out of the pan, so take the flight and your hands away to avoid burning yourself.
- Don't skewer the frankfurters with a fork, otherwise they will lose their juices.
- When an hour has passed, measure the core temperature of the sausages where they are thickest, using an instant-read meat thermometer. If it has reached 71 ° C, it means that the frankfurters are cooked. If not, put them back in the oven and let them cook for another 5-10 minutes, until they reach the correct temperature.
Step 9. Arrange the frankfurters on the bread and top them with the onions
Onions stewed in beer are the perfect complement to the hot dog interior. If you want, you can toast the bread and add mustard or other sauce to taste.
If the frankfurters are left over, you can transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them and consume them within a couple of months
Suggestion:
try adding sauerkraut or a couple of pickled peppers as well as onions and mustard.
