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Brined & cooked recipeOrigin Recipe

Frankfurter and Wiener Sausages

A cooked charcuterie preparation from the Salumi Atlas

Draft

This recipe is a draft, pending verification by The Curesmith. Treat the salt, cure and timing figures as provisional and confirm them against your own judgement before curing.

Introduction

Frankfurter and Wiener sausages are fine-textured, narrow cooked sausages, usually cured, lightly smoked and scalded or otherwise cooked. They are characterised by a uniform emulsion, a clean snap when natural casing is used and a mild seasoned flavour. The family includes several legally and culturally distinct naming traditions.

Where it comes from

Pork cut chart with the Shoulder highlighted
Pork · ShoulderPork shoulder

Before you begin

Purpose and scope

The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.

Limitation of liability

The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.

Nitrite and cure safety

Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:

  • Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
  • Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
  • Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
  • Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.

Food hygiene and cross-contamination

Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.

Temperature control

Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.

Uncooked cured products

Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.

Bacon and other uncooked cured products

Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.

When in doubt, seek professional guidance

If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.

Commercial production

These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.

The recipe

StyleSmoked and cooked
MeatsPork shoulder, Lean beef
Salt1.75%
CureCure #1
Cook to72 C / 162 F

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Ingredients

gAdjust to
scale the recipe
Meat & fat
Pork shoulderReference1000 g
Lean beef45% of pork shoulder450 g
Pork back fat35% of pork shoulder350 g
Seasoning
Salt1.75%25.5 g
Cure #1156 ppm4.5 g
House Cure #1 at 156 ppm ingoing, suited to a short cooked process.
White pepper0.4%5.8 g
Sweet paprika0.3%4.4 g
Ground coriander0.2%2.9 g
Ground mace0.1%1.5 g
Garlic powder0.2%2.9 g
Crushed ice27.3%395 g
Dextrose0.4%5.8 g

Nitrite safety check

Nitrite (NO₂)
156.0ppm
Standard maximum
156ppm
Nitrite level156.0 / 200 ppm max
0156 ppm200 ppm
Safe
Within safe limits. Effective for pathogen control and colour development.

Production

GrindAs the style requires
Rest1 hour, ideally overnight
SmokeCold-smoke below 30 C (86 F), then cook
Cook to72 C / 162 F internal

Method

1
Comminution. Chill meat, fat, grinder parts and bowl thoroughly.
2
Comminution. Grind lean meat through 5 mm and fat through 3 mm; partially freeze again.
3
Preparation. Process lean meat with salt, Cure #1, seasonings and half the ice until tacky and below 5°C.
4
Preparation. Add fat and remaining ice and emulsify, keeping the batter below 12°C.
5
Stuffing. Stuff into sheep casings and link.
6
Smoking. Dry the surface briefly. Apply light smoke if desired.
7
Cooking. Poach or steam until the coldest-point internal temperature reaches at least 71°C. (Endpoint: Core 71 C (160 F))
8
Cooking. Cool immediately after cooking in cold running water or an ice bath, then refrigerate promptly at 4°C or below.
Smoking guidanceCold-smoked over a cool wood smoke (below 30 C (86 F)) before cooking, until it takes colour and a smoky aroma. It is cooked, not dried, so it stays raw until you cook it through.
Key tipsThis is the house version of a cooked product; the Atlas entry carries the traditional detail. Keep everything cold, cook to a measured core temperature, and cool quickly.
ImportantThis is a cooked product. Cook thoroughly to a safe internal temperature of 72 C / 162 F before eating, cool promptly and keep refrigerated.

Recipe by The Curesmith — thecuresmith.com