Our Jalapeno Bacon Summer Sausage might be the best sausage I’ve ever made. I used Butcher BBQ’s Wyld Seasoning—specifically the Jalapeno and Bacon Summer Sausage blend—which delivered bold, balanced flavor. I made this batch with a mix of beef chuck and pork butt, added plenty of smoked garlic and grated sweet onion, and stuffed it into snack-size collagen casings. A short “kiss of smoke” on a Green Mountain pellet grill finished them perfectly.
Sausage making is more approachable than many people expect and yields an ideal snack or appetizer alongside cheeses and crackers. People have been making sausage for millennia; you don’t need artisan tools to begin. A decent grinder and stuffer are affordable, and there’s almost no limit to flavor combinations—there are more than 200 regional styles in the U.S. alone. The most important rules are practical: keep everything clean and cold throughout the process.
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Jalapeno Bacon Summer Sausage — A Wood Pellet Grill Recipe
Prep Time: 4 hrs.
Cook Time: 2.5 hrs. smoke @225°F (107°C)
Grill: Green Mountain Wood Pellet Grill
Pellets: Green Mountain’s Texas Blend BBQ Pellets
Ingredients: Jalapeno Bacon Summer Sausage
- 8 lbs beef chuck
- 2 lbs pork butt (with fat)
- 2 cups grated smoked garlic
- 1 large sweet onion, grated
- 1 bottle Butcher’s Wyld Sausage Seasoning (Jalapeno Bacon Summer Sausage)
- ¼ cup coarse black pepper
- Collagen or other casing of choice for stuffing
Cooking Directions: Jalapeno Bacon Summer Sausage
I used eight pounds of beef and two pounds of pork butt to get a good balance of lean and fat for a juicy but firm texture. The pork butt contributes just the right amount of fat for home sausage making.
I added two cups of smoked grated garlic and a cup of grated onion for savory depth. Chill the meat until slightly firm before grinding; this makes it much easier to cut and grind. Cut into 1½-inch pieces for the grinder to handle well.
TIP: #1 Partially freezing the meat makes cutting easier. #2 Keep steel bowls in the freezer so the meat stays cold at every step.
Do the first grind with a coarse disc into a cold bowl. Sprinkle in the Wyld seasoning and the small cure packet included with it, making sure everything is evenly distributed. Add the grated onion and smoked garlic, mix thoroughly, then refrigerate overnight to let the flavors meld.
Before stuffing, cook a small patty of the seasoned mix to taste and adjust seasoning if needed. When satisfied, perform a second grind with a 3/8″ disc to reach the right texture for stuffing. Load your chosen casing onto the stuffing tube and begin filling. Tie or twist links, and remove any trapped air with a sausage pick, toothpick, or similar tool to prevent bursting during cooking.
I sized my links to fit EarthWorks Bull Racks, then smoked them for about 2.5 hours at 255°F (about 124°C) until the internal temperature reached 165°F (74°C). Use an instant-read thermometer to verify doneness.
After smoking, place the sausages on a rack over the sink and pierce any air bubbles to release juices, then rinse with cold water to remove surface grease. Pat dry with paper towels and chill or wrap for storage.
Notes on Pellets and Smoking
A recipe is an outline: feel free to adapt. For low-temperature smoking (under 250°F / 121°C), the choice of pellet mainly affects the smoke profile rather than cooking performance. Experiment with different pellet blends until you find the combination you prefer.
About Our Recipes
We test recipes on a variety of grills and smokers—including pellet grills, wood-fired ovens, offset smokers and charcoal setups—so most recipes can be adapted to your equipment. The keys to success are time and temperature. When you cook outdoors you gain extra smoky flavors, but if the weather forces you inside you can still follow the method and adjust timing.
A recipe should be a starting point, not a rulebook. Adjust seasonings, ingredients and techniques to fit your taste. Experiment, be safe with food handling, and enjoy the process.
Live your passion and do what you love,
Ken & Patti
