Jalapeño Popper Sausage

Seasoning Preparation:

In a bowl, combine Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Pink Curing Salt, Granulated Garlic, Mustard Powder, Paprika, and Cayenne Pepper. Mix well to create the seasoning blend.

Curing the Meat:

In a shallow hotel pan, place the brisket trimmings and fat. Sprinkle the seasoning over the meat and incorporate it evenly. Cover the pan and let it cure in the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavors to develop.

Once the meat is cured, add the milk powder to the mixture. Mix it in last to avoid it hydrating and becoming gummy during the curing process.

Grind the seasoned meat, place some ice cubes on the ungrounded meat to ensure everything stays cold during grinding.

Add whole jalapenos in the grinder along with the meat. For milder sausages, deseed the jalapenos before adding them.

Add shredded high temp cheddar and mozzarella to the ground meat. Mix everything with your hands to ensure even distribution and make the mixture tacky.

Gently mix in the broken pieces of extra crispy bacon, being careful not to crush them too much.

Stuffing the Sausages:

Use a sausage stuffer to fill classic hog casings with the sausage mixture. Link the sausages as big or small as you prefer, avoiding air pockets to achieve plump sausages.

Smoking the Sausages:

Fire up the smoker to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius).

Allow the links to dry out a bit in front of a fan to make them easier to cut the links apart.

Smoke the sausages at 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius) for about 3 hours with low and slow smoke.

After 3 hours, flip the sausages and continue smoking for an additional hour.

Remove the sausages from the smoker and immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process and seal in moisture.

If you plan to store the sausages for later, vacuum seal them and freeze them for long-term storage.

If ready to eat, fire up the pit to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius) and grill the sausages for 20-35 minutes until fully cooked and nicely browned.

Enjoy your delicious homemade Jalapeno Popper Sausages! They make a fantastic addition to any barbecue or gathering with friends and family.