Smoked Jalapeño & Cheese Sausage Recipe | Charcoal & BBQ

This recipe uses a specific 4:1 beef-to-pork ratio with added beef fat for a rich, juicy texture that mimics the best Texas BBQ joints.  This is a good recipe for all those bisket and rib trimmings you have been saving. 

• Prep Time: (e.g., 60-90 minutes)

• Smoke Time: (e.g., 3-4 hours)

• Difficulty: (e.g., Intermediate)

• Yield: (e.g., 15-20 links)

Ingredients

The Meat & Fat

• 4 lbs Beef Round / Chuck Pot Roast (Lean)

• 1 lb Pork (Pork Butt or Shoulder)

• 1.25 lbs Beef Fat (Combined total of your .5 lb and .75 lb portions)

• Can go all pork or all beef too, just keep the ratio the same.

The Mix-ins

• 1 lb High-Temp Cheese (diced)

• 7 Fresh Jalapeños (deseeded; to be ground with meat)

• 45g Milk Powder (Binder)

• 1 cup Ice Cold Water

The Spice Cabinet

• 12.5g Garlic Powder

• 10g Ground Mustard

• 7.5g Paprika

• 7.5g Cayenne (Added for heat)

• 7g Onion Powder

• 7.5g Fine Black Pepper

• 5g Pink Curing Salt #1

• 32.5g Kosher Salt

• 15g Coarse Black Pepper (I love black pepper, so scale it back to 7.5g for less pepper hit)

Instructions

1. The Spice Prep

In a small bowl, whisk together the Garlic, Mustard, Paprika, Cayenne, Onion Powder, Fine Pepper, Pink Salt, and Milk Powder.

Important: Keep the Kosher Salt and Coarse Black Pepper in a separate container. Adding these at the very end preserves the "rustic" texture of the beef and ensures the salt doesn't over-process the meat proteins during the primary mix.

2. The Grind

• Cube the Beef, Pork, and Beef Fat. Chill in the freezer for 30–45 minutes until firm.

• Grind the meat and fat through a coarse plate (6mm-8mm).

• The Jalapeño Integration: Feed the 7 deseeded jalapeños into the grinder while you are grinding the meat. This ensures the pepper oils and flavor are fully incorporated into the grind.

3. The Primary Mix

In a large chilled bowl, combine the ground meat/jalapeño mix with your Spice Prep mix, the ice-cold water, and the high-temp cheese. Mix vigorously by hand (use gloves!) for 2–3 minutes until the meat is tacky and holds its shape.

4. The Texture Finish

Once the meat has developed a good "bind" (it should stick to your hand if you turn it upside down), sprinkle the Kosher Salt and Coarse Black Pepper over the mixture. Fold them in gently until just distributed.

5. Stuffing & Smoking

• Stuff into 32-35mm natural casings.

• Smoke at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 155°F.  Can smoke as low as 180.  If on a pellet grill, use the smoker tube to boost the smoke. 

• Once they are done, immediately plunge them into an ice bath for 5 minutes to set the casing and ensure a perfect "snap."  This stops the cooking process. 

• Pro-Tips for the Perfect Link

  • Maximize the Smoke: For the best color and flavor, you can start your smoker as low as 180°F. This allows the meat to absorb smoke for a longer period before the casing sets. If you are using a pellet grill, consider using a smoker tube filled with wood pellets or sawdust to give the sausages an extra boost of authentic wood-fired flavor.

  • Why High-Temp Cheese? We recommend high-temp cheddar because it has a melting point of around 400°F. This ensures the cheese stays in distinct cubes rather than melting out and leaving hollow pockets in your sausage.

  • No High-Temp Cheese? If you can’t get the high-temp variety, you can use a block of sharp cheddar. Just be sure to cube it yourself into very small, uniform pieces. It may soften more than high-temp cheese, but it still tastes great!

  • Fat is Flavor: Beef can be leaner than pork, which leads to a crumbly texture if you aren't careful. If your brisket trimmings aren't fatty enough, don't be afraid to add a little beef tallow to the mix to ensure a juicy, succulent bite.

Pro-Tip: Choosing Your Meat Blend

While this recipe is designed for a rich, Texas-style All-Beef profile, you can easily adapt it for a different texture or flavor:

• The 70/30 Beef-Pork Split: If you find all-beef links a bit too firm, try a blend of 70% beef brisket and 30% pork butt. The pork fat has a lower melting point than beef tallow, which results in a softer, "silkier" mouthfeel while still keeping that bold beef flavor front and center.

• The Classic "Market Style" (50/50): For a more traditional smoked sausage found in many BBQ joints, use equal parts beef and pork. This is the most forgiving blend and ensures the sausage stays incredibly juicy even if your smoker temp fluctuates.

• A Note on Fat: Regardless of the meat you choose, aim for a total fat content of 25-30%. If you are using very lean beef (like Round or Sirloin), you must add back fat (pork back fat or beef tallow) to prevent the sausage from becoming dry and crumbly.

The Science of the Salt: Why Wait Until the End?

You’ll notice this recipe calls for adding the Kosher Salt and Coarse Black Pepper at the very last second. Here is why that matters for a professional-grade sausage:

• Primary Mixing vs. Final Fold: When you mix meat with water and "fine" spices, you are developing Myosin—the protein responsible for the "bind." If you add all your salt at the beginning, it begins to dissolve those proteins immediately, turning the mixture into a tight, emulsified paste (think of the uniform texture of a hot dog or bologna).

• The "Rustic" Texture: By waiting to fold in the coarse salt and pepper at the end, you preserve the individual "curd" of the ground beef. This creates a more rustic, steak-like texture inside the casing rather than a rubbery one.

• Moisture Retention: Salt draws out moisture. By adding it late and stuffing immediately, you keep more of those natural juices inside the meat fibers during the initial phase of the smoke session.