ISO: Texas-Links Info

[Creole Lady]

Texas-Style Link Recipe

I can cook a lot of different foods, but one item that I have most wanted to learn to prepare, for many years, has been Texas-Style Links. I tried on my own several years ago and they were OK, but I want the real-deal kind. Right now, the only clues I have regarding some of the possible ingredients are: Beef brisket, chili powder, tomato sauce, garlic, and bread used as a filler and to keep the meat together. If you have prepared or know of a receipe for this type of link-meat to stuff in beef casings, please, please let me know. Appreciate it.

Questions:
1) Have you ever prepared homemade links?
2) Is beef casings generally used?
3) How long can they stay frozen and be good?
4) If you have prepared them, how did you learn to make links?
5) Do you use a sausage stuffer or stuff by hand?

Regards,

Creole Lady

 

[QSis]

Here's a post by Jeff Wheeler, aka Bigwheel, on another forum. He's the quintessential Texan, and an award-winning cook.

I haven't made these yet, but I intend to.

Lee

Posted by bigwheel on November 21, 2002 at 22:06:35:
In Reply to: Sausage posted by Phil M on November 21, 2002 at 21:47:47:

Would certainly be remiss in failing to recommend my world famous genuine Texas Hotlinks. It make you throw rocks at the yankee brats and the bland furrin stuff. You will need to only send me 5 bucks each time you make it. Here ya go:

Bigwheel's Genuine Texas Hotlinks (Revised 11/21/02)

6-7 lbs. Boston Butt
1 bottle beer (Try Shiner Bock)
2 T. coarse ground black pepper
2 T. crushed red pepper
2 T. Cayenne
2 T. Hungarian Paprika
1 T. Morton's Tender Quick
2 T. Kosher Salt
2 T. Whole Mustard Seeds
1/4 cup minced fresh garlic
1 T. granulated garlic
1 T. MSG
1 t. ground bay leaves
1 t. whole anise seeds
1 t. coriander
1 t. ground thyme

Mix all the spices, cure, and garlic into the beer and place in refrigerator while you cut up the meat to fit in the grinder. Pour the spiced beer over the meat and mix well. Run meat and spice mixture through the fine plate and mix again. Stuff into medium hog casings. Smoke or slow grill till they are done. Wrap in a piece of bread and slap on the mustard heavy. Bob Wills music and Lone Star Beer on the side.

bigwheel

 

[QSis]

p.s. To whomever constructed the poll at the top: the questions require "yes and no" and open-ended answers, so that poll format doesn't work.

If you want my answers to those questions: yes, I make sausages every year and stuff hog casings with either a manual sausage stuffer or my Kitchen Aid sausage-stuffing attachment.

I learned mainly from asking questions on The BBQ Forum, and by buying Kutas Rytek's wonderful book on the subject.

Frozen sausages keep well, for 6 months to a year, if you vacuum-seal them.

By the way, it is not necessary to use casings at all - several of my friends just form the seasoned meat into logs or patties and freeze them that way.

Lee

 

[Michael in FtW]

I was born and raised, for most of my life, in TX - and I'm not sure what you mean by an "Authentic Texas Style link". We have "RedHots" - which are one thing (although not pure beef generally) and we have the "links" you get at most BBQ restaurants ... also not beef links. Most of the "links" in TX are derived from our German communities ....

Yes - you can make "beef" sausages.

Casings are generally pork ... ask you butcher about "natural" casings. They might have access to beef casings - but I've never run across them. An alternative would be "synthetic" casings ... while edible, I prefer not to.

How long fresh sausages will last depends on the processing, and ingredients. Frozen and packaged in vacuum bags - 1-3 years. Processed properly - you can make dried beef sausages that will last for about a year without refrigeration.

I learned from my grandmothers - using a hand cranked meat grinder and a hand stuffing sausage funnel. These days ... I use my KitchenAid .

I can not see where briskett would be better than another cut of beef (such as chuck) for making sausages ... perhaps the person that created the recipe you are alluding to only had briskett?

I'm still confused about this notion of "Texas-Style Links" being "All Beef ". Kind of like asking me for a "New York Style" Creole Cheesecake recipe.

 

[Creole Lady]

Texas Links

Hi Michael in FTW,

I may have misspoke, in terms of the links being all beef, because I actually think that they are a mixture of beef and pork. Some relatives use to refer to the ingredients inside as "link meat" that I thought was purchased from a butcher and then seasoned, but I could never find out where. I could, in fact, be talking about the BBQ Links you mentioned because they were also sold at small link and rib places in Beaumont and Houston, as well as night clubs that sold them individually, or by the half dozen, etc. So, if you have a recipe for this type of link, I am sure this would be close enough. Appreciate whatever insight you can give me regarding the ingredients. What are RedHots?

Thank you for your reply. It's greatly appreciated.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Most of the sausages you get at BBQ places in TX are "hot smoked" variations of Kielbasa (assuming they are made on site). RedHots are more like a really big fat hot dog - loaded with lots of chilli pepper ... the skin is red (usually artificially died) and the meat is really hot!

Sausage is a mixture of ground meats, fat, spices and other flavorings (like wine sometimes) - usually stuffed into casings and then cured in one of several ways.

Here are some links to making links.

 

[Creole Lady]

Thanks Michael at FTW

I took at peek at the web site you mentioned and will revisit it soon to review all of the wonderful sounding recipes listed. I am certain I can find something that I am interested in. Appreciate your help.

Regards,

Creole Lady (Carolyn)

 

[RosCoe]

Try this website. It has a lot of good information if you think you want to make sausage. http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/index.html. It should give you some idea of what is involved. The section on seasoning and salt quanities is priceless.
Ross

 

[Creole Lady]

Thank you RosCoe

Excellent website. Lots of wonderful recipes to try. I will keep you and Michael at FTW and everyone update when I try one of the recipes listed.

Warmest regards.

Creole Lady