Anyone ever try Beaumont style beef links?

[Dustin Dorsey]

I've been reading about these Beaumont style Beef links over the years. Here's a Texas Monthly article talking about them:

In the Land of Links

Hitting the barbecue trail in Texas is something of a weekend sport. Plenty of people create their own routes, but one of the more official

www.texasmonthly.com

They are all beef, stuffed in beef casings and smoked. They are pretty heavy seasoned compared to the simply seasoned sausages that most Texans are familiar with. I was born in Beaumont but moved away when I was 8 or 9. I still have some family in the area that I would visit from time to time. I've never had them, though, but I'm very curious. These are usually found in black owned establishments like Patillo's. They look like they break pretty much every rule in the sausage book. Versions of them exist in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Houston, and Galveston. Some of them have switched to pork casings and lowered the fat. They are sometimes called "Grease bombs" or "Garlic Bombs." Because the beef casings are so tough they are usually eaten more like boudin by squeezing out the meat onto a cracker or what not.

I'm just wondering if anyone has ever had them. I may try making them, but I want to try them first.

 

[JLeonard]

I'm not a sausage maker. But, I like what I see in the article. If you try them let us know how it goes.

Jim

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

Here's a video about Patillo's that I found.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I found this recipe on bbq-brethren from 2007 from a user named Bossmanbbq. This is attributed to Harry Green but I find almost the same recipe from The Legends of Texas Barbecue Cook Book by Robb Walsh from Joe Burney a legendary Houston pitmaster. This looks paraphrased from that book. The Houston pitmasters learned it from Beaumont. These use hog casings but the Beaumont links use beef casings.

"Harry Green's Juicy Links

1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup Paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic
3 1/2 pounds beef shoulder clod or beef scraps
1 1/2 pounds beef fat
Medium hog casings
Mix together the salt, paprika, pepper and garlic powder together. Grind beef and fat together in a meat grinder adding the spice mix alittle at at time as you go. Mix the ground meat and spices in batches in a large stand mixer and refrigerate the mixture.
When your ready to cook the sausage , set up your smoker for indirect heat. Smoke the beef links at 250 for 30-45 minutes turning to cook them evenly. Makes about 5lbs."

That's an almost absurd meat to fat ratio and probably way more salt than I'd use. If I ever make them I'll probably lower the fat some and maybe use fresh garlic. I see chili powder also listed as an ingredient. I need to get down there and actually try some. I was in Galveston this past weekend. I was going to go to Leon's but power was out in a lot of the city.

 

[BEAUMONTSTYLELINKS]

I've been reading about these Beaumont style Beef links over the years. Here's a Texas Monthly article talking about them:

In the Land of Links

Hitting the barbecue trail in Texas is something of a weekend sport. Plenty of people create their own routes, but one of the more official

www.texasmonthly.com

They are all beef, stuffed in beef casings and smoked. They are pretty heavy seasoned compared to the simply seasoned sausages that most Texans are familiar with. I was born in Beaumont but moved away when I was 8 or 9. I still have some family in the area that I would visit from time to time. I've never had them, though, but I'm very curious. These are usually found in black owned establishments like Patillo's. They look like they break pretty much every rule in the sausage book. Versions of them exist in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Houston, and Galveston. Some of them have switched to pork casings and lowered the fat. They are sometimes called "Grease bombs" or "Garlic Bombs." Because the beef casings are so tough they are usually eaten more like boudin by squeezing out the meat onto a cracker or what not.

I'm just wondering if anyone has ever had them. I may try making them, but I want to try them first.

Hi Dustin! I grew up in Beaumont and I make and have sold thousands of the Beaumont style links. They are all Beef and your right the casings are Beef and are not meant to be eaten you bite down on the link and pull the link filling out into your mouth. There are less then 4 Beaumont Link Masters left and I am one of them. The recipe is a trade secret and the taste is nothing like you have ever tasted. And I hate to tell you that the recipe that you have listed is waaaaay off! Not by much just about lets say the length to Mars and back. Lol

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

Hi Dustin! I grew up in Beaumont and I make and have sold thousands of the Beaumont style links. They are all Beef and your right the casings are Beef and are not meant to be eaten you bite down on the link and pull the link filling out into your mouth. There are less then 4 Beaumont Link Masters left and I am one of them. The recipe is a trade secret and the taste is nothing like you have ever tasted. And I hate to tell you that the recipe that you have listed is waaaaay off! Not by much just about lets say the length to Mars and back. Lol

I was born there but we moved to North Texas when I was about 9. That's why I'm fascinated with them. I need to get down there and try the real deal! I'm not at all surprised the recipe isn't even close.

 

[tomhooper]

Lived in Port Arthur for 19 years. One of the few things I miss from the area. They are excellent.

 

[Zer0man]

Hi Dustin! I grew up in Beaumont and I make and have sold thousands of the Beaumont style links. They are all Beef and your right the casings are Beef and are not meant to be eaten you bite down on the link and pull the link filling out into your mouth. There are less then 4 Beaumont Link Masters left and I am one of them. The recipe is a trade secret and the taste is nothing like you have ever tasted. And I hate to tell you that the recipe that you have listed is waaaaay off! Not by much just about lets say the length to Mars and back. Lol

My parents are both from Beaumont and I still have a lot of family there. I do miss Links and Boudin. I live in South TX with my family now and I would not mind making a drive to Beaumont to pick up some cases of both.

Is there any specific place you would recommend? Online ordering and shipping would be great if possible.