Texas Hot Links from Scratch | Authentic Sausage Recipe
Dive into the world of Texas Hot Links, making these spicy, smoky sausages completely from scratch — and trust us, they’re absolutely worth it!
Ingredients
- 4.1 kg chuck cut from a chuck eye roll
- 2 kg fatty minced pork
- 1.22 g sodium nitrate for curing
- 6 g ascorbic acid cure accelerator
- 30.5 g garlic powder 0.5% of the meat weight
- 30.5 g mustard powder 0.5% of the meat weight
- 15 g black pepper 0.25% of the meat weight
- 15 g smoked paprika 0.25% of the meat weight
- 15 g cayenne pepper 0.25% of the meat weight
- 15 g bahar allspice (optional)
- 91.2 g salt 1.5% of the meat weight
- 6 g milk powder binder
- 500 ml cold beer liquid component
- Natural hog casings rinsed and soaked
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut the chuck into manageable chunks.
- Combine with the minced pork in a large container.
Curing Mixture
- Dissolve sodium nitrate in a small amount of water for even distribution.
- Mix this solution with the cold beer.
- Add ascorbic acid to the mixture.
Seasoning
- Add garlic powder, mustard powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, bahar, and salt.
- Incorporate the milk powder as the binder.
Mixing
- Using clean hands or a meat mixer, thoroughly mix the meat and seasonings until tacky (about 10 minutes).
- Ensure the mixture is evenly seasoned.
Resting
- Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 45 minutes to 1 hour to firm up.
Stuffing
- Set up the sausage stuffer with a 20 mm horn.
- Load the casing onto the horn, ensuring it's well rinsed.
- Carefully stuff the sausage mixture into the casings, avoiding air pockets.
Linking
- Twist the sausages into 18 cm (7-inch) links.
- Prick any visible air bubbles with a toothpick.
Drying
- Arrange the sausages on a rack.
- Refrigerate uncovered overnight to allow the casings to dry and the flavors to meld.
Smoking
- Preheat the smoker to 65℃ (149℉)
- Place sausages in the smoker, ensuring they don't touch.
- Smoke for 1.5 hours, flip, and smoke for another hour.
Cooling
- Immediately transfer the sausages to an ice bath to halt cooking and tighten the casing.
- Leave for 10 minutes, then pat dry.
Final Cooking & Taste Test
- Increase smoker temperature to 150℃ (300℉).
- Cook a few sausages until they reach an internal temperature of 70℃ (158℉).
- Slice and taste to check flavor and texture.
Storage
- Vacuum seal and freeze any sausages you're not consuming immediately.