How to Make a Hot Dog

Co-authored by Sarena Nelson and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: April 10, 2024

If the idea of commercially-made hot dogs makes you squeamish, create your own hot dogs using high-quality beef chuck. Use a food processor and grinder to combine the meat with onion, garlic, paprika, and spices. Then soak and fill sheep casings to make the individual hot dogs. Parboil the hot dogs so they hold their shape and then boil, grill, or sear the sausages to finish cooking them. Serve the hot dogs with classic condiments, such as ketchup and mustard, and enjoy!

Quick Steps

Grind beef chuck and stuff sheep casing with the meat.
Bring a large pot to boil and simmer the hot dogs for 25 minutes.
Remove the hot dogs and soak them in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
Boil or grill the hot dogs until their temperature reads 145-150 °F (63-66 °C).

Ingredients

2 pounds (0.91 kg) of beef chuck
1 teaspoon (3 g) of granulated onion
1 teaspoon (3 g) of granulated garlic
2 ½ teaspoons (15 g) of kosher salt
1 tablespoon (7 g) of sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of white pepper
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground coriander
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground nutmeg
1 cup (240 ml) of ice-cold water, divided

Makes about 15 hot dogs

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Grinding and Seasoning the Meat

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1
Cut the beef chuck and chill it in the freezer for 1 hour. Get out 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of beef chuck (a roast cut of beef) and set it on a cutting board. If you prefer, use pork shoulder or another combination of meats, such as turkey or chicken breast. Cut the meat into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes and spread them on a plate or baking sheet. Transfer the plate or baking sheet to the freezer and chill the meat until it becomes crunchy on the surface.
- Avoid freezing the meat until it's solid. This would make it difficult to grind.
- To save time, ask your butcher to grind the beef chuck for you. Then you can skip freezing and grinding the meat the first time. Verify that the meat is ground chuck when you purchase it.
2
Combine the spices in a small bowl. Use a spoon or a whisk to stir them until the spice mixture is combined and then set it aside while you grind the meat. You'll need to mix together:
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) of granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) of granulated garlic
- 2 ½ teaspoons (15 g) of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) of sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground nutmeg
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3
Grind the beef chuck. Put the finest or smallest plate on your grinder and remove the beef chuck pieces from the freezer. Run all of the cubes of meat through the grinder so the ground meat falls into a clean bowl. Work quickly to keep the meat cold.
- If your butcher already ground the chuck for you, skip this step.
- To prevent the meat from warming too quickly, you can put the grinder in the fridge or freezer while you're preparing the spice mixture.
4
Mix the ground chuck with the spices. Add the spice mixture to the bowl with the ground chuck and use your hands to combine them. Dip your hands in a little of the ice-cold water to prevent the meat from sticking to your fingers. ^{[1]
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- Ensure that the spices are evenly mixed into the meat so the hot dogs will be uniformly flavored.
5
Freeze the meat and a food processor bowl for 15 minutes. Cover the bowl with the spiced ground chuck and put it in the freezer. The meat needs to chill before you process it again. You'll also need to put a food processor bowl in the freezer to chill.
- You can set up your food processor while the meat's chilling.
6
Blend the meat with the water in a food processor for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the meat and food processor bowl from the freezer and spoon it into the bowl. Pour in ¹ ⁄ ₂ cup (120 ml) of ice water and blend the mixture. Then gradually mix in the remaining ¹ ⁄ ₂ cup (120 ml) of ice water as you blend the meat for 5 minutes. The mixture should become thick and very smooth. ^{[2]
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- If you're concerned that the meat mixture will separate, try working in smaller batches and divide the total amount of water between the batches. Then combine the batches once you've blended all of the meat.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Stuffing the Casings

