Preparing a hot dog is simple enough. But what is the best way to cook this summertime staple? Chef Kenji López-Alt, the James Beard Award winner and cookbook author, has some advice.

It all starts in the supermarket.

“Look for a hot dog that has a natural casing,” he said. Natural casings are made of lamb skins and give hot dogs a bit of a curve, while the hot dogs without casing pack flat into the package.

“That’s what’s going to give you the snap no matter how you cook it,” López-Alt said.

As far as how to cook a hot dog, there are about as many opinions as there are home cooks. Boil them in water? Roast them over a fire with a stick? We investigated a few methods for cooking hot dogs just right.

A quick fix for when you need a hot dog NOW 

The best flavor emerges with time, according to Kenji López-Alt. “Low and slow is always a good idea with any kind of sausages,” he said.

Ayesha Rascoe, however, confessed to cooking “hot and fast. And burnt.”

As fast as a microwave might be, it did not exactly win in our testing. We wrapped the hot dog in a paper towel and cooked it for 45 seconds. But it was a mess. The skin split, the ends were shriveled, and the texture was limp.

While not his preferred method, López-Alt conceded that microwaves have their place in any kitchen with kids.

“I’ve cooked plenty of hot dogs in the microwave,” he said. “I’ve had to get food on the table as quickly as possible.”

Our tests found that an air fryer, on the other hand, cooked a hot dog nearly as quickly, and produced a snappier skin and much better flavor.