# OK To Use a Crockpot to Keep Burgers, Hot Dogs Warm?



## kc27 (Feb 19, 2010)

I plan to grill beef burgers and hot dogs 2 or 3 hours before they will need to be served. Would a crockpot at the "Keep Warm" setting be suitable for keeping them at a proper temperature for food safety and also warm enough for serving. If so, would I need to add anything to the crockpot to keep the burgers and hot dogs from drying out? And if there is a better way to accomplish this, please pass any ideas along. Thanks.


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

kc27 said:


> And if there is a better way to accomplish this, please pass any ideas along. Thanks.


Grill them to order.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Yeah, you can do that but, why would you want to? The dogs would be ok. But, holding burgers that long in anything will turn them into dried out hockey pucks. 

Burgers should be cooked to order and served hot from the grill. In a perfect world, so should the hot dogs. Is there a logistical problem that requires you cook the burgers and dogs that far in advance? 

A little more information about what's behind the decision to cook the burgers in advance would be helpful.


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

I suppose you could set the timer and boil the dogs so they will be just done when you are ready to serve them. But if you throw grilled dogs in a crockpot they will be shriveled up prunes.


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## kc27 (Feb 19, 2010)

it is a family and friends gathering where there is no set meal time. I will be doing the grilling, and would like to have that done ahead of time so I am not anchored to a grill. This gathering will be in a park, so I would be bringing my own grill along with a lot of other gear. Preparing food at home ahead of time would be one less thing Ihave to do on-site., and one less thing to transport.

is the issue with the idea of using a crockpot? I am looking at making the food 2 to 3 hours ahead of time, if that helps.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

kc27 said:


> it is a family and friends gathering where there is no set meal time. I will be doing the grilling, and would like to have that done ahead of time so I am not anchored to a grill. This gathering will be in a park, so I would be bringing my own grill along with a lot of other gear. Preparing food at home ahead of time would be one less thing Ihave to do on-site., and one less thing to transport.
> 
> is the issue with the idea of using a crockpot? I am looking at making the food 2 to 3 hours ahead of time, if that helps.


That's the problem with being voluntold to man the grill: you don't get to join in any reindeer games. But, you do get prime real estate next to the beer cooler. 

Here's a better idea. The hot dogs are not the problem. They cook quickly which means you can cook up a bunch and set them aside on some tin foil on the cool side of the grill, if there's room or just reheat them as needed. After all, 10,000 NYC hot dog vendors can't all be wrong. That solves your issues with the dogs.

As for the burgers, that's a different issue. If quality is not a concern, cook them ahead of time and put them in the crock pot. But, if you don't want to serve dried out meat pucks, you can partially cook the burgers in the oven the day before, store in the fridge and pop em on the hot grill as needed. The cook time will be much less and you won't be serving burger pucks or need to lug a crock pot - not to mention finding an outlet for the crock pot at the park.

Good luck.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I’d just offer hotdogs in that situation. I doubt that any trick in the book will result in a decent 3-hour old hamburger.

But the gas stations seem to do that so maybe I’m just being unnecessarily negative.

Maybe if you cook some, take a break and enjoy yourself, later cook some more when folks start swarming around the food table again...


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## sgmchef (Sep 30, 2006)

Hi kc27,

Since it's a family thing, would Sloppy Joe's, Taco Joe's, or some sort of BBQ Ground Beef thing suffice?

Good luck!


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## kc27 (Feb 19, 2010)

We will have AC power (rented a shelter) that has power and plumbing. It sounds like on-site grilling is the only way to make burgers work. I guess I will be hauling a grill or revising the menu. Thanks everyone.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

kc27 said:


> We will have AC power (rented a shelter) that has power and plumbing. It sounds like on-site grilling is the only way to make burgers work. I guess I will be hauling a grill or revising the menu. Thanks everyone.


Cheers! Hope everything turns out well! Let us know how it went.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

pulled pork would keep well in crock pot and is easy...


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

I can't believe no one has told you that you can do this with beef stock. I've been in this same situation where people would be showing up at different times and I wanted to be able to give them a "fresh" burger quickly. I don't use a crock pot but there's no reason you can't. Just par cook them.. about medium and then have the crock filled with beef stock (I really like the "better than bullion" roasted beef and it keeps forever) .. ideally you would have the grill running on low and just put the burger on for a minute to finish it and maybe melt some cheese. When I do this I just leave one burner on the grill on low and set a hotel pan on the other side.. the indirect heat will keep them warm and the grill is ready to throw them on to finish. Would work fine with hotdogs too.. the stock is the key to keeping them from drying out.


