Charcoal Grilled Sausage, Ladolemono Recipe

Prep sausages

Pat sausages dry with paper towels. Lightly prick each sausage a couple of times with a fork to avoid bursting while grilling. Rub sausages with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp coarse sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper; let sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes while you prepare other components.

Charcoal grill setup

Prepare a medium-high charcoal fire so you have hot coals with some glowing embers and a few small flames. Aim for grill grate temperature around 425–475°F (220–245°C). Oil the grate lightly before cooking.

Grill sausages

Place sausages directly over the hottest part of the coals. Grill 3–4 minutes per side, turning often to develop even char and avoid flare-ups. Move sausages to a cooler part of the grill or reduce heat and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for pork (or as safe for your sausage), about another 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally to get an even char without burning. Total cook time ~12–16 minutes depending on thickness. Remove sausages to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes before slicing on the bias into 1/2" pieces.

Whisk together 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust: it should be bright and lemony with a pronounced olive oil body. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature to meld while sausages cook so garlic softens slightly.

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons chopped pickled or candied sweet anise (or substitute 2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds plus 1/2 tsp crushed anise seeds), 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until smooth and taste, adjusting sweetness or salt. Chill briefly if desired. This sauce should offer cool creaminess with a soft anise-note to echo the menu description.

Trim and halve the English cucumber lengthwise; scoop seeds if watery, then thinly slice on the bias into half-moons. Toss cucumber with 1/4 thinly sliced red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Let sit 5–10 minutes for flavors to marry and for cucumber to release a little moisture; drain any excess liquid before serving.

Arrange sliced grilled sausages on a warmed platter. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of the ladolemono evenly over the sausage slices, reserving the rest for guests or for the cucumber salad. Spoon dollops of the sweet-anise Greek yogurt alongside or in the center of the platter.

Scatter the cucumber salad next to the sausages. Garnish with crumbled feta if using and sprinkle chopped dill or parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and extra ladolemono on the side. Recommend serving with crusty bread or grilled pita.

To eat: squeeze lemon over sausages, dip in yogurt sauce and drizzle with more ladolemono as desired.