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1
Soak 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3.0 m) of sheep casing for 1 hour. Since most sheep casings are packaged in brine, fill a bowl with warm water and put your casing into it. Leave the casing to soak and change the water at least 2 to 3 times as it soaks for an hour.
- Changing the water frequently will help flush the salt out from the casing.
- The sheep casing should be soft and easy to handle once it's finished soaking.
2
Rinse the casing and put the stuffing attachment on your meat grinder. Remove the sheep casing from the bowl of water and run it under cool water to remove traces of salt. Then put the stuffing attachment on the end of your meat grinder. ^{[3]
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- If you can, chill the stuffing attachment while the casing soaks. The spiced meat mixture should also be chilling while you're preparing the casing.
3
Attach the casing to the stuffer and place a pan of water directly below it. Grease the stuffing attachment with a little shortening and tie a knot at one end of the casing. Slide the open end of the casing onto the attachment until the tied end is at the tip of the stuffing attachment. Then place a rimmed baking sheet under it and pour enough water to come ¹ ⁄ ₄ inch (0.64 cm) up the side of the pan. ^{[4]
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- The water in the sheet will help the meat-filled casing slide away from the stuffing attachment while you're working.
- Use any size baking sheet. Keep in mind that the longer the sheet, the more room the meat-filled casing has to move.
4
Fill the stuffer with the meat and turn the machine on. Remove the chilled meat from the refrigerator and transfer it to the sausage stuffer. Push down firmly to remove as much air as you can. Then turn your mixer on so it begins to push the meat down through the nozzle into the casing. ^{[5]
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- Try to work quickly so the meat stays cold and the hot dogs hold their shape.
5
Fill the casing and prick it to remove air pockets. Once you've pushed all of the spiced meat into the casing, turn off the machine and firmly pull the casing from the attachment. Tie the end tightly at the end of the filled casing and use a sausage pricker to poke any air pockets you see. ^{[6]
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- It's important to remove pockets of air since these will cause the hot dogs to spoil quickly.
6
Twist the filled casing into individual hot dogs. Determine how long you want the hot dogs to be and then pinch the casing to create a gap. Twist at that spot 2 to 3 times to separate one hot dog from the next. Continue to twist off at even lengths. ^{[7]
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- You should be able to get about 15 hot dogs that are about 6 inches (15 cm) long.
Once you've twisted the filled casing into individual links, take a sharp knife or kitchen-only scissors and cut in between them to separate the hot dogs. Put them in a container and refrigerate them until you're ready to parboil them. ^{[8]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cooking the Hot Dogs

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1
Parboil the hot dogs for 25 minutes. Heat a large pot of water over medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a gentle boil, lower the hot dogs into the water. Simmer the uncovered hot dogs for 25 minutes. ^{[9]
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- Parboiling will cook the hot dogs just enough so they hold their shape. Then you can finish cooking them on the stove or grill.
- Avoid boiling the hot dogs over high heat or the casings could burst.
2
Plunge the parboiled hot dogs into ice water. Fill a large bowl with ice water and use tongs to transfer the hot dogs to the bowl. Let the hot dogs stay in the ice water for about 5 minutes. Then remove the hot dogs from the ice water and put them in a container until you're ready to finish cooking them. ^{[10]
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- You can cover and refrigerate the parboiled hot dogs for up to 1 week.
3
Boil, grill, or sear the hot dogs. When you're ready to finish cooking the hot dogs or if you'd like to cook store-bought hot dogs , decide if you want to boil them in a pot of water, toss them on the grill, or slice and sear them in a skillet . ^{[11]
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- To ensure that the hot dogs are fully cooked, insert an instant-read meat thermometer. The hot dogs should reach 145 to 150 °F (63 to 66 °C).
4
Place the hot dogs on buns. Gently open a fresh hot dog bun and use tongs to place a cooked hot dog on the bun. You can use any type of bun such as potato, whole-wheat, gluten-free, or oat.
- Consider warming the buns in a 200 °F (93 °C) oven for about 10 minutes.
- To make the hot dogs easier to fill, consider slicing them in half lengthwise before putting the hot dog on the bun.
5
Garnish the hot dogs and serve them with your choice of condiments. Sprinkle cheese or diced onions over the hot dogs if you like. Then set out a variety of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, relish, chili, and sauerkraut. Branch out with hot sauce, chutney, salsa, or coleslaw.
- To store leftover, fully-cooked hot dogs, put them in an airtight container without the buns and condiments. Refrigerate them for up to 3 or 4 days.

Community Q&A

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Question

Why do you need a bun to make hot dog?

Community Answer

Hot dogs were designed to be food that is easy to hold. That´s why they are typically eaten with a bun. You don't HAVE to have a bun, though. Be free.

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What can be used as substitute for beef?

Community Answer

You can use chicken or pork and if you are a vegetarian, you can use tofu.

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Question

Where can I get sheep casing in Nigeria?

Community Answer

Ask your nearest butcher or sheep rancher. If you still have difficulty finding them, you can always order online and have them shipped to you.

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Tips

If you'd like to test the flavorings of the hot dogs before you stuff and cook them, cook 1 spoonful of the spiced ground chuck in a pan on the stove. Once it's cooked, taste it and adjust the seasonings if needed. ^{[12]
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Chill all of your grinding and stuffing equipment. This will help the hot dogs keep their shape and will make the best texture.

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Warnings

Always practice good hygiene when handling raw meat to prevent the spread of disease. Wash your hands before and after touching the meat and thoroughly wash any surfaces that came into contact with the meat.

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Things You'll Need

Measuring cups and spoons
Plate or baking sheet
Knife and cutting board
Grinder with small plate
Stuffing attachment
Mixer
Rimmed baking sheet
Bowl
Plastic wrap
Food processor
Large pot
Tongs
Storage container
Sheep casings, about 24 to 26 millimetres (2.4 to 2.6 cm) in size

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How to Make a Hot Dog

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Ingredients

Steps

Grinding and Seasoning the Meat

Stuffing the Casings

Cooking the Hot Dogs

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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