Texas Sausage

[kevinwi]

I realize "sausage" is a broad term.
I lived in Houston for 6 years back in the late 80's. It's where my love for BBQ began.
I used to frequent a bbq restaurant often near downtown...cannot remember the name....One of the bbq places was Ottos, but I'm not sure that was it. Anyway, I used to get smoked brisket and sausage plates. Sausage was awesome.....but they just called it sausage....no special term....which makes it difficult to find.
Up here in WI we have polish sausage, Italian sausage and brats....
But I want to find that sausage to throw on the bbq pit....I'm not one for making my own sausage and no offense to hillshire farms, but their beef sausage ain't it....
If anyone knows what I'm talking about, let me know.....if it's something I won't be able to readily procure up here, so be it, but I'd sure like to duplicate it.

 

[tpc74]

My buddy swears by some stuff he gets at costco or sams club, not sure which. I am also unsure if its fresh or not. I've heard him say it comes from texas or something like that, and its always good, but thats all the info I got.

I'd love to know how the restaurants do it, if its something pre-cooked that they slice and lay smoke on, or if its fresh and they smoke it, or some combo thereof with some seasonings...when I go out to a bbq place its one of my favorites to get off the menu.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

There's a lot of different sausages in Texas so it's hard to say what you got. There's a lot of Czech sausage and there's Central Texas meat market sausage of various types. There's also East Texas beef links.

Southside Market in Elgin is very famous for their sausage. They ship:

Iconic Sausages from Elgin, Texas | Southside Market & Barbeque

Savor iconic flavor with Southside Market's legendary sausages! Explore classic and signature sausages crafted with authentic recipes and premium ingredients. Fire up the grill and elevate your BBQ game with Southside Market sausages. Since 1882. Order online and get it delivered to your door...

southsidemarket.com

Meyer's also out of Elgin is sometimes easier to find and they make sausage for a lot restaurants:

Barbecue Online Shipping & Mail Order BBQ For Home Delivery | Meyer's

Texas Barbecue is at your fingertips. Meyer's Elgin sausage offers mail order sausage, smoked meats, spices, rubs, marinades and souvenir caps & T-shirts!

cuetopiatexas.com

Here's an article talking about Czech sausage in Texas.

What is a Czech Sausage?

A few months ago I was at Smolik’s Smokehouse in Mathis to buy some smoked meats, including a link of their homemade Czech-style sausage. As I waited for

www.texasmonthly.com

Slovacek's is a good example:

Sausage Company | Slovacek Sausage & Wild Game Processing

Slovacek Sausage Menu Features Smoked Sausage, Hickory Smoked Hams, Pork Tenderloins, and Many Other Wild Game Sausages. Our Products Are Worth the Visit!

www.slovacek.com

But I can't figure out how to order direct. This was all over the place in Bryan/College Station area when I went to Texas A&M. They'd sell in front of Kyle Field.

 

[jcam222]

My buddy swears by some stuff he gets at costco or sams club, not sure which. I am also unsure if its fresh or not. I've heard him say it comes from texas or something like that, and its always good, but thats all the info I got.

I'd love to know how the restaurants do it, if its something pre-cooked that they slice and lay smoke on, or if its fresh and they smoke it, or some combo thereof with some seasonings...when I go out to a bbq place its one of my favorites to get off the menu.

Is this what he buys? It's pretty dang good.

 

[JLeonard]

Dustin Dorsey Looking at the Slovacek site.....There is a 800 number you call for ordering. Man all those sites have good looking stuff on there. Someone hide my credit card!

Jim

 

[tpc74]

Is this what he buys? It's pretty dang good. View attachment 692161

I've had that and seen it, and your right, it is good. But I don't think its what he buys. He says he has to look for it, that its not always stocked. So not sure if its something they sold in the past, and don't anymore or if its more "seasonal", if that term can be used for costco lol.

