Texas-Style Smoked Beef Sausage Links with Mustard and Jalapeños

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: About 10 sausage links (roughly 6–8 servings)
• Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 6 hours (includes 2 hours chilling time)

Quick Ingredients

• 4 lb (1.81 kg) beef chuck, well-marbled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb (454 g) beef fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup (60 g) Morton kosher salt
• 1 tsp (6 g) curing salt #1 (optional but recommended for low-temp smoking)
• 2 tbsp (18 g) coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp (18 g) granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp (1 g) cayenne pepper
• 1 cup (240 ml) ice water
• 1/3 cup (40 g) nonfat dry milk powder (optional, helps juiciness)
• 12–15 ft (3.6–4.6 m) hog casings (32–35 mm), rinsed and soaked
• Oak wood chunks or splits (enough for 3 1/2 hours of smoke)
• To serve: yellow mustard, pickled jalapeños, sliced white onion

Do This

• 1) Chill grinder parts. Cube beef and fat; freeze 30 minutes until very firm.
• 2) Toss meat with salt, cure (if using), pepper, garlic, cayenne, and dry milk; add ice water.
• 3) Grind through a 3/8-inch (10 mm) plate (coarse).
• 4) Mix 2–3 minutes until tacky and sticky; chill 30 minutes.
• 5) Stuff into hog casings; twist into 6-inch links; refrigerate 1 hour to dry.
• 6) Smoke over oak: 150°F (66°C) 1 hour, then 170°F (77°C) 1 hour, then 180°F (82°C) until 160°F (71°C) internal.
• 7) Cold-shower 1–2 minutes, then rest 30 minutes; slice and serve with mustard, pickled jalapeños, and onions.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• True Texas flavor, simple seasoning: bold black pepper, lots of garlic, and just enough cayenne to wake it up.
• Coarse grind and snappy casing: that classic “bite” you want in a smoked link.
• Juicy, not greasy: controlled smoker temps help keep the fat in the sausage (not dripping into the fire).
• Built for serving a crowd: slice and pile onto a platter with mustard, pickled jalapeños, and onions.

Grocery List

• Produce: white onion, pickled jalapeños (jarred), garlic (if you prefer fresh garlic), optional fresh parsley for garnish
• Dairy: nonfat dry milk powder (optional)
• Meat: beef chuck (well-marbled), beef fat (or ask your butcher for beef fat trimmings)
• Pantry: Morton kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper, granulated garlic, cayenne pepper, yellow mustard
• Optional but recommended: curing salt #1 (pink salt) for low-temperature smoking
• Other: hog casings (32–35 mm), oak wood chunks/splits

Full Ingredients

For the Sausage Links

• Beef chuck: 4 lb (1.81 kg), well-marbled, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
• Beef fat: 1 lb (454 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
• Morton kosher salt: 1/4 cup (60 g)
• Curing salt #1 (optional but recommended): 1 tsp (6 g)
• Coarsely ground black pepper: 2 tbsp (18 g)
• Granulated garlic: 2 tbsp (18 g)
• Cayenne pepper: 1/2 tsp (1 g)
• Ice water: 1 cup (240 ml)
• Nonfat dry milk powder (optional binder): 1/3 cup (40 g)

Casings

• Natural hog casings (32–35 mm): 12–15 ft (3.6–4.6 m), rinsed inside and out, then soaked in cool water for 30 minutes

For Smoking

• Oak wood chunks/splits: enough for 3 1/2 hours of steady smoke

For Serving (Simple Crowd Platter)

• Yellow mustard: 1/2 cup (120 ml)
• Pickled jalapeños: 1 cup (240 ml), drained
• White onion: 1 medium (about 8 oz / 225 g), thinly sliced or finely chopped

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and chill the meat (this helps everything stay juicy)

Cut the beef chuck and beef fat into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes, until the surface is very firm and slightly stiff but not frozen solid.

While the meat chills, place your grinder parts (auger, blade, and plate) in the freezer too, if possible. Cold equipment helps you get a clean coarse grind instead of a smeared, paste-like texture.

Step 2: Prepare the casings

Rinse the hog casings under cool running water, then run water through the inside of the casing as well (this helps you find any tangles and flushes excess salt).

Soak the casings in cool water for 30 minutes. Keep them submerged until you’re ready to stuff, then drain.

Step 3: Season the meat (and add cure if using)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chilled beef and fat with the Morton kosher salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and cayenne.

