Got a hot dog situation...

[zachyweezer]

Hey all.

When I make regular smoked sausage, whether pork or beef, I do 70/30 and typically a single grind. It's always super juicy and just what we like.

As for my recent attempt at hot dogs, they were just ok. I did a 70/30 ratio, triple grind through a fine plate, mixed like a mad man, and stuffed into cellulose casings. Everything was extremely cold. Smoked the next day at 150 for a couple hours and finished in the smoker. No fat out. Everything was perfect

The hot dogs seem extremely lean to me, however. They're nor bad, but I cant believe just how lean the bite is. Again, not grainy or anything.

Could this be because of the triple grind? Am I used to larger pieces of fat and only feel the sausage is leaner because it's more distributed? Am I going crazy ?

 

[zachyweezer]

Hey all.

When I make regular smoked sausage, whether pork or beef, I do 70/30 and typically a single grind. It's always super juicy and just what we like.

As for my recent attempt at hot dogs, they were just ok. I did a 70/30 ratio, triple grind through a fine plate, mixed like a mad man, and stuffed into cellulose casings. Everything was extremely cold. Smoked the next day at 150 for a couple hours and finished in the smoker. No fat out. Everything was perfect

The hot dogs seem extremely lean to me, however. They're nor bad, but I cant believe just how lean the bite is. Again, not grainy or anything.

Could this be because of the triple grind? Am I used to larger pieces of fat and only feel the sausage is leaner because it's more distributed? Am I going crazy ?

Probably worth mentioning that they are all beef.

 

[Bigtank]

Watching, I've never made hot dogs but I'm thinking about it.

 

[chopsaw]

triple grind through a fine plate, mixed like a mad man,

they are all beef.

That would be suspect in my experience . Triple grind for sure , and personally I don't care for all beef .

 

[DougE]

Watching, I've never made hot dogs but I'm thinking about it.

Same. I do tons of sausages, but haven't attempted hotdogs yet either.

 

[JckDanls 07]

I believe hot dogs are more like a 50/50 mix... Then the meat is emulsified so I don't think 3 grinds is the culprit...

Others with more knowledge than I will be along to teach us all ...

 

[zachyweezer]

Watching, I've never made hot dogs but I'm thinking about it.

It's been humbling. That's for sure.

 

[chopsaw]

I use all pork . 80 / 20 . One grind thru an 1/8 " plate .
Then use a food processor to emulsify . 3 times through through a fine plate and a hard mix is to much in my opinion .

 

[DougE]

Hotdogs can be done with 100% beef (think Kosher). I've seen it done with pork/beef doing a couple passes through a fine plate with decent results, but the texture isn't exactly like emulsified.

 

[DougE]

3 times through through a fine plate and a hard mix is to much in my opinion .

2 passes through a fine plate would be about all I would go if I were to attempt it without a food processor to emulsify.

 

[zachyweezer]

I use all pork . 80 / 20 . One grind thru an 1/8 " plate .
Then use a food processor to emulsify . 3 times through through a fine plate and a hard mix is to much in my opinion .
View attachment 667961
View attachment 667962

Looks like a nice dog!
I guess I was practicing a little creative writing when I mentioned my mixing. I mix until the meat mixture sticks to my hand and then maybe an extra minute after that.

I'm a little confused about the grinding now. I thought that as long as things were nice and cold, you could grind as much as you'd like without compromising the fat in your sausage. The 30/70 mix in these dogs seems more like 15/85. Strange stuff.

 

[zachyweezer]

I guess the repeated fine grinding is over manipulating the beef...kind of like overmixing meatloaf? The product becomes dense and less than juicy

 

[chopsaw]

I guess the repeated fine grinding is over manipulating the beef...kind of like overmixing meatloaf? The product becomes dense and less than juicy

That would be my thought . Just offering my opinion . Other things go into it . Do you use a binder ?

 

[DougE]

I guess the repeated fine grinding is over manipulating the beef...kind of like overmixing meatloaf? The product becomes dense and less than juicy

May well be the case. While I just do other non-emulsified sausages for the time being, I have read a lot on making hotdogs by using a grinder only, and full emulsification using either a food processor or bowl cutter. Of the grinder only ones, they did a coarse grind first, then 2 passes through a fine plate (chilling the meat between passes, of course).

 

[zachyweezer]

That would be my thought . Just offering my opinion . Other things go into it . Do you use a binder

That would be my thought . Just offering my opinion . Other things go into it . Do you use a binder ?

I appreciate the advice! I use milk powder and, as with all my sausages, some unleavened bread crumbs (about 1oz. per lb. - not much).

 

[zachyweezer]

May well be the case. While I just do other non-emulsified sausages for the time being, I have read a lot on making hotdogs by using a grinder only, and full emulsification using either a food processor or bowl cutter. Of the grinder only ones, they did a coarse grind first, then 2 passes through a fine plate (chilling the meat between passes, of course).

Thats what I did exactly. I coarse grind (1/4 in. I think), and two on the finest one (can't give you specifics on that one).

 

[DougE]

Thats what I did exactly. I coarse grind (1/4 in. I think), and two on the finest one (can't give you specifics on that one).

3mm is my finest, I believe.

 

[DougE]

I've watched some well trusted sausage makers on youtube do 1 coarse, 2 fine for dogs. They chill the meat to 30~32°F between passes and make some decent looking dogs for non-emulsified. Good texture and not dry at all. I only follow a couple ......... two guys and a cooler (cajuneric here, and Duncan Henry, who does a Marianski March series yearly with permission from Stanley)

 

[zachyweezer]

I've watched some well trusted sausage makers on youtube do 1 coarse, 2 fine for dogs. They chill the meat to 30~32°F between passes and make some decent looking dogs for non-emulsified. Good texture and not dry at all. I only follow a couple ......... two guys and a cooler (cajuneric here, and Duncan Henry, who does a Marianski March series yearly with permission from Stanley)

Yeah, I've seen a few of their videos. There's another fellow with a channel called Chud's BBQ that has a couple of hot dog vids where he only uses a grinder. In fact, he was the inspiration for my dogs.
Again, they weren't bad, just not nearly as juicy as I would have liked. Not dry but lean. A lot of my family loved them. Just trying to figure out why that's the case. I think I'll go with pork next time (this weekend probably.lol) and possibly go with one coarse grind followed by a fine.

 

[DougE]

Yeah, I've seen a few of their videos. There's another fellow with a channel called Chud's BBQ that has a couple of hot dog vids where he only uses a grinder. In fact, he was the inspiration for my dogs.
Again, they weren't bad, just not nearly as juicy as I would have liked. Not dry but lean. A lot of my family loved them. Just trying to figure out why that's the case. I think I'll go with pork next time (this weekend probably.lol) and possibly go with one coarse grind followed by a fine.

Let us know how the next batch goes. You might could still do all beef, but add in a little pork backfat.