Overview

Make real frankfurters at home with a tight, snappy emulsion: grind cold, emulsify, stuff, poach to set, then smoke and bloom for color and clean snap.

Ingredients

• Beef chuck, well-chilled – 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
• Pork shoulder, well-chilled – 0.6 kg (1.3 lb)
• Pork back fat, well-chilled – 0.2 kg (0.44 lb)
• Kosher salt – 36 g (2 Tbsp) for 2.0 kg meat/fat
• Cure #1 (Prague Powder #1) – 5.0 g for 2.0 kg meat/fat (about 3/4 tsp; weigh for accuracy)
• Nonfat dry milk – 60 g (about 1/2 cup)
• Ice-cold water or crushed ice – 200 g (200 ml; ~7 fl oz)
• White pepper, ground – 8 g (1.5 tsp)
• Sweet paprika – 8 g (2 tsp)
• Garlic powder – 4 g (1 tsp)
• Mustard powder – 4 g (1 tsp)
• Coriander, ground – 2 g (1 tsp)
• Nutmeg or mace, ground – 1 g (1/4 tsp)
• Sugar or dextrose – 12 g (2 tsp)
• Optional: sodium phosphate 0.3% – 6 g (improves bind; do not exceed label guidance)

Equipment

• Meat grinder with 6 mm (1/4 in) and 3–4.5 mm (1/8–3/16 in) plates
• Food processor or bowl chopper (or stand mixer with paddle for pre-emulsion mixing)
• Sausage stuffer with 10–12 mm (3/8–1/2 in) horn
• 24–26 mm sheep casings
• Accurate gram scale (reads to 0.1 g) for Cure #1
• Instant-read thermometer and probe thermometer
• Large stockpot or immersion circulator for 160°F/71°C poach
• Ice bath setup (food tubs, ice)
• Smoker capable of steady 160–175°F (71–79°C) with good airflow
• Sheet pans, racks, and hooks/rods for hanging
• Sharp boning knife and sanitizing supplies

Wood

Apple with a small touch of hickory for color and a clean, mild smoke

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 170 °F (77 °C)
Target internal: 140 °F (60 °C)
Approx duration: 1 hours

Why Poach, Then Smoke

Commercial franks are emulsified, stuffed, fully cooked, then smoked and bloomed for color and snap. Poaching first sets the emulsion cleanly and quickly, keeping the meat out of the danger zone and preventing fat-out. A short, gentle smoke after the cook adds color and a mild smoke ring without drying the links.

Meat, Fat, and Seasoning Ratios

Aim for ~70–75% lean and 25–30% fat in the final paste. A classic split is 60% beef chuck, 30% pork shoulder, 10% pork back fat. Season at ~1.8% salt and 0.25% Cure #1 (Prague Powder #1) by weight for proper protein extraction, color, and safety. Mild spice (white pepper, paprika, coriander, garlic, mustard) keeps it traditional; a dairy binder like nonfat dry milk at ~3% tightens texture and moisture.

Grind Cold, Emulsify Colder

Keep meat, fat, grinder parts, and bowls near 28–32°F (-2 to 0°C) before grinding; partial frost is good. Grind once through 6 mm (1/4 in) and once through 3–4.5 mm (1/8–3/16 in). Mix the ground meat with salt and Cure #1 until sticky and tacky (2–3 minutes). Emulsify in small batches in a food processor, adding crushed ice/cold water gradually until you have a smooth, glossy paste. Keep paste temperature below 50°F (10°C) at all times; stop and rechill if needed to avoid a broken emulsion.

Stuff and Link

Soak and flush 24–26 mm sheep casings. Load a 10–12 mm horn and stuff firmly but without stretching the casing. Link to 5–6 in (12–15 cm) hot dogs. Prick obvious air pockets with a sterile pin. Lay linked dogs on racks or hang to dry in the fridge, uncovered, 1–2 hours to firm the surface.

Poach to Set and Cook

Bring a water bath to 160°F (71°C) and hold. Poach the linked hot dogs until they reach 150–154°F (66–68°C) internal, about 20–30 minutes depending on diameter and load. Do not let the bath exceed 165°F (74°C)—rolling boils cause fat-out and wrinkled casings. Verify internal temperature with a fast, thin probe in the center of a link.

Chill, Dry, and Pellicle

Move links directly from the poach to an ice bath until they drop below 80°F (27°C), about 5–8 minutes. Hang or rack-dry with a fan or in a cool, drafty spot until the surface is dry and slightly tacky—this pellicle helps smoke adhere. If the room is warm, limit this to 30–45 minutes, then proceed to the smoker.

Smoke Gently, Then Bloom

Run the smoker clean at 160–175°F (71–79°C) with light, thin blue smoke. Hang or rack the cooked links and smoke 45–90 minutes until the casings take on a uniform ruddy bronze. Because the dogs are already fully cooked, your goal is color and mild smoke; reheat internal to about 140°F (60°C) for serving. After smoking, hang at room temp 30–60 minutes to bloom—the color will deepen as the surface dries—then chill below 40°F (4°C) within 2 hours.

Serve and Hold

For service, a quick kiss of direct heat—brief grill, griddle, or sizzle in a pan—crisps the casing without bursting it. Avoid heavy charring, which can bitter the mild smoke. Hot dogs that have been fully cooked and smoked can be held hot at 140°F (60°C) in a covered pan with a splash of hot water for an hour without losing snap.

Troubleshooting

Smear or mushy texture: paste warmed above ~50°F (10°C) during emulsification; rechill meat/equipment and add ice in smaller doses. Fat-out/pockets: poach was too hot or smoke temp too high; keep baths 160°F (71°C), smoke 160–175°F (71–79°C). Wrinkled casings: overcooked or overdried; shorten smoke or lower pit temp. Weak snap: under-stuffed or not enough drying before smoke; stuff a touch firmer and ensure a pellicle forms.

Food Safety Notes

Use Cure #1 at 0.25% (2.5 g per kg meat) and weigh it accurately on a gram scale. Keep raw meat below 40°F (4°C) during grinding and emulsifying; sanitize tools and surfaces. The poach brings links to a safe internal temperature; chill to below 40°F (4°C) within 2 hours after bloom. Refrigerate cooked, smoked franks up to 7 days (3–4 days if not vacuum sealed) or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F (74°C) if previously cooled and stored.

Alternate Schedule (Classic Smoke-Then-Poach)

If you prefer the traditional order: dry at 110°F (43°C) with no smoke 30 minutes; smoke at 130–160°F (54–71°C) until the surface colors and internal hits ~130°F (54°C); then finish in a 160°F (71°C) poach to 150–154°F (66–68°C), cold-shower, and bloom. This yields slightly deeper smoke but requires tighter pit control at low temps.

Notes

• Weigh Cure #1; volume measures vary by brand. Standard is 0.25% (2.5 g per kg).
• Keep paste below 50°F (10°C) during emulsification to prevent a broken emulsion.
• Poach at 160°F (71°C) to 150–154°F (66–68°C) internal before smoking; the smoke is for color/flavor.
• Sheep casings (24–26 mm) give the classic snap; 26 mm collagen works but is less forgiving to overcooking.
• If your smoker runs hot, shorten smoke time and vent well; thin blue smoke only.
• Storage: chill to ≤40°F (4°C) within 2 hours; hold 3–4 days refrigerated (7 days if vacuum sealed); freeze up to 3 months.