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## kronin323 (Apr 11, 2018)

Back in my high school fast food days we called those "broth burgers" and though we were forced to serve them, none of us would knowingly eat them. IMO if you're not cooking them to order you're compromising quality for efficiency, unavoidably.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

eastshores said:


> I can't believe no one has told you that you can do this with beef stock. I've been in this same situation where people would be showing up at different times and I wanted to be able to give them a "fresh" burger quickly. I don't use a crock pot but there's no reason you can't. Just par cook them.. about medium and then have the crock filled with beef stock (I really like the "better than bullion" roasted beef and it keeps forever) .. ideally you would have the grill running on low and just put the burger on for a minute to finish it and maybe melt some cheese. When I do this I just leave one burner on the grill on low and set a hotel pan on the other side.. the indirect heat will keep them warm and the grill is ready to throw them on to finish. Would work fine with hotdogs too.. the stock is the key to keeping them from drying out.


So, you're suggesting that he place half raw ground beef in a warm bath of beef flavored water for several hours at a park on a warm, summer day?


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

The only time I’ve seen that done they were fully cooked... not that the amount of done-ness really changes much.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

brianshaw said:


> The only time I've seen that done they were fully cooked... not that the amount of done-ness really changes much.


Right? I've seen it done only with fully cooked patties and water that had been boiled first.


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## kc27 (Feb 19, 2010)

I appreciate all the ideas - thanks everyone. One of my cookbooks, has a recipe for "All-Day Crock Dogs in Smoky Beer Broth". which involves grilling the hot dogs first, then submerging them in a beer - bottled smoke - onion - bay leaf solution in a crockpot. The authors say this method will keep the hot dogs in good shape for an afternoon. I am going to do a trial run to see how it tastes.

And thanks for the suggestion about the burgers in beef broth. I've had them at catered functions before. They never looked very appetizing coming out of a pan of juice, but once I got done loading them up with condiments, the taste was OK. Not great, but OK. Hot off the grill is probably the only way to get appetizing results with burgers. But now, with the weather forecast predicting sun, 87 degrees, and high humidity for conditions that will feel like 94 degrees, I am going to drop the idea of serving burgers. A former co-worker, who had a side business of making and selling food at summer festivals, said once temperatures went much past the low 80's, people's appetites shut down. This is not a profit making event, but I would like to offer people something they will feel like eating in hot humid weather. That's why I am thinking pulled chicken sandwiches which would be lighter than burgers, and hot dogs or sloppy joes for those who want red meat. And there will be a full sheet cake from a grocery store bakery trying to survive in this heat, too. Fortunately, the food will be under cover and shaded. Should be fun!


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

sgsvirgil said:


> So, you're suggesting that he place half raw ground beef in a warm bath of beef flavored water for several hours at a park on a warm, summer day?


Are you suggesting that if it is held at a safe temperature there is a problem with that? Jesus.. you're a retired chef?


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

eastshores said:


> Are you suggesting that if it is held at a safe temperature there is a problem with that? Jesus.. you're a retired chef?


Please go back and re-read my comment. Yes, holding half cooked ground beef in a warm bath of beef stock for several hours is not safe. Nothing was said about "safe temperatures."

If you can't comment constructively and professionally, then, I will remind you this is a forum for professionals, not amateurs who "just like food." Be civil or be gone.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

sgsvirgil said:


> If you can't comment constructively and professionally, then, I will remind you this is a forum for professionals, not amateurs who "just like food." Be civil or be gone.


This forum is open to anyone who wants to discuss "Food and Cooking" and is not limited to professional chefs. You don't get to make the call on who stays or goes. I don't know why you think that...


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

someday said:


> This forum is open to anyone who wants to discuss "Food and Cooking" and is not limited to professional chefs. You don't get to make the call on who stays or goes. I don't know why you think that...


Says the person who is responsible for most of the toxic comments in this forum. Its as though you troll this website looking to deliberately start arguments and chide other users. Its tired. Give it a rest.

Here is some information from the forum rules section that you and eastshores have apparently overlooked.

*Respect others. *
Being a community with a positive outlook, we ask that you refrain from rude or offensive behavior. ChefTalk.com staff will remove posts that are harassing, abusive, defamatory, sexually explicit, or obscene.
*Feel free to disagree. *
If you don't agree with something another member posts, feel free to say so - just do it politely and constructively.


