Sausage BBQ?

When people mention Sausage in relation to BBQ, what kind are y'all talking about? I've had bratwurst and kielbasa on the grill, but I have a feeling this is something different? Is it an Italian sausage or something else again?
Thank you
Cathy

The only place that I've had sausage in relation to BBQ is in Texas. I ate at Kreuz's in Lockhart and they had big links of Sausage that had been cooked/smoked on the same cooker as the brisket. It may have been Chorizo. What ever it was .... It was excellent.

I'm from the south and we just BBQ pork.

Elgin sausage. Combo of beef and pork, put in casings about the size of kielbasa, and smoked. A Texas staple.

I do brats, keilbasa, Itialian and German on my grill or when doing some slow Q.

MikeS.

Take some good kielbasa, smoke it slow with the other meats, and you have some great smoked sausage as a variety. A TX treat, but I do it regularly here in ATL.

Sausage is on every BBQ menu in Texas. Try if you're there... it is a different twist on good BBQ. It is fine with me if it stays in Texas, though. It is a fun diversion, but I don't need to order it all the time.

We have smoked deer sausage in my area that is always a favorite (custom blended to add the right amount of fat). Always good & tasty. There are also one or 2 vendors locally that smoke their own links (pork), which I grill and/or fry always with excellent results. The secret of a good link sausage (IMO), starts with the grind of meat. The vendors locally use a very coarse grind, which translates into a better product. Besides, the product I buy today was smoked just yesterday. You really can't beat that deal.

I was never impressed with Texas smoked sausage, but every once-in-awhile, I throw a keilbasa or two in the cooker when doing a variety of meats.
I have also sometimes smoked a big roll of deer sausage. I make it similar to Italian sausage and it tastes very good smoked (or plain).

I think the choice of bbq sausage is both ethnic and regional. here in the Boston area it's mostly Italian link type {love them with peppers and onions} down in the New Bedford Fall River area it's chirizo ligusia or keilbasa same up in the Lowell area. But if I'm invited to a free lunch it dosen't matter to me hell through a Bannger on the grill and I'll eat that also. Chow Jim

I loved getting sausage along with briscut and ribs when we lived in Texas - I miss it

A friend of mine and I always split an order of sausage along w/ the Texas brisket. He insists on it and a bite now and then may enhance the experience. All smoked sausage here in Texas is not equil, but some is great I think. You folks who didn't like the sausage here in Texas may have just had some that was not so good, as I certainly have. But, could be just a "taste" thing. I know a place that has some great sausage, Big D's in West Tawakoni Texas. I will ask exactly what kind of susage it is next time I am there.

That "hot guts" Elgin sausage, I feel dumb as I have not had any that I remember. Where can you get some good hot guts?
Joe

I visited Kreuz's a few weeks ago along with Bushie. Sausage is a big deal there long with brisket. Bushie knows his sausage and they smoke it long and slow. It was very good but I liked their brisket better.

Paul E.Smith
Knoxville, TN

In a pinch I just roll some Jimmy Dean out into hot dog size pieces and fry them up with some store bought bbq and a little liquid smoke. I’m not saying it’s the best, but it’s pretty close to Texas Q. Just kidding, I’ve been meaning to try my hand at smoked sausages. I’ll get some done up one of these next weeks and post some pics.

The only sausage that matters is that which is found in Central Texas pits - what makes it perfect is the chili powder and jalapeno that's added to the standard beef/pork mix (no fennel). This sausage is made expressly for pit smoking, the greesy-ness of it is lost in the pit and what is left is the best sausage ever...

Thanks for the link Xannie! Looks great. I may have to order some.

BigBoy, the Elgin sausage is made in central texas but, is different, right? The chili powder and jalapeno sausage sounds great.

A bit differend but they sell a sausage on a stick at the Canton Trade Days in Canton Tx. Pretty good hot off the grill. Not smoked though.
Jow

PapaJoe8,

Yes. "Elgin sausage" comes from one recipe from one place, Meyer's in Elgin. Now, there have been copiers of the style, so we now refer to any maker's sausage, IF it is made LIKE Meyer's, as Elgin sausage. We use the term, "real Elgin sausage" or "origional Elgin sausage" to be that of Meyer's itself.

http://www.meyerselginsausage.com/

Hmmm, BigBoy, thats diff from the southside site. I kinda get it though, kinda like "do you want a coke" means "do you want a soft drnk". At least I think I get it? eather way, makes me REAL hungry for some great Texas sausage!!!!

And welcome to roadfood Big!!! We need folks like you here! Not that we are in short supply. Such a great site!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks all!
joe

The Southside market "hot guts" is the spiciest of the Elgin style, but is unique in itself. So... we call Meyer's "Elgin sausage" and Southside's "Elgin hot guts". So to repeat, if you were to go to an Austin grocery and look in the sausage case you'll see six-packs of "Elgin sausage" (Meyer's style), OR "Elgin Hot Guts" (Southside's style). There has always been a rivalry of sorts between the two places.

When I lived in Tallahassee while attending FSU, there was a market outside of Tally that made their own sausage. I always bought the hot and it was divine.

I forget their name, but I am confident its a local thing so someone in that area should know the name and address.