Red hots or hot links?

[cooknhogz]

An older friend of mine grew up around Waco Tx and talks all the time about this sausage his dad use to buy when he was a kid that was very good. He can't remember if it was called hot links or red hots but I would love to find out and make some for him and try it myself. Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[dward51]

We have some commercial "red hots" around here and I wish I had a recipe for those.  They are a stuffed sausage with the internal texture of a hot dog, but in a red dyed casing.  Depending on the brand, they have varying degrees of hotness, but I love those things.

This is the type I'm talking about.  Really red. I mean an un-natural red (like the banned red dye #2 I remember from the 60's).

red_hot_dogs1.jpg

• dward51
• Dec 4, 2012

The web page where I found that photo also had a recipe, but it did not list any spice I would consider "hot" or a source for the special red casings.  I have no idea if this is a decent recipe or not, but here it is (and it's metric no less). I was just looking for a photo of they type of hot link I was talking about.  The ones we get are this red, but a little fatter.

BEEF SAUSAGE

Ingredients:
- 500 g beef
- 200 gr tapioca starch
- Egg whites 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, mashed
- Salt to taste
- Granulated sugar 1/2 tablespoon
- 100 ml ice water or crushed ice 150 gr
- A special plastic sausage (casing)
 

 

[chef jimmyj]

Here is two good threads you should check out...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/118411/hot-links

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/123366/best-hot-links-question#post_825392

 

[dward51]

Thanks.  I bookmarked those also

 

[diggingdogfarm]

I think that you're going to need a better description from him in order to find out exactly what he's talking about, "hot link" can mean a lot of different things.


~Martin

 

[bigbob73]

Hot links rock. It's basically a spicy hot dog in a red casing.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

We have some commercial "red hots" around here and I wish I had a recipe for those.  They are a stuffed sausage with the internal texture of a hot dog, but in a red dyed casing.  Depending on the brand, they have varying degrees of hotness, but I love those things.

This is the type I'm talking about.  Really red. I mean an un-natural red (like the banned red dye #2 I remember from the 60's).

red_hot_dogs1.jpg

• dward51
• Dec 4, 2012

The web page where I found that photo also had a recipe, but it did not list any spice I would consider "hot" or a source for the special red casings.  I have no idea if this is a decent recipe or not, but here it is (and it's metric no less). I was just looking for a photo of they type of hot link I was talking about.  The ones we get are this red, but a little fatter.

BEEF SAUSAGE

Ingredients:
- 500 g beef
- 200 gr tapioca starch
- Egg whites 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, mashed
- Salt to taste
- Granulated sugar 1/2 tablespoon
- 100 ml ice water or crushed ice 150 gr
- A special plastic sausage (casing)
 

I know the ones your talking bout. I didnt like em, they tasted like sheep dip

 

[diggingdogfarm]

I have friends and family in Texas who get hostile when someone considers a hot link anything more than an old fashioned all-beef link, seasoned with just salt, pepper, garlic and hot pepper flakes....sometimes just a touch of sugar to balance the heat. Other folks seem to like hot links that are more complicated. Apparently hot links vary quite a bit throughout Texas.

Classic Texas All-Beef Hot Links

1000g beef chuck
420g short rib
80g brisket fat

15g minced garlic
5g coarsely ground black pepper
16g salt
4g crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
2.5g Cure#1
4g white sugar (optional)
80-100g ice water

Cube meat and add all ingredients including water.
Hold in fridge for 12 hours.
Grind twice through 3/8" plate.
Mix until sticky.
Stuff into hog casings and form 6" links.

Gently hot smoking over mesquite or oak is what gives this sausage it's unique character.

~Martin

 

[cooknhogz]

Thanks for all the replys. I talked to this guy again and they were hot links. I'm going to have to give these a try being I love hot stuff. Thanks again.