If using curing salt #1, sprinkle it evenly over the meat now. Add the nonfat dry milk powder (if using), then pour in the 1 cup (240 ml) ice water.

Use clean hands to toss and distribute everything thoroughly for about 1 minute, making sure the seasonings look evenly dispersed across the meat.

Step 4: Grind coarse for that Texas-style bite

Set up your grinder with a 3/8-inch (10 mm) plate for a coarse grind. Grind all the seasoned meat and fat into a chilled bowl.

If at any point the mixture starts to look soft or greasy, stop and chill it in the freezer for 10 minutes before continuing. Keeping things cold is the key to a snappy, juicy link.

Step 5: Mix until tacky (this makes the sausage hold together)

With the ground meat in a large bowl, mix vigorously by hand (or with a stand mixer using the paddle on low) for 2–3 minutes.

You’re looking for a texture change: the mixture should turn sticky and tacky and start to cling to the bowl. If you grab a small handful and turn your hand upside down, it should stick rather than immediately fall.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm back up before stuffing.

Step 6: Stuff the casings and form links

Slide the casing onto the stuffer tube, leaving 6–8 inches hanging off the end. Tie a simple knot at the end of the casing.

Stuff steadily, aiming for a firm sausage without stretching the casing to the point it might burst. As you finish, leave a few inches of casing and tie off the end.

Twist into 6-inch (15 cm) links: pinch at the first link and twist 4–5 times, then measure the next link and twist in the opposite direction (this helps keep links from untwisting). Continue until all links are formed.

Place the links on a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to dry the casing (this improves smoke adhesion and snap).

Step 7: Smoke over oak, low and steady, until snappy and cooked through

Preheat your smoker to 150°F (66°C). Add oak wood chunks/splits and wait until you have clean, thin smoke (not thick white smoke).

Hang the links on smoke sticks or lay them on grates with a little space between each one. Insert a probe thermometer into the center of a link, avoiding the casing if possible.

Smoke using this schedule (adjust slightly as needed to maintain steady temps):

• 150°F (66°C) for 1 hour (drying and gentle start)
• 170°F (77°C) for 1 hour
• 180°F (82°C) until the sausage reaches 160°F (71°C) internal, usually 1 hour 30 minutes more

Total smoke time is typically about 3 hours 30 minutes. Keep the smoker under 190°F (88°C) to reduce the risk of fat rendering out (which can make sausage dry and crumbly).

Step 8: Chill briefly, let the color bloom, then slice and serve

When the links reach 160°F (71°C) internal, remove them from the smoker. Immediately rinse or dunk in cold water for 1–2 minutes to stop the cooking and help prevent wrinkled casings.

Pat dry and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to “bloom” (this sets the color and helps the casing tighten). Serve warm, sliced into thick coins.

Arrange on a platter with yellow mustard, pickled jalapeños, and white onion. Keep it simple and let the smoke do the talking.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold: Cold meat, cold fat, and cold grinder parts are the difference between juicy sausage and greasy, smeared sausage.
• Don’t rush the mix: Mixing until tacky is what gives you that cohesive “snap” instead of a crumbly texture.
• Watch smoker temperature closely: Try to stay in the 150–180°F (66–82°C) zone and avoid going above 190°F (88°C).
• Use a probe thermometer: Time is a guideline; internal temperature is the truth. Pull at 160°F (71°C) internal for fully cooked beef sausage.
• Dry the casings before smoking: That uncovered fridge rest helps smoke stick and improves the “bite” of the casing.

Variations

• Spicier links: Increase cayenne to 1 tsp (2 g) and add 1 tsp (2 g) crushed red pepper.
• Central Texas “extra pepper” style: Add an additional 1 tbsp (9 g) coarsely ground black pepper for a bolder crust.
• Garlic-forward (fresh garlic): Replace granulated garlic with 8 cloves (32 g) finely minced garlic; mix it into the ice water first for more even distribution.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate: Cool cooked sausage completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Wrap links tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Make-ahead: You can stuff and link the sausage, then refrigerate uncovered for up to 12 hours before smoking (great for starting smoke early the next day). Keep the sausage cold until it goes on the smoker.

Reheat: Warm gently to preserve juiciness: covered in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 12–15 minutes, or in a covered skillet with a small splash of water over low heat until hot.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, per 1 link (about 4 oz / 113 g cooked), not including serving condiments: 320 calories; 22 g protein; 26 g fat; 1 g carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 780 mg sodium.