Texas style hot links

CarolinaQ

I put together a brisket/pork suasage to make something along the lines of a central Texas style hot link.  I also made a mild Italian with the rest of the pork butt I didn't use for the links.

Hot link recipe:
3 lbs brisket (flat with fat)
2 lbs pork butt
1.6 oz salt (2%)
1.0 oz coarse black pepper (1.25%)
0.3 oz red pepper flakes
0.25 oz paprika (little over 1t)
0.2 oz cayenne pepper (1t)
0.2 oz Cure #1 (1t)
1/4 cup non fat dry milk
Ice cold water to make slurry

 Grind through rough plate, freeze on sheet pans

Grind through fine plate, freeze on sheet pans

Mix in slurry by hand until very sticky, add NFDM last, put in chilled stuffer

Let hang in fridge overnight

Hold at room temp for an hour the next day

Smoke up to 165 degrees, looking for 155 internal

Shock in ice bath, hang to dry and bloom

Freeze remainder

I did a rough and then fine grind of the brisket and pork butt, about a 60/40 blend. Then I mixed and stuffed to set overnight. It was easy to keep the egg down around 120 degrees at first to dry the casings and get some smoke.



After about 90 mins I couldn't keep it below 170 so I moved it to a 165 degree oven to finish.



I like the color I got.




Used a pasta rack to dry and bloom.

Hotch

Nicely done sir!!

lkapigian

Bravo!!

CarolinaQ

Couldn't resist cooking one up for lunch so put it back on at 275 for 15-20 mins. I really like the flavor profile. I was worried it would be too much heat but I think it's just about right for my taste. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

they sure look the part! Nice work. I just picked up the stuff we did last weekend and plan on throwing some of the TX beef we did in the Karubecue for a little smoke bath this afternoon. 

CanadianAnvil

So, the only place I've heard of a Texas hotlink is here or a Franklin video.... What is the flavor profile like or compare to?

CarolinaQ

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

they sure look the part! Nice work. I just picked up the stuff we did last weekend and plan on throwing some of the TX beef we did in the Karubecue for a little smoke bath this afternoon. 

Having a dedicated smoke box would be sweet. The egg just wasn't made to hang out around 150-160 degrees. Told my wife I wanted to build a smoke shed with some spare lumber and corrugated metal from the hardware store and she asked what I was going to build for her.... still thinking on that one. 

CanadianAnvil said:

So, the only place I've heard of a Texas hotlink is here or a Franklin video.... What is the flavor profile like or compare to?

As far as I can tell the hot link is a cured sausage that's supposed to be mostly beef trimmings with some pork, or at least pork fat, added.  85/15 is something I've seen mentioned frequently. Most places claim garlic is not to be included, as that makes it more like a beef kielbasa. Spices are just salt, pepper and some combination of cayenne and/or red pepper flakes. Smoke it below 170 degrees, chill it and then reheat when ready. 

I cheated and added some paprika to ensure that red color, but I don't think it was necessary. The NFDM was used as a binder to make sure the meat and fat held together well. I've read the old German BBQ joints use bull flour as a binder, but can't find that at the local grocery store. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

CarolinaQ said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

they sure look the part! Nice work. I just picked up the stuff we did last weekend and plan on throwing some of the TX beef we did in the Karubecue for a little smoke bath this afternoon. 

Having a dedicated smoke box would be sweet. The egg just wasn't made to hang out around 150-160 degrees. Told my wife I wanted to build a smoke shed with some spare lumber and corrugated metal from the hardware store and she asked what I was going to build for her.... still thinking on that one. 

CanadianAnvil said:

So, the only place I've heard of a Texas hotlink is here or a Franklin video.... What is the flavor profile like or compare to?

As far as I can tell the hot link is a cured sausage that's supposed to be mostly beef trimmings with some pork, or at least pork fat, added.  85/15 is something I've seen mentioned frequently. Most places claim garlic is not to be included, as that makes it more like a beef kielbasa. Spices are just salt, pepper and some combination of cayenne and/or red pepper flakes. Smoke it below 170 degrees, chill it and then reheat when ready. 

I cheated and added some paprika to ensure that red color, but I don't think it was necessary. The NFDM was used as a binder to make sure the meat and fat held together well. I've read the old German BBQ joints use bull flour as a binder, but can't find that at the local grocery store. 

We have found the binder isn’t necessary if you mix it up until it gets very tacky like you did 

Logger

What is the preferred casing and brand name?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

CarolinaQ said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

they sure look the part! Nice work. I just picked up the stuff we did last weekend and plan on throwing some of the TX beef we did in the Karubecue for a little smoke bath this afternoon. 

Having a dedicated smoke box would be sweet. The egg just wasn't made to hang out around 150-160 degrees. Told my wife I wanted to build a smoke shed with some spare lumber and corrugated metal from the hardware store and she asked what I was going to build for her.... still thinking on that one. 

CanadianAnvil said:

So, the only place I've heard of a Texas hotlink is here or a Franklin video.... What is the flavor profile like or compare to?

As far as I can tell the hot link is a cured sausage that's supposed to be mostly beef trimmings with some pork, or at least pork fat, added.  85/15 is something I've seen mentioned frequently. Most places claim garlic is not to be included, as that makes it more like a beef kielbasa. Spices are just salt, pepper and some combination of cayenne and/or red pepper flakes. Smoke it below 170 degrees, chill it and then reheat when ready. 

I cheated and added some paprika to ensure that red color, but I don't think it was necessary. The NFDM was used as a binder to make sure the meat and fat held together well. I've read the old German BBQ joints use bull flour as a binder, but can't find that at the local grocery store. 

The smoke box is for both of you. Just sayin...

CarolinaQ

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

CarolinaQ said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

they sure look the part! Nice work. I just picked up the stuff we did last weekend and plan on throwing some of the TX beef we did in the Karubecue for a little smoke bath this afternoon. 

Having a dedicated smoke box would be sweet. The egg just wasn't made to hang out around 150-160 degrees. Told my wife I wanted to build a smoke shed with some spare lumber and corrugated metal from the hardware store and she asked what I was going to build for her.... still thinking on that one. 

CanadianAnvil said:

So, the only place I've heard of a Texas hotlink is here or a Franklin video.... What is the flavor profile like or compare to?

As far as I can tell the hot link is a cured sausage that's supposed to be mostly beef trimmings with some pork, or at least pork fat, added.  85/15 is something I've seen mentioned frequently. Most places claim garlic is not to be included, as that makes it more like a beef kielbasa. Spices are just salt, pepper and some combination of cayenne and/or red pepper flakes. Smoke it below 170 degrees, chill it and then reheat when ready. 

I cheated and added some paprika to ensure that red color, but I don't think it was necessary. The NFDM was used as a binder to make sure the meat and fat held together well. I've read the old German BBQ joints use bull flour as a binder, but can't find that at the local grocery store. 

The smoke box is for both of you. Just sayin...

Logger said:

What is the preferred casing and brand name?

I only use hog casings. Sized 32-35mm. There's no brand I'm loyal to, all seem similar to me. Definitely soak them overnight to make them nice and pliable.