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

Your presumptuous attitude that my suggestion was somehow unsafe is what drew ire from me. Who are you to assume that I would recommend someone hold meat below a safe temperature? If the food is kept at or above 140F internal temperature, it is completely safe to hold for hours. I responded with a degree of shock that you are a "retired owner/operator" and you would hold such an attitude. Whether you feel qualified or not, it's arrogant of you to make such baseless statements.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

eastshores said:


> Your presumptuous attitude that my suggestion was somehow unsafe is what drew ire from me. Who are you to assume that I would recommend someone hold meat below a safe temperature? If the food is kept at or above 140F internal temperature, it is completely safe to hold for hours. I responded with a degree of shock that you are a "retired owner/operator" and you would hold such an attitude. Whether you feel qualified or not, it's arrogant of you to make such baseless statements.


Here is the relevant portion of you comment....

_*".....I've been in this same situation where people would be showing up at different times and I wanted to be able to give them a "fresh" burger quickly. I don't use a crock pot but there's no reason you can't. Just par cook them.. about medium and then have the crock filled with beef stock (I really like the "better than bullion" roasted beef and it keeps forever) .."
*_
Is there really any other way to interpret the literal meaning of these words other than you suggested that he par cook the burgers (which means partially raw) and hold them in a crock filled with beef stock? You said nothing about 140'f or above. In fact, you told someone to do something that you, yourself, would not do by your own admission.

You made a bad suggestion. Deal with it. Have the integrity to admit your screw up and move on.


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

There is nothing wrong with my suggestion. According to information online even on the "warm" setting a crock pot will have a temperature of 145 to 165 F. The burgers will come up to temp and can be held safely. I'm not sure what your hang up is here but it's pretty ridiculous. If you think I was suggesting they be placed in a crock pot that wasn't actually plugged in, then I'm sorry that is beyond foolish. Also, if you read what I said, I have done this plenty of times. The difference being I use a hotel pan on the grill rather than a crock pot.


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

We have to assume that the crock pot will be unpowered for a period during transport. Nothing was said about how long that would be.

Also, if we are talking about a crock pot here how many dogs and burgers can we be talking about? Seems to me that cooking to order wouldn't take much time at all and any method that requires a grill to finish- you need a grill there anyway.


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## capricciosa (May 30, 2015)

In this scenario, I would forget the burgers and just try to find a way to gourmet the hot dogs - lots of prepped toppings (sauteed onions, peppers, slaw, pickles, etc) and a few different bun options (poppyseed, onion, etc) and a few different selections of hot dogs, brats, Italian sausages, etc.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

sgsvirgil said:


> Says the person who is responsible for most of the toxic comments in this forum. Its as though you troll this website looking to deliberately start arguments and chide other users. Its tired. Give it a rest.
> 
> Here is some information from the forum rules section that you and eastshores have apparently overlooked.
> 
> ...


I've been here on this forum for 15 years. I'm not going anywhere. That's a long time to troll a website, so I think you're off base.

I'll admit I have strong opinions on some subjects, but to qualify anything I've written as "toxic" is way off base and small minded. Feel free to point out anything I've said that you consider toxic...I'll wait.

I pointed out to you that the particular forum you were on is meant for all people who are interested in food and cooking, and you are not the gatekeeper for who gets to post there. But hey, you just made a mistake...feel free to have the integrity to admit your screw up and move on.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

kc27 said:


> I would like to offer people something they will feel like eating in hot humid weather. That's why I am thinking pulled chicken sandwiches which would be lighter than burgers, and hot dogs or sloppy joes for those who want red meat. And there will be a full sheet cake from a grocery store bakery trying to survive in this heat, too. Fortunately, the food will be under cover and shaded. Should be fun!


I think that pulled chicken is a great idea and will be a much better option than burgers.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

someday said:


> I've been here on this forum for 15 years. I'm not going anywhere. That's a long time to troll a website, so I think you're off base.
> 
> I'll admit I have strong opinions on some subjects, but to qualify anything I've written as "toxic" is way off base and small minded. Feel free to point out anything I've said that you consider toxic...I'll wait.
> 
> I pointed out to you that the particular forum you were on is meant for all people who are interested in food and cooking, and you are not the gatekeeper for who gets to post there. But hey, you just made a mistake...feel free to have the integrity to admit your screw up and move on.


