How to Make Texas Style Hot Links

Making Texas hot links involves a few steps and requires some specific ingredients and equipment. Here is a recipe to make Texas hot links:

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of ground pork shoulder

• 1/2 pound of beef fatback

• 1/4 cup of chili powder

• 2 tablespoons of paprika

• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon of onion powder

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 1 tablespoon of black pepper

• 1 tablespoon of cumin

• 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes

• 1/4-1/2 cup of ice water

• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:

1. Start by grinding the pork shoulder and beef fatback together using a meat grinder.

2. Mix the spices and water together.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the meat and pour in the spice slurry.

4. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) to allow the flavors to meld together.

5. After the mixture has had time to rest, it's time to stuff the casings. Use a sausage stuffer to stuff the meat mixture into natural hog casings, twisting them every 6 inches to create links.

6. Once all the links have been formed, let them dry in a cool, dry place for 1-2 hours.

7. Once they have dried, smoke the sausage at 175 degrees for 1 hour. Grill the sausage to get internal temperature to 165 degrees.

Enjoy your homemade Texas hot links straight off the grill on a toasted bun with jalapenos and onion.