Texas Hot Link Recipe

Prepare Meat

Keep meat very cold. Trim excess sinew and silver skin from pork shoulder and beef chuck. Cube into 1-inch pieces, place in a bowl, cover and chill or freeze for 20–30 minutes until firm but not frozen solid.

Mix Spices

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, hot smoked paprika, sweet paprika, ancho chili powder, cayenne, chipotle powder, crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder. Mix until evenly blended.

Grind Meat

Using a meat grinder with a 3/8-inch (medium) plate, grind the chilled pork and beef into a chilled bowl. For a coarser, juicy texture, you can do a single grind; for firmer texture, grind twice (second time through a finer plate). Keep everything cold during the process.

Emulsify and Season

Transfer ground meat to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Sprinkle the spice blend over the meat, add the ice water, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke. Mix on low speed or by hand for 2–4 minutes until the mixture becomes tacky and the spices are evenly distributed. Do not overheat the meat—keep it cold. If mixture feels too dry, add up to 2 more tablespoons ice water.

Test for Seasoning

Form a small 2-inch patty and pan-fry in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until cooked through, about 2–3 minutes per side. Taste and adjust seasoning for heat and salt (add more cayenne or crushed red pepper for more heat, or more salt if needed).

Prepare Casings

Soak hog casings in warm water for at least 30 minutes, then flush water through them and rinse inside and out. Keep them submerged in warm water while you work to prevent tearing.

Set Up Sausage Stuffer

Attach a medium sausage stuffer funnel to your stuffer or use the sausage attachment on a stand mixer. Slide a length of casing onto the funnel, leaving a 4–6 inch tail, and tie a knot at the end of the casing.

Stuff Sausages

Feed the seasoned meat into the stuffer, using steady pressure to fill the casing. Fill fairly tightly but avoid overstuffing to prevent bursting. When you have filled to desired length (6–8 inches per link), twist the casing between links to form individual sausages. Prick any large visible air pockets with a sterilized pin and gently press out air.

Rest

Hang the sausages in the refrigerator uncovered for 6–12 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the casing to dry slightly. If you plan to smoke them, proceed to smoking instructions after resting.

Smoke (Optional)

Preheat smoker to 200–225°F (95–110°C). Place sausages on racks and smoke until internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C), about 1.5–2 hours depending on thickness. This step imparts smoky flavor and gently cooks the links.

Grill or Pan-Finish

For best texture and char, finish sausages on a hot grill or in a skillet. Preheat grill to medium-high or heat a cast-iron skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Grill or sear sausages turning every 2–3 minutes to develop even browning and avoid flare-ups; cook until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for a fully cooked, safe sausage, about 8–12 minutes total depending on size. If smoked earlier to 150°F, finish just to 160°F to avoid overcooking.

Rest & Serve

Let sausages rest for 5 minutes. Serve in buns or rolls with mustard, chopped onion, and pickles. These Texas Hot Links are intentionally spicy—offer extra mustard or cooled slaw to balance heat.

Toast buns lightly on the grill for 30–60 seconds. Place a hot link in each bun and top with yellow mustard, chopped onion, and pickle slices to taste. Serve immediately.