I don't think so. I think "toxic" fits you so well, one could argue the word was tailor made especially for you.

For starters, there was your recent pissing match with Iceman. That was a treasure. That entire thread melted down thanks to you and your condescending nonsense.

Then there's this gem of a discussion. So, what's that make? Two threads you've destroyed in the last three days? That is the definition of "toxic".

The bottom line is Eastshores was out of line and you made it infinitely worse by getting involved in something that did not concern you.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

sgsvirgil said:


> I don't think so. I think "toxic" fits you so well, one could argue the word was tailor made especially for you.
> 
> For starters, there was your recent pissing match with Iceman. That was a treasure. That entire thread melted down thanks to you and your condescending nonsense.
> 
> ...


If you say so. You're certainly entitled to your opinion. If that's all you got, again based on my 15 years here, it's pretty weak. But I'm done defending myself to you, and since you've made up your mind anyways I suspect I'd waste my breath.

Eastshores was well within his rights to offer advice. You don't get to gatekeep the forum, and/or decide who can or cannot speak up in a discussion of ideas (that's what I took issue with). You, of course, are perfectly fine to ask for clarification. But you also don't get to decide if someone is out of line or not. Not your job.


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

sgsvirgil said:


> The bottom line is Eastshores was out of line and you made it infinitely worse by getting involved in something that did not concern you.


I was out of line? You are unbelievable. Someday was right to point out that you were wrong stating that this forum is for professionals. Maybe it's because you're fairly new to cheftalk, or maybe you're just that pompous but there are forums on this site that state that they are for industry professionals only; this general discussion forum is not one of them. Before you start dictating to others the rules here you should probably learn them yourself.

Furthermore this started because you made a sarcastic reply to me as if I were suggesting someone treat food in an unsafe manner. I replied in kind. Guess what chef.. I don't have to have worked in the industry to know food safety guidelines of temperature and time and to practice them. You seem not to want to acknowledge that and would rather snipe at someday for calling you out.


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## kc27 (Feb 19, 2010)

Just wanted to follow up that I am going to go with a shredded chicken, sloppy joe, and hot dogs/brats type menu. But I did want to test the suggestion of grilling burgers in advance and putting them in a crockpot with beef juice just to see how they would taste. After grilling, I put the burgers in the crockpot with a product called Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef for the liquid and set the crockpot to low heat - it kept them at 170 degrees. After a few hours, I tried one. Not as good as right off the grill, but I was surprised they still had pretty decent flavor. I would have thought soaking that long would drastically diminish the flavor. One of my teenagers had one and thought the same thing. I also grilled some hot dogs, then put those in beer, onions, liquid smoke etc. in another crockpot at low. That crockpot also maintained a temperature of 170 degrees. I guess I was expecting more flavor because of the beer and onions. But the hot dogs looked fine, and tasted OK.


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## everydaygourmet (Apr 4, 2012)

Since you have access to power you can do this on-site or @home and hold in a warmed cooler, agree with other comments hot dogs are already cooked so all you're doing is searing them so, have @! Cheers!

*Sous-Vide Hamburger Temperature and Timing Chart

Doneness* *Temperature* *Timing Range*
Very Rare to Rare 115°F (46°C) to 123°F (51°C) 40 minutes to 2 1/2 hours
Medium-Rare 124°F (51°C) to 129°F (54°C) 40 minutes to 2 1/2 hours
Medium 130°F (54°C) to 137°F (58°C) 40 minutes to 4 hours (2 1/2 hours max if under 130°F/54°C)
Medium-Well 138°F (59°C) to 144°F (62°C) 40 minutes to 4 hours
Well Done 145°F (63°C) to 155°F (68°C) 40 minutes to 3 1/2 hours


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## kc27 (Feb 19, 2010)

I went with pulled chicken, brats, and hot dogs. I used two Nesco roaster ovens and crock pots to keep the food warm. The chicken and the brats went pretty well, the hot dogs were not as popular. The weather did turn out to be sunny, hot, and humid, so I was glad the food had been made ahead of time. I live under 15 minutes from the park, so it was pretty easy to transport the food and keep it at serving temperature for the afternoon. I also took the lazy man's way out, and bought the BBQ pulled chicken from Gordon Food Service. It has a pretty mild bbq flavor, so I provided other bbq sauces so people could amplify the flavor.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Glad to hear it all went well!


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