 

[tallbm]

I realize "sausage" is a broad term.
I lived in Houston for 6 years back in the late 80's. It's where my love for BBQ began.
I used to frequent a bbq restaurant often near downtown...cannot remember the name....One of the bbq places was Ottos, but I'm not sure that was it. Anyway, I used to get smoked brisket and sausage plates. Sausage was awesome.....but they just called it sausage....no special term....which makes it difficult to find.
Up here in WI we have polish sausage, Italian sausage and brats....
But I want to find that sausage to throw on the bbq pit....I'm not one for making my own sausage and no offense to hillshire farms, but their beef sausage ain't it....
If anyone knows what I'm talking about, let me know.....if it's something I won't be able to readily procure up here, so be it, but I'd sure like to duplicate it.

I know what you mean being born and raised in TX.

Sausage like ones in these pics:

It's going to be hard to find it where you are at. Hell it's hard to find it here in TX unless you go to the BBQ house and get it lol.

I think the options that Dustin Dorsey and jcam222 are presenting will be your best best unless you are going to make it yourself.

I feel like these are Czech inspired sausages vs the common Polish style. Similar in luck but quite a bit different in taste and the fact that they should have some beef and/or beef fat in them and other things :D

 

[kevinwi]

I know what you mean being born and raised in TX.

Sausage like ones in these pics:
View attachment 692164
View attachment 692165

It's going to be hard to find it where you are at. Hell it's hard to find it here in TX unless you go to the BBQ house and get it lol.

I think the options that Dustin Dorsey and jcam222 are presenting will be your best best unless you are going to make it yourself.

I feel like these are Czech inspired sausages vs the common Polish style. Similar in luck but quite a bit different in taste and the fact that they should have some beef and/or beef fat in them and other things :D

YEP!! That is EXACTLY what I mean! ha.....they were not small links...they were bigger links like in your photo! I think I'm on the right track to finding a place to purchase!

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

I realize "sausage" is a broad term.
I lived in Houston for 6 years back in the late 80's. It's where my love for BBQ began.
I used to frequent a bbq restaurant often near downtown...cannot remember the name....One of the bbq places was Ottos, but I'm not sure that was it. Anyway, I used to get smoked brisket and sausage plates. Sausage was awesome.....but they just called it sausage....no special term....which makes it difficult to find.
Up here in WI we have polish sausage, Italian sausage and brats....
But I want to find that sausage to throw on the bbq pit....I'm not one for making my own sausage and no offense to hillshire farms, but their beef sausage ain't it....
If anyone knows what I'm talking about, let me know.....if it's something I won't be able to readily procure up here, so be it, but I'd sure like to duplicate it.

Are you talking about Kreuz Sausage?
It's a no frills, outstanding, simple sausage with a cult following.

 

[kevinwi]

Are you talking about Kreuz Sausage?
It's a no frills, outstanding, simple sausage with a cult following.

I don't think that was the name of it. It was just a BBQ restaurant...not a market.

 

[kevinwi]

There's a lot of different sausages in Texas so it's hard to say what you got. There's a lot of Czech sausage and there Central Texas meat market sausage of various types. There's also East Texas beef links.

Southside Market in Elgin is very famous for their sausage. They ship:

Iconic Sausages from Elgin, Texas | Southside Market & Barbeque

Savor iconic flavor with Southside Market's legendary sausages! Explore classic and signature sausages crafted with authentic recipes and premium ingredients. Fire up the grill and elevate your BBQ game with Southside Market sausages. Since 1882. Order online and get it delivered to your door...

southsidemarket.com

Meyer's also out of Elgin is sometimes easier to find and they make sausage for a lot restaurants:

Barbecue Online Shipping & Mail Order BBQ For Home Delivery | Meyer's

Texas Barbecue is at your fingertips. Meyer's Elgin sausage offers mail order sausage, smoked meats, spices, rubs, marinades and souvenir caps & T-shirts!

cuetopiatexas.com

Here's an article talking about Czech sausage in Texas.

What is a Czech Sausage?

