Hot Dogs/Fankfurters???

[danbono]

Hi All Just made my 1st batch of fresh sausage. Would like try my luck with Hot Dogs/Frankfurters. For those of you on the East Coast, I prefer Nathan's with the natural casings. Would It be HARD to try to duplicate something like that?

Most recipes I see call for smoking the dogs, is there another way. I see the commercial guys steam them I believe.

I do have a Vertical electric smoker, but would prefer not smoking.

Thanks Dan

 

[johnnie walker]

Dan, I don't see why you couldn't use some liquid smoke (or not) and just simmer them in a large pot of hot water to get them up to an IT of 150 or so. I'm sure someone has already done this and will jump in soon.

 

[chef jimmyj]

It is my understanding that the premium Hot Dogs both in natural casing and skinless are Smoked then Steamed. Others add smoke flavoring, most likely Smoke Powder. I can not tell how much you would need. Play with it and let us know...JJ

 

[boykjo]

Why would you not want to smoke them? I cold smoke them for 2 hrs with apple before I cook and its adds a great flavor plus adds a beautiful color to the hotdog. Are you planning on stuffing them with your meat grinder. I would be more hesitant to use that. Those small casings are tuff to fill. You might want to slow down a bit. To make sucessful hot dogs theres a little more involved. To get a true hot dog texture you will need to emulsuify. The first thing I would do is invest in a vertical stuffer. You will need a 3/8 tube

Joe

 

[danbono]

Hi All Thanks for the all the great info.

Why would you not want to smoke them? I want them to taste like the store bought ones.

To get a true hot dog texture you will need to emulsify. blender-water -meat and make a paste.

You will need a 3/8 tube . A 3/8 tube came with my grinder.

So I should be ready to GO..

Your right I'm not really ready to take on the Franks , will be some day..Just getting info on the process, right now.

Thanks Again Dan

 

[herms]

Not saying it will not work but, trying to stuff meat the consistancy of paste with a grinder is going to be a major PITA.  Pretty sure even if you chill/partial freeze the meat it is going to give you problems trying to stuff it with the grinder and that small of stuffing tube.  Hope it all works out for you once you give it a try.   

 

[tigerregis]

Hi there, having worked at a commercial processing company, you have received good advice. Our products were hung and combination steamed and smoked simultaneously. Natural casings were produced for a small demographic and the majority were skinless/ stripped of their synthetics.

 

[danbono]

Hi All Thanks for the info. on Frankfurters. I was thinking that after stuffing  the Franks put them in a hot water bath, till the IT reaches 160*, then freeze what I'm NOT going to use in a few days.

Thanks Dan

 

[mossymo]

Not sure if this will interest you or not Dan, but for a good mix for hot dogs my wife and I have been using a mix from Curley's Sausage Kitchen called Old Fashion Wieners for the last 6 or 7 years and been very happy with our end product. We have tried other recipes and mixes, but for us this mix tastes the best. We have nieces and nephews that no longer like store bought hotdogs, all they want to eat are these old fashioned wieners. Here is a link if you want to check them out - http://curleyssausagekitchen.com/Old-Fashion-Wieners-25.html
 

 

[rstr hunter]

Here's how I do mine.  I smoke 1st and then finish in a hot water bath then put in ice water to cool and keep the casings tight. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/93736/hot-dog-w-q-view

Like MossyMO have tried the Curley's mix and to me it tastes like bologna.  I prefer sausage maker's http://www.sausagemaker.com/91140wienerseasoning.aspx

but both of these are an old fashioned weiner not like a nathan's hot dog.  To finish answering your question, I don't know that you have to smoke them (even though I would) and think you should be able to just use the water bath as shown in my q-view above to get to temp and cool down.  Make sure to do a q-view and good luck. 

 

[danbono]

Hi Thanks guys for the Frank links, trouble is, I DON'T really want to smoke my Franks. I have a vertical electric smoker see avatar.

Dan

 

[danbono]

Hi All If I did want to smoke the dogs 1st. Can "IT" be done my Electric vertical smoker? I'm not sure if I can get the temps low enough, to smoke the dogs?

Thanks Dan