Epicurious’ 4 Levels series follows home cooks, advanced cooks and professional chefs as they tackle the same dish. In this episode, former Institute of Culinary Education chef instructor Frank Proto transforms the classic hot dog into a restaurant-worthy project using house-ground lamb, handmade sausage, pickled red onions and ficelle, a slender French bread with a crisp crust.
“A good hot dog has a nice snap to it,” Chef Frank says. “It should be a little garlicky, a little salty and have a little smokiness to it.”
Proto balances the richness of lamb with pork fatback and a custom spice blend before grinding the meat and creating a smooth sausage emulsion. He stuffs the mixture into sheep casings and serves the finished links on ficelle, whose texture and shape make an elevated alternative to the traditional hot dog bun. A generous spread of smoky harissa adds bold flavor and just the right amount of heat.
Despite the professional techniques, the finished hot dog still delivers the familiar flavors that make the classic so satisfying. Watch the video for Chef Frank’s tips, then make the complete recipe below.
🌭 Ready to take a shot at professional meat fabrication, sausage making and charcuterie? Explore the Institute of Culinary Education’s Culinary Arts programs.
Ingredients
- 950 grams lamb shank, cleaned and cubed
- 212 grams pork fatback, cubed
- 23 grams fine sea salt
- 10 grams paprika
- 5 grams granulated garlic
- 4 grams black pepper
- 3 grams onion powder
- 4 grams Insta Cure
- 5 grams smoked paprika
- 2 grams Aleppo pepper
- 1 grams ground cumin
- 2 grams ground coriander
- 230 grams crushed ice
- Sheep casing
- 2 ficelle
Directions
- Cut the lamb and pork fatback into cubes and partially freeze until firm. Grind through a fine die.
- Combine the salt, spices and curing salt. Mix thoroughly into the ground meat, then return the mixture to the freezer to chill. Keep all ingredients as cold as possible throughout the process.
- Working in two batches, puree the meat mixture in a food processor for 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the crushed ice to each batch and continue processing for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes smooth and lightens in color.
- Stuff the mixture into sheep casings and tie the ends.
- Poach the hot dogs in gently simmering water for 5 to 7 minutes, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to cool.
- Grill until lightly charred and heated through.
- Serve on split ficelle with harissa and pickled red onions.
Pickled Red Onions
Yields 1 quart
Ingredients
- 4 small red onions, sliced
- ¼ cup salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Directions
- Place the sliced onions in a 2- to 3-quart heatproof container.
- In a saucepan, combine the salt, sugar, vinegar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve.
- Pour the hot brine over the onions. Add the bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Stir, cover tightly and let stand in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Harissa
Yields 1 pint
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, fine dice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
Directions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Whisk in the tomato paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, smoked paprika, chili flakes, black pepper and salt.
- Cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cool completely before serving or refrigerating.
