What I Do to Hotdogs Before Cooking Them (and Why It Changed Everything)

 

Yesterday, I shared how I reached a point where I was honestly getting tired of always being the one to think about what to cook for breakfast. So instead of overthinking it, I cooked a little bit of everything and told my family, choose what you want.

That morning, I ended up cooking quite a lot of hotdogs.

Today, I want to show you what I do with them before I even cook them, because this small step has made a big difference in how I enjoy them.

I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with red hotdogs. They taste good, and this particular brand works well for me, but I’ve never been a fan of the bright color and the excess oil that comes with them.

So over time, I developed a simple habit.

Before cooking, I slice the hotdogs and soak them in very hot water, almost like a quick blanch. I do this with whole hotdogs, too. You’ll immediately notice the water turning reddish, and a layer of oil rising to the surface. That’s exactly what I want to remove.

Once that’s done, I drain them completely and give them a quick rinse using clean drinking water before cooking them as usual.

It’s a small step, but it makes the hotdogs feel lighter, cleaner, and much more enjoyable for me and my family. 

It also helps to cook the hotdogs faster and more evenly, instead of straight up frying them. 

What I did with the leftover hotdogs

I did say that I didn’t do a lot of cooking anymore after I cooked everything from the freezer. But, I also like variety in the dishes I eat, so here are few things I did with the leftover hotdogs.

First, I made fried rice with the hotdogs. I also had some leftover  dried fried squid. Then I cooked some eggs and ate this with some atchara (pickled green papayas). Oh, and those are the leftover sautéed sardines from yesterday’s post, too.

It doesn’t look very appetizing with everything mixed up like that, but this was delicious and very filling. I was able to finish a lot of tasks that day because I had the energy to do them. 

The next day, I still had some leftover hotdog rice, so I served that again. 

This time, I served it with some scrambled eggs with tuna and our favorite triangle hash browns. 

Finally, with the last leftovers, I made some omurice.

It may sound weird for some of you to eat hotdogs with rice, but we’re Asian and we love rice. I encourage you to try it. You might like it, too. Oh, and if you have one in your town or city, buy hotdogs from a Filipino grocery store. Choose Purefoods brand. That’s our favorite. They taste great with rice compared to western hotdogs that are made to be paired with bread. 

---

’Til our next shared bite,

Stay cozy. Stay curious. Stay nourished.

LET'S EAT.

With grace, warmth, and a full heart,

Lady E

Exhibitor and Speaker at the Philippine Book Festival 2026 

💌 Connect with me on  Insta: behind-the-scenes, daily sparks, and more.

📚 Created by a registered NBDB author, these children’s books and homeschool workbooks are made to help your child learn with ease.

💻 Grab your copies now on Gumroad

 ✨️ Want to live a soft luxe life? Visit my other blog: Glow by Lady E

🛒 🎁 Looking for toys, learning materials, school supplies,  and thoughtful finds? Visit my Shopee: Isaac's Gift Shop

💫 I write, I cook, I create — with love, always.

✈️ Our Binondo staycation was featured by Ramada by Wyndham Manila Central! Read about our Soft Luxe experience here 💖

 P. S.

Don't forget to get your Glow Cards!

👉 Grab your Glow Cards here – available now on Gumroad

🤝 For Collaborations & Features

If you’re a brand, PR agency, or fellow creative who believes in adding beauty, meaning, and intention to everyday life, I’d love to hear from you. Whether it’s a product you’d like me to try, a place you’d love me to experience, or a story waiting to be told — let’s create something lovely together.

📩 Send me a message on:

✨ Instagram

💖 Facebook

Or simply leave a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.