I love the smell of mesquite in the morning!

So you didn't think that I went through all that trouble to make my own sausage just to heat it up in the microwave, did you? No the only proper cooking method for Texas-style sausage is low and slow with plenty o' smoke.

One of my new years' resolutions for NTSC was to actually smoke something other than chicken. Sure my past results have been tasty, but I'm getting kinda bored with it. Besides, I want to graduate up to more advanced BBQ challenges. Sausage then seems like an easy weekend trip.

My normal smoking fodder is hickory, but for this episode I decided to follow the spirit of the west and use a little mesquite. I'd have loved to use a mixture of oak and mesquite, but last time I checked there weren't any oak trees laying around my condo and I don't think my association would've appreciated it if I had started felling trees, even if it was to smoke some meat.

The day was perfect for smoking meat. It was about 70 degrees outside and sunny, with just a little wind. And it was early enough so I didn't have to risk getting the fire department called on my butt. Even though my smoker is legal for use in a condo, I still don't want to have to explain why to a bunch of guys with axes and hoses at my door.

When I lifted the lid I saw exactly what I was looking for - a six-pack of mahogany links, glistening with little beads of fat on the surface. Let's take a closer look...

So juicy! So succulent! So over-smoked! Yep, I didn't break out my meat thermometer until it was way too late. They were on the smoker for an hour and a half, and the internal temperature was 20° more than the 160° I was aiming for. Note to self: use the probe thermometer next time!

You don't need a whole lot of wood chips to smoke sausage, either. I'd say about a cup should do nicely. Oh, and remember to soak them in water (or beer) for an hour before tossing them into your smoker.

All in all I think the collagen casings did the job. First off, they did a great job of allowing the smoke to pass into the meat.

This is what we in the barbecue world refer to as a "smoke ring". It's formed by a chemical reaction between the meat and the nitrates in the smoke. It means that you actually used smoke to cook and flavor the meat. Last time I checked a lot of "barbecue" places didn't have meat with smoke rings. Be wary of such impostors!

Otherwise, the collagen casings didn't "stick" to meat very well. This could be a rookie mistake like under stuffing the sausages. This also allowed some of the casings to get a little dry and "papery". I'll have to do another batch sometime and report back. For the time being I'd still recommend using them because they're so darn easy to use. Feel free to comment if your experience differs!

The sausage, aside from being a little overcooked, was pretty good. I'd have liked a little more assertive flavor so perhaps I'll up the seasonings a bit. I'm still pretty happy with the result.

Were they the match for my experience in Lockhart? Hell no. I'm but a gnat to those juggernauts of smoked meat. But this was a good start, and I'm excited to try again. For my next sausage making adventure, I'm planning on making a batch of real frankfurters for this year's celebration of National Hot Dog Day. I can't wait!

FYI - The six links above were destined for a pot-luck dish for a church gathering. I combined the meat with a few marinated grilled chicken breasts and a batch of my chipotle rice. The end result is sort of a "Tex Mex Jambalaya".

I really liked this dish. The sausage is pretty high in points (8 per link, to be exact), so serving a few chunks with rice and a little chicken is a great way to enjoy the smoky meaty flavor without breaking the points bank.