Cheddar sausage Recipe
Savory sausage filled with melted cheddar cheese, grilled for a rich and satisfying bite.
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Ingredients
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Sausage mixture
Cheddar filling
Assembly & grill
Method
Sausage mixture
Prepare meat
Keep meat cold. In a large bowl, combine ground pork (or pork/beef blend) with finely diced onion and minced garlic. Work quickly to avoid warming the meat.
Season
Add kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground mustard, and dried oregano to the meat. Pour in cold water. Mix thoroughly with clean hands or a stand mixer on low until the mixture is cohesive and slightly sticky (about 1–2 minutes). If mixture warms, refrigerate briefly.
Cheddar filling
Cut and chill cheese
Cut the sharp cheddar into 3/4-inch thick sticks approximately 3–4 inches long. Place cheese sticks in the freezer for 10–15 minutes so they firm up; chilled cheese is easier to stuff and less likely to melt out during handling.
Assembly & grill
Prepare casings
If using natural hog casings, rinse and run water through them to remove salt. Keep casings in warm water until ready. Fit a sausage stuffer or large pastry bag with a wide tip and slide the casing onto the nozzle, leaving a 6-inch tail at the end and keeping water running through to prevent air pockets.
Stuff around cheese
Portion the sausage mixture into golf-ball-sized portions (about 2 ounces each). Flatten each portion in your palm, place a chilled cheddar stick in the center, then form meat around the cheese, sealing completely and shaping into a tight cylinder roughly 5–6 inches long. Alternatively, stuff the entire casing with meat, then insert cheese sticks and twist into individual links. Use vegetable oil on your hands to prevent sticking.
Seal and rest
Prick each sausage lightly with a toothpick 2–3 times to remove large air pockets (avoid puncturing cheese). Place finished sausages on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up and allow flavors to meld.
Grill sausages
Place sausages over direct medium heat and grill 3–4 minutes per side to develop even browning and grill marks. Move sausages to indirect heat and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), about 6–10 more minutes depending on thickness. Turn occasionally for even cooking. Total cook time ~12–18 minutes.
Rest and serve
Remove sausages from the grill and let rest 5 minutes to redistribute juices and allow cheese to settle slightly. Serve whole or sliced on skewers as part of the FULL RODÍZIO service.
