# Red hots or hot links?



## cooknhogz (Dec 4, 2012)

An older friend of mine grew up around Waco Tx and talks all the time about this sausage his dad use to buy when he was a kid that was very good. He can't remember if it was called hot links or red hots but I would love to find out and make some for him and try it myself. Any thoughts? Thanks


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## dward51 (Dec 4, 2012)

We have some commercial "red hots" around here and I wish I had a recipe for those.  They are a stuffed sausage with the internal texture of a hot dog, but in a red dyed casing.  Depending on the brand, they have varying degrees of hotness, but I love those things.

This is the type I'm talking about.  Really red. I mean an un-natural red (like the banned red dye #2 I remember from the 60's).













red_hot_dogs1.jpg



__ dward51
__ Dec 4, 2012






The web page where I found that photo also had a recipe, but it did not list any spice I would consider "hot" or a source for the special red casings.  I have no idea if this is a decent recipe or not, but here it is (and it's metric no less). I was just looking for a photo of they type of hot link I was talking about.  The ones we get are this red, but a little fatter.

BEEF SAUSAGE

Ingredients:
- 500 g beef
- 200 gr tapioca starch
- Egg whites 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, mashed
- Salt to taste
- Granulated sugar 1/2 tablespoon
- 100 ml ice water or crushed ice 150 gr
- A special plastic sausage (casing)


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## chef jimmyj (Dec 4, 2012)

Here is two good threads you should check out...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/118411/hot-links

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/123366/best-hot-links-question#post_825392


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## dward51 (Dec 4, 2012)

Thanks.  I bookmarked those also


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## diggingdogfarm (Dec 5, 2012)

I think that you're going to need a better description from him in order to find out exactly what he's talking about, "hot link" can mean a lot of different things.


~Martin


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## bigbob73 (Dec 5, 2012)

Hot links rock.  It's basically a spicy hot dog in a red casing.


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## BGKYSmoker (Dec 5, 2012)

dward51 said:


> We have some commercial "red hots" around here and I wish I had a recipe for those.  They are a stuffed sausage with the internal texture of a hot dog, but in a red dyed casing.  Depending on the brand, they have varying degrees of hotness, but I love those things.
> 
> This is the type I'm talking about.  Really red. I mean an un-natural red (like the banned red dye #2 I remember from the 60's).
> 
> ...


I know the ones your talking bout. I didnt like em, they tasted like sheep dip


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## diggingdogfarm (Dec 5, 2012)

I have friends and family in Texas who get hostile when someone considers a hot link anything more than an old fashioned all-beef link, seasoned with just salt, pepper, garlic and hot pepper flakes....sometimes just a touch of sugar to balance the heat. Other folks seem to like hot links that are more complicated. Apparently hot links vary quite a bit throughout Texas.

*Classic Texas All-Beef Hot Links *

1000g beef chuck 
420g short rib 
80g brisket fat 

15g minced garlic 
5g coarsely ground black pepper 
16g salt 
4g crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste) 
2.5g Cure#1 
4g white sugar (optional) 
80-100g ice water 

Cube meat and add all ingredients including water. 
Hold in fridge for 12 hours. 
Grind twice through 3/8" plate. 
Mix until sticky. 
Stuff into hog casings and form 6" links. 

Gently hot smoking over mesquite or oak is what gives this sausage it's unique character. 

~Martin


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## cooknhogz (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks for all the replys. I talked to this guy again and they were hot links. I'm going to have to give these a try being I love hot stuff. Thanks again.


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