Beef hot dog help

[KetoJoe]

I am new to sausage making and need to help with my Hot Dogs. I have nailed the flavor but I'm lost on the cooking. I have seen some people say you need let it sit in the fridge overnight after you stuff the casings. Others say to cook right away.

I also need some help with the par boiling part. I did that, they shriveled up and also, the hot dogs are white instead of pink. I tried smoking them and they came out well, including flavor, but they did shrivel up a little.

Please give me some guidance.

Also, to help, my mixture is only 80/20 beef and spices. I am trying to avoid any sugar and fillers like potato starch. I don't mind using Prage powder but I want option to use or not use. Here is my recipe:

2 pounds of chuck roast ground up
20 grams of Redmond real salt
8 grams of smoked paprika
5 grams of granulated garlic
2 grams of onion powder
5 grams of black pepper

(I made this with 1 gram of pink curing salt)

​

Emulsify in food processor with ice

 

[SmokinEdge]

With no nitrite your dogs will always be gray/white. The nitrite fixes the red color by reacting with the iron molecules in myoglobin.

If they shrivel then you are cooking too hot and for too long. I use the Sous vide to finish sausage at 151F then into an ice bath to cool, this help stop shriveling and sets the natural casing to the sausage.

 

[KetoJoe]

With no nitrite your dogs will always be gray/white. The nitrite fixes the red color by reacting with the iron molecules in myoglobin.

If they shrivel then you are cooking too hot and for too long. I use the Sous vide to finish sausage at 151F then into an ice bath to cool, this help stop shriveling and sets the natural casing to the sausage.

Thank you. I actually used 1 gram of cure number 1 but think it may need a little more.

If I use nitrites, do I need to let the mixture sit in fridge overnight so it can "do its thing"

 

[thirdeye]

A few years ago I stopped the emulsification, and went with a double fine grind like I use on bologna or Summer sausage and never looked back.

My procedure is to warm smoke the frankfurters about 2 hours, then move to a 170° oven to finish. I do cycle it off at least once during the finishing time. After they are to temp, I ice bath them for 20 minutes. In the past I have used a roaster with 155° water to poach after smoking, but have not tried my SV circulator yet. I do use Cure #1 and my recipe has some corn syrup. Sheep casings are my favorite.

 

[KetoJoe]

A few years ago I stopped the emulsification, and went with a double fine grind like I use on bologna or Summer sausage and never looked back.

My procedure is to warm smoke the frankfurters about 2 hours, then move to a 170° oven to finish. I do cycle it off at least once during the finishing time. After they are to temp, I ice bath them for 20 minutes. In the past I have used a roaster with 155° water to poach after smoking, but have not tried my SV circulator yet. I do use Cure #1 and my recipe has some corn syrup. Sheep casings are my favorite.

View attachment 646297

Thank you. That was my next question. I tried the cellulose casings and they are good, but I hate the unwrapping part. I also made a batch with sheep casing but my wife wants them thicker. Is there anything thicker than 24mm sheep casing or should I step up to something else

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thank you. I actually used 1 gram of cure number 1 but think it may need a little more.

If I use nitrites, do I need to let the mixture sit in fridge overnight so it can "do its thing"

Apply cure #1 at a rate of 1.1 grams per pound of meat or 2.5 grams per Kg of meat. 1 level teaspoon per 5 pounds of meat if you are lazy. This will give 156ppm nitrite which is a safe level and universally acceptable.

And yes, you need to let the links rest in refrigeration over night. You can add sodium erythorbate at a rate of .05% to meat weight. This acts as a cure accelerator and with it you can stuff then straight to the smoker, but the final finish flavor is much better with a minimum of over night rest in the fridge. The spices level out and balance and it’s just a better product if you don’t rush it.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Glad to help.

 

[thirdeye]

Thank you. That was my next question. I tried the cellulose casings and they are good, but I hate the unwrapping part. I also made a batch with sheep casing but my wife wants them thicker. Is there anything thicker than 24mm sheep casing or should I step up to something else

Syracuse Casing has sheep casings from 20mm to 28mm, and they run true to size. You can use hog casings for hot dogs, but the sheep casings are appealing because of the snap.

 

[Fueling Around]

Thank you. That was my next question. I tried the cellulose casings and they are good, but I hate the unwrapping part. I also made a batch with sheep casing but my wife wants them thicker. Is there anything thicker than 24mm sheep casing or should I step up to something else

My universal casing is hog. Less expensive than sheep and gives the diameter I prefer for my breakfast sausages and brats.
Hot dogs is my next venture and I will probably use hog. I like them thick, too.