Cook frankfurts wrong and you end up with split, rubbery sausages — or a soggy microwave mess that's cold in the middle. Cook them right and you've got one of the fastest, most forgiving proteins in the kitchen. The microwave is the quickest method (1–2 minutes in water), a gentle simmer gives the best texture (5–8 minutes), and the BBQ is the crowd favourite (8–10 minutes). This guide covers all four methods, why most people get the temperature wrong, and what to serve alongside them.
Frankfurts are pre-cooked, so every method here is really reheating, not cooking from raw. Microwave in water for 1–2 minutes if you're in a hurry, or simmer gently for 5–8 minutes for the best snap and juiciness. The one rule that matters most: water boils at 100°C, but a simmer sits between 82–100°C (Cookwell) — and that gap is exactly why boiling splits the casing while a simmer doesn't.
For anyone stocking up before a family BBQ, our full sausage range has natural-casing options worth comparing against a standard frankfurt.
Frankfurts are finely ground, emulsified sausages that are already cooked and smoked inside their casing before they ever reach your fridge — under the US federal standard of identity for frankfurters (9 CFR 319.180, via eCFR.gov), they're classified as cooked and/or smoked sausages, not raw meat. That single fact changes how you should think about every method below.
The name traces back to Frankfurt, Germany, where the sausage's origin is traditionally dated to 1487 — the city marked its 500th "birthday" in 1987 (National Hot Dog and Sausage Council). Frankfurts, hot dogs, and kranskies all come from the same emulsified-sausage family; the differences come down to grind, casing, and seasoning rather than anything structural. A kransky like our Cheese Kransky uses a coarser grind and a heavier smoke than a classic frankfurt, but the cooking logic is identical.
So do you actually need to "cook" a frankfurt at all? Technically, no — they're already fully cooked inside the casing, which is exactly why every method in this guide is about texture and temperature, not food safety. That's a genuinely different problem to solve than raw sausages, and it's why frankfurts are so forgiving for beginner cooks.
At the butcher's counter, look for a natural casing with a real snap, a meat-first ingredient list, and no fillers padding out the mix. Frankfurts made with natural casing hold their shape far better under heat than the cheaper skinless kind, which is one reason they're worth the extra couple of dollars.
Place frankfurts in a microwave-safe bowl, cover them completely with water, and microwave on high for 1 minute for one or two sausages, or 2 minutes for four to six — the fastest method, and the one most people get wrong by skipping the water entirely. Dry microwaving cooks the outside faster than the inside, which is exactly how you end up with a rubbery, split casing.
Here's the full sequence: fill a bowl (not a plate — the water needs somewhere to sit) with enough water to submerge the frankfurts, microwave on high, then let them stand for 30 seconds before draining. Never microwave frankfurts still sealed in their packet — the plastic can melt or trap steam unevenly — and don't poke holes in the casing first, since that just lets the juices leak out into the water instead of staying where you want them.
This method earns its place for kids' lunches, camping trips without a stovetop, or when you need a hot snack in under two minutes flat. It won't give you the same snap as a simmer or the char of a grill, but for pure speed, nothing else comes close.
Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer — never a rolling boil — add the frankfurts, and cook for 5–8 minutes until they float. This is both the best-texture method on this list and the fix for the single biggest mistake people make with frankfurts: cooking them too hot.
Here's why the temperature matters so much. Water at sea level boils at a full 100°C, but simmering sits in a lower band of roughly 82–100°C, characterised by small, gentle bubbles rather than a rolling boil (Cookwell). That gap of even 10–15°C is enough to determine whether a frankfurt's casing stays intact or ruptures and leaches out flavour into the water.
Once the water's at a gentle simmer, add your frankfurts, drop the heat slightly to hold it steady, and cook for 5–8 minutes — they'll rise and float when they're heated through. Remove them with tongs rather than draining the whole pot, which keeps them from sitting in cooling water and going soft. A bay leaf, a few peppercorns, or a splash of beer in the simmering water adds background flavour without any extra effort.
This method suits frankfurts in a soft white roll, an Oktoberfest-style plate with sauerkraut, or any weeknight dinner where texture matters more than speed.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium with a knob of butter, add the frankfurts, and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning regularly — the butter's milk solids brown into a nutty, caramelised coating that no water-based method can match. Browning reactions in butter run hard through roughly 140–165°C (Science of Cooking), well above simmering but still controllable in a pan, unlike a scorching grill.
