Hot Dog inquiry

magnum3672 · Jun 3, 2012

I am planning on making some hot dogs later this week (Probably tuesday or wednesday) and I have a few questions.

First and foremost: I need a recipe, I want one thats pork and beef (I like the flavor more) and anything else is fine as long as its got a good hot doggy flavor

Second is about the grind. I would love to emulsify my dogs but I understand that its a more advanced technique and was wondering if I could get away with a double grind on a fine plate?

Third is Dry time. I would probably have plenty of time getting the dogs together but not enough time to smoke right away, I work for 3 hours in the afternoon. Would it be okay to let the dogs (in the casing) "hang out" while I worked and then came back to smoke em?

Fourth is about the casing. I love a wonderful snappy natural casing, any suggestions for making sure it gets that way?

Thanks guys, you're always so helpful!

PS. I found this recipe http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-recipes/wiener From doing a search, seems good?

alblancher · Jun 3, 2012

Solaryellow has a current thread about some dogs he made. This might be a good place to start

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/119796/who-wants-to-see-pics-of-my-wiener

diggingdogfarm · Jun 3, 2012

The Marianski recipe is a good place to start.
I think that it's best to fine grind and then emulsify in a food processor in small batches.
You won't get the same texture by just grinding.
You can let them hang and then smoke, dogs don't need much smoke.

~Martin

DanMcG · Jun 3, 2012

You want sheep's casing's for the snappy bite.

When you say let the dogs hang out. are we talking in the frig or in the hot sun? You are adding cure right? Wouldn't be a dog with out it.

I can live with a double grind, but like Martin said I think that it's best to fine grind and then emulsify in a food processor in small batches.

Len Poli has some great formulations for wieners and dogs here's one we do

http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Hot Dogs-Franks.pdf

everyone's tastes are different so a good dog to you might not be my favorite but start with something that you thing you'd like and modify it from there.

BGKYSmoker · Jun 3, 2012

alblancher said:
Solaryellow has a current thread about some dogs he made. This might be a good place to start

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/119796/who-wants-to-see-pics-of-my-wiener

Oh noooooooo

He got someone to look at his wiener

solaryellow · Jun 3, 2012

Like a champion Rick. :biggrin:

BGKYSmoker · Jun 3, 2012

solaryellow said:
Like a champion Rick.

Your a good man.....Brother

magnum3672 · Jun 3, 2012

By hang out I meant the fridge. And I know the texture won't be the same without emulsifying but I've heard a lot of warnings about it and it just seems easier to avoid that. I'm pretty smart though (if I do say so myself) so if enough of you say go for it then I'm game. I have a pretty beefy grinder (1000watt) and a pretty nice cuisinart to emulsify with.

boykjo · Jun 4, 2012

I have been triple grinding through a fine plate and still cant get a good hot dog texture. I used my food processor a while back and the hot dog texture was spot on.... I did small amounts at a time.

Like dan said use fresh sheep casings I use B&P sheeps packed in a salt solution.......

I sent you a PM

Joe

diesel · Jun 4, 2012

Just keep everything as cold as possible. When emulsifying you don't want the fat separate which will happen if it get warm.

good luck. lets see some pics.

magnum3672 · Jun 4, 2012

I'm not sure emulsifying is going to be possible come to think of it. I have a 6 cup food pro and if I'm doing anything more than a couple pounds of dogs I think it will take too long. Also my stuffer is my grinder. Not ideal I know but its what I have so I'm concerned that if I emulsify the dogs and then send it through the grinder for stuffing it'll get too warm and the fat will leak.

Also, when I am stuffing, should I make 1 giant sausage and then twist off the size dog I want? Or should I twist em off as they come out?

pantherfan83 · Jun 4, 2012

I was going to say to bite the bullet and use the food processor storing your meat in the freezer and doing small batches. Then I saw you will be stuffing with your grinder. I don't think there is any way you could get the emusulsified meat paste to stuff very well. Also, it would make a huge mess. I'd stick with the 2 grinds. It was attempting to do things like this that caused me to get a stuffer. I know it's too late for this batch of dogs, but the 5 lb stuffer from Grizzly is $79.00. It has plastic gears (but so do others and they are more expensive), but if you use it like you have some sense it won't be a problem.

You only need to smoke hot dogs for 1.5 hours, you can then transfer them to a pot of water and poach them until they reach 152F. Try to keep the water temp arount 152-160.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-lb-Sausage-Stuffer-Vertical/H6252

diggingdogfarm · Jun 4, 2012

I sure wouldn't attempt to stuff either emulsified or finely ground meat into small casings with a grinder! It's an exercise in futility.
If you can live with the texture of dogs just finely ground, that's great because it does save a lot of work and mess, but as i said above, don't expect the texture to be the same as a common hot dog.
IMHO, good emulsified sausages are some of the most difficult to make consistently, having the right equipment is essential.

~Martin

magnum3672 · Jun 4, 2012

Crud, Suddenly my plans have hit a giant wall.

So the consensus so far (as I'm seeing it) is that even with 2 grinds it will be very difficult to stuff these bad boys. I should just go buy a stuffer. I suppose I could. I do have some extra money floating around (its a big accomplishment for me since I'm a student!) so it wouldn't be the end of the world. I'll sit on it for a bit and hopefully I get a few more inputs about it.

Thanks for your help so far though guys!

smokinhusker · Jun 4, 2012

I haven't made hot dogs yet...I did 21mm snack sticks using my grinder and the meat came out way to mushy. I did a coarse grind, then a fine grind then stuffed. I now have a stuffer!

magnum3672 · Jun 4, 2012

Any advice as for what to do in the mean time? I'm supposed to be providing sausage on thursday. I could go out and buy a stuffer, but the cheapest one I found was 130. Any other sausages I could make?

diggingdogfarm · Jun 4, 2012

Brats or Italian sausage would be good.

~Martin

magnum3672 · Jun 4, 2012

I'm liking the brat idea. Looking to use this recipe from ShooterRick.

5 lbs ground pork or 4lbs ground pork and 1 lb lean beef
1 TBS ground coriander
1.5 tsp good paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBS Kosher salt
2 tsp dried rosemary
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBS sage
1.5 TBS dry mustard
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup soy concentrate
1 cup cold water

My only question is where do I get soy concentrate?

diggingdogfarm · Jun 4, 2012

A health/natural food store, but, IMHO, it isn't needed.

~Martin

magnum3672 · Jun 4, 2012

Okay, I'm going with that recipe tomorrow.

WISH ME LUCK! haha

And thanks again for all your support! I'll post when I get a real sausage stuffer so I can put your hot dog advice to work!

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