Homemade Lamb Hot Dogs with Natural Sheep Casings

Looking for something different to put on the grill before summer comes to an end? Homemade lamb hot dogs offer a flavorful twist on a cookout favorite while showcasing one of the best applications for natural sheep casings.

Inspired by a lamb hot dog recipe from the Institute of Culinary Education, these links combine lamb with pork fat and a blend of savory spices before being stuffed into natural sheep casings, cooked, and finished on the grill.

For this recipe, we recommend 22/24 Natural Sheep Casings. Their smaller diameter and delicate texture make them a great choice for hot dogs and other fine-emulsion sausages.

Homemade Lamb Hot Dogs

Yield: Approximately 10–12 hot dogs
Recommended Casing: 22/24 Natural Sheep Casings
Recipe inspiration: Institute of Culinary Education

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. lamb shoulder or shank, trimmed and cubed

  • 7 oz. pork fatback, cubed

  • 2 tsp. kosher or fine sea salt

  • 2 tsp. paprika

  • 1 tsp. granulated garlic

  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper

  • 1 tsp. onion powder

  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika

  • ½ tsp. ground coriander

  • ¼ tsp. ground cumin

  • Approximately ½ cup crushed ice

  • 22/24 Natural Sheep Casings

  • Hot dog buns or small rolls

  • Mustard and your favorite toppings

This recipe is inspired by the Institute of Culinary Education's Lamb Hot Dogs recipe and has been adapted for a smaller home batch.

Why Sheep Casings for Hot Dogs?

Natural sheep casings are particularly well suited for smaller-diameter sausages.

Compared with hog casings, sheep casings have a more delicate structure and produce a smaller finished sausage. Their thin, edible casing provides the natural appearance and satisfying bite that makes them a popular choice for premium natural casing hot dogs.

For this recipe, we're using 22/24 sheep casings, which produce a classic small-diameter hot dog.

Prepare the Sheep Casings

Prepare your natural sheep casings according to the instructions provided with your product.

Generally, salt-packed natural casings should be rinsed to remove excess salt, flushed with fresh water, and soaked before stuffing. Proper hydration helps make the casing pliable and easier to load onto your stuffing horn.

Sheep casings are more delicate than hog casings, so handle them gently while rinsing, loading, and stuffing.

Keep your prepared casings in clean water until you're ready to begin.

Make the Hot Dog Mixture

1. Keep Everything Cold

Cut the lamb and pork fat into small cubes and chill thoroughly.

For the best texture, keep the meat, fat, grinder components, and mixing equipment cold throughout the process.

You can even place the cubed meat in the freezer briefly before grinding. It should become firm but should not be frozen solid.

2. Grind the Meat

Grind the chilled lamb and pork fat through a fine grinder plate.

Hot dogs traditionally have a much finer texture than sausages such as bratwurst, so the meat will be processed further after grinding.

3. Add the Seasonings

Combine the salt, paprika, garlic, black pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, coriander, and cumin.

Add the seasonings to the ground meat and mix thoroughly.

Return the mixture to the refrigerator or freezer briefly if it begins getting warm.

4. Create the Fine Texture

Working in manageable batches, place the seasoned meat into a food processor.

Gradually add crushed ice while processing until the mixture develops a smooth, cohesive texture.

Temperature control is especially important during this step. Don't allow the mixture to become warm while processing.

Stuff Into 22/24 Sheep Casings

Carefully slide your prepared 22/24 Natural Sheep Casing onto the appropriate stuffing horn.

Slowly fill the casing with the meat mixture, being careful not to overstuff it.

Sheep casings are thinner and more delicate than hog casings, so steady pressure is preferable to trying to stuff them as quickly as possible.

Form the stuffed casing into approximately 5- to 6-inch links.

Cook the Hot Dogs

Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer.

Add the hot dogs and cook gently until the sausage is cooked through. Avoid a hard, rolling boil, which can put unnecessary stress on the natural casing.

Because this recipe contains ground lamb and pork, use a food thermometer to verify that the hot dogs have reached a safe internal temperature.

Once cooked, transfer the hot dogs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

After cooling, remove them from the water and pat them dry.

Finish Them on the Grill

Now comes the perfect late-summer step.

Preheat your grill to medium heat and place the cooked hot dogs directly over the heat.

Grill briefly, turning as necessary, until the natural casings develop some color and the hot dogs are heated through.

Because they're already cooked, you're looking for a lightly charred exterior rather than cooking them from raw over the grill.

Build Your Hot Dog

Place the grilled lamb hot dogs into toasted buns or rolls and add your favorite toppings.

For something simple, try:

  • Stone-ground mustard

  • Pickled red onions

  • Grilled onions

  • Sauerkraut

  • Relish

Or take inspiration from the original Institute of Culinary Education recipe and pair the lamb with harissa and pickled red onions for a little extra heat and acidity.

Serve alongside grilled vegetables, corn, potato salad, or your favorite summer sides.

Why We Recommend 22/24 Sheep Casings

The diameter of a natural casing has a major impact on the size and appearance of your finished sausage.

Our 22/24 Natural Sheep Casings are our recommended option for this recipe because the size is well suited to hot dogs and other smaller-diameter sausages.

The 22/24 measurement represents the approximate diameter of the casing in millimeters.

If you're producing even smaller links, 20/22 sheep casings are another option. Rather than using them for this particular hot dog recipe, however, we especially recommend that smaller size for products such as breakfast sausage and other thin links.

Explore Our Sheep Casings Sale!

If you're looking to stock up on natural sheep casings, several options are currently available through our Sale.

Recommended for This Recipe

22/24 Coarse Emulsion Vac Pack – 8 Hank Case

Also Available

20/22 Coarse Emulsion Vac Pack – 8 Hank Case

20/22 Fine Emulsion Vac Pack – 8 Hank Case

22/24 Fine Emulsion Vac Pack – 8 Hank Case

24/26 Coarse Emulsion Vac Pack – 8 Hank Case

24/26 Fine Emulsion Vac Pack – 8 Hank Case

Our 20/22 options provide a smaller diameter for sausage makers producing thinner links. The tubed option can also help streamline loading onto the stuffing horn in higher-volume production environments.

Whether you're experimenting with homemade hot dogs or planning your next production run, choosing the appropriate natural casing can help deliver the size, appearance, and eating experience you're looking for.

Enjoy the rest of grilling season, and happy sausage making!

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