Why bother with butter instead of a neutral oil? Butter's milk solids are what caramelise into that nutty, deep-brown crust — oil alone gets you crisp skin, but it won't get you the same flavour.
Melt the butter (or use a neutral oil if you'd rather) in a non-stick pan over medium heat, add the frankfurts without crowding the pan, and turn them every minute or so until they're golden and slightly blistered all over. Scoring each frankfurt with a few shallow diagonal cuts before it hits the pan gives the exterior more surface area to crisp up, which means more of that browned flavour in every bite.
This is the method to reach for when you want more texture than a simmer gives, especially served alongside fried onions for a proper "hot dog night" upgrade.
Preheat the BBQ to medium — roughly 175–190°C (Barbecue Bible) — place the frankfurts on the grill, and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning regularly for the slight char and smoke that make this the most requested method at any gathering. Isn't a screaming-hot grill supposed to be better? Not for frankfurts — that same high heat that sears a steak beautifully will blister and split a delicate, pre-cooked casing in seconds.
Oil the grates lightly before you start, and place the frankfurts perpendicular to the bars so they pick up clean grill marks. Turn them every couple of minutes, and if any section of the grill is browning faster than the rest, shift the frankfurts to indirect heat to finish through gently. Charcoal brings more smoke flavour; gas gives you more consistent temperature control — both work well, so it comes down to preference. Toast the rolls on the BBQ at the same time and you've got the whole meal ready together.
This is the method for backyard BBQs, camping trips, and any time you're feeding a crowd who'll be happier with a bit of char.
Frankfurts shine with simple, honest sides — a soft white roll, butter, tomato sauce, and American mustard is the classic combination for good reason, and it doesn't need much dressing up. Add caramelised onions, a scattering of grated cheese, or a drizzle of BBQ sauce for an Aussie twist, and you've turned a five-minute reheat into something worth putting on the table for guests.
Is there a wrong way to serve a frankfurt? Not exactly, but matching the topping to the cooking method is what separates a properly thought-out plate from an afterthought — a crisp pan-fried frankfurt can carry heavier toppings than a softer simmered one.
If you want to lean into the sausage's German roots, serve it with sauerkraut, hot mustard, and a pretzel bun instead of a standard white roll. For a lighter, low-carb version, skip the bread altogether and plate the frankfurt with sauerkraut and mustard on the side, or wrap it in a lettuce leaf. On the side, potato salad, coleslaw, hot chips, pickles, and corn on the cob all round out a plate without competing for attention.
Frankfurts also pair naturally with our premium beef sausages on a mixed BBQ platter, giving guests a choice between the classic snap of a frankfurt and a heartier, all-beef option.
Yes. Frankfurts are classified as cooked and/or smoked sausages under the federal standard of identity for frankfurters (9 CFR 319.180, eCFR.gov), which means they're safe straight from the packet. They taste far better hot, but cold frankfurts are a perfectly safe option for a lunchbox or a quick snack.
You're almost certainly cooking them too hot. A rolling boil sits at a full 100°C, while a proper simmer runs at roughly 82–100°C with only gentle bubbling (Cookwell). Stick to a gentle simmer, medium pan heat, or medium BBQ heat, and the casing stays intact every time.
Cooked sausages, including frankfurts, keep for 3–4 days in an airtight container in the fridge (USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service). When reheating, food safety guidance recommends heating rapidly rather than leaving it in the 5–60°C "danger zone" for long (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) — a 30–60 second microwave with a splash of water does the job.
Frankfurts traditionally use pork and beef in a natural casing, giving them a signature snap; hot dogs are usually all-beef and skinless, with a softer bite. Both trace back to the same German sausage-making tradition, with Frankfurt's frankfurter dated to 1487 (National Hot Dog and Sausage Council). In Australia, the two terms are largely used interchangeably — and if you want to try the coarser, more heavily smoked end of that family, Slovenian-style kransky is worth a taste comparison.
Frankfurts are one of the most forgiving, quick-cooking proteins you can keep in the fridge: microwave for speed, simmer for the best texture, pan-fry for extra flavour, and BBQ when you're feeding a crowd. The one rule that ties every method together is gentle heat — frankfurts are delicate, already-cooked sausages, and they reward patience rather than a hot rolling boil.
Ready to put it into practice? Grab a pack of quality, natural-casing sausages from Pryde Butchery and try the simmer method tonight — you'll notice the difference in the first bite. For more options, browse our sausage range before your next BBQ.