A few months ago I was at Smolik’s Smokehouse in Mathis to buy some smoked meats, including a link of their homemade Czech-style sausage. As I waited for

www.texasmonthly.com

Slovacek's is a good example:

Sausage Company | Slovacek Sausage & Wild Game Processing

Slovacek Sausage Menu Features Smoked Sausage, Hickory Smoked Hams, Pork Tenderloins, and Many Other Wild Game Sausages. Our Products Are Worth the Visit!

www.slovacek.com

But I can't figure out how to order direct. This was all over the place in Bryan/College Station area when I went to Texas A&M. They'd sell in front of Kyle Field.

I'm going to give Slovacek's a try and see. Will be $$ from TX. They supposedly carry these at Sams Club, but mine does not.

 

[chopsaw]

Up here in WI we have polish sausage, Italian sausage and brats....

Comin' up in June for a week . I'm hoping to find some good sausages to try and bring home .

 

[tallbm]

YEP!! That is EXACTLY what I mean! ha.....they were not small links...they were bigger links like in your photo! I think I'm on the right track to finding a place to purchase!

I did a Jalapeno and Cheese one that was pretty close.

1st Attempt TX Jalapeno and Cheese Smoked Sausage w/ QView

Thanks @HushyQ for giving me the motivation and posting about your TX style Jalapeno and Cheese sausage (here: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/2nd-attempt-at-jalape%C3%B1o-cheddar-sausage.325176/) It was a very close to a perfect 1st attempt and I might just nail it on attempt 2...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

I used H HushyQ 's recipe as a starting point. I still need to do some tweaks for iteration 2 like adding more jalapeno but the flavor was really close. Maybe a little corriander is needed.

Mine will look darker because I use Cherry in my wood mix (65% Hickory, then even parts Cherry and Maple).
The ones in the picture are likely just Oak so they won't get as dark as when using cherry. Also in the pic with both sausages you can see the darker red ones are the spicy which will use red pepper (probably cayenne too) and jalapeno where the lighter sausage on the right doesn't add the heat or get the extra red color from lack of red pepper powders/flakes :D

 

[kevinwi]

Well I purchased sausage from Slovaceks directly....very helpful person took my order. Carla.....
I ordered all different kinds.
The problem was that the shipping was more than the meat by a long shot. I don't see me ordering very often.
Going to have to find a local butcher that makes Czech sausage.

If you call...call the plant.

 

[tallbm]

Well I purchased sausage from Slovaceks directly....very helpful person took my order. Carla.....
I ordered all different kinds.
The problem was that the shipping was more than the meat by a long shot. I don't see me ordering very often.
Going to have to find a local butcher that makes Czech sausage.

If you call...call the plant.

I used to stop by Slovacek's weekly from 2015-2017 when commuting to/from Dallas and Round Rock TX. They have good stuff and a lot of options. Hopefully you land on one like you remember :D

 

[chopsaw]

.I'm not one for making my own sausage

You could find a way to do it without a big expense to start . Then decide what you want to do .
I did these last week .

 

[tallbm]

You could find a way to do it without a big expense to start . Then decide what you want to do .
I did these last week .
View attachment 692178
View attachment 692177

Oooh looks good. What style of sausage is that?

 

[chopsaw]

What style of sausage is that?

That's the Chorizo Argentino from Marianski's site . I used all pork and skipped the wine .
It's good sausage .
I did that on my pellet grill . I mix it up , stuff , then freeze . Thaw and cook when I want to use it .
That comes out way better for me than smoking first , then freezing .

 

[kevinwi]

You could find a way to do it without a big expense to start . Then decide what you want to do .
I did these last week .
View attachment 692178
View attachment 692177

Honestly I have a very small home and a lot of stuff built up over the years....that I never use....although it looks fun, I'm afraid it would just add to my other crap pile of gadgets I don't use.

 

[Hijack73]

Honestly I have a very small home and a lot of stuff built up over the years....that I never use....although it looks fun, I'm afraid it would just add to my other crap pile of gadgets I don't use.

I know the feeling. I'm to the point where my counters runneth over. But I found that my new stuffer fits perfectly into the small narrow cabinet the builders designed as a cutting board cabinet :)

Tejas style beef - on my very very short list.