Smoked sausage with easy honey mustard dipping sauce

Smoked sausage is the perfect BBQ dish, game day appetizer or easy dinner recipe. Smoking sausage requires only 1 ingredient and as little as 1 hour to make. You do not have to be a Pitmaster to master the art of smoking sausage! 

I’ve tested out various cook times, temperatures and types of sausages so you don’t have to! Just grab your favorite sausage, fire up the grill and get to smoking!

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Sausage Recipe

Quick and Easy – this is the easiest smoker recipe you’ll make, hands down. There’s no prep work required – the grill does all the work. It’s just as easy as making smoked kielbasa.

Flavor – while sausage is already flavorful, smoking it adds an extra layer of flavor.

Meal Prepping – If you’re into meal prepping and planning, it’s easy to make a batch to incorporate into your meals during the week. Think Jambalaya and Pastalaya.

Types of Sausages

You can use any kind of uncooked sausage – I dig spicy brats or smoked Italian sausage, but any type of sausage works. Here are some ideas:

• Bratwurst
• Italian Sausage
• Kielbasa
• Polish Sausages
• Chorizo
• Turkey Sausage
• Pork Sausage (Breakfast Sausage)
• Chicken Sausage
• Beef Smoked Sausage

To maximize flavor absorption during smoking, it’s crucial to use a raw sausage, which is more receptive to smokiness compared to pre-cooked variants. While pre-cooked sausages can still soak up some smokiness they don’t absorb as much as raw sausages – think hot dogs and chicken sausage.

Dipping Sauces

Succulent and smokey sausage is flavorful and tender with a bit of a bite thanks to the natural casing. No actual dipping sauces is needed, however if you’re a sauce lover like me, you’ll want to serve this smoked sausage recipe with a side of horseradish sauce, dijon mustard or honey mustard sauce.

Time and Temperature

Plan on it taking 1-2 hours to smoke the sausage, depending on the temperature you set the grill to and the size of the sausages. Keep in mind, the longer it stays in the smoker, the more smokey flavor there will be. 

• At 225°F it will take approximately 1.5-2 hours to smoke sausage.
• At 350°F it will take approximately 45-60 minutes to smoke sausage.

As different types of sausages require different total cook times, it’s best to use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature.

According to the USDA sausage containing ground beef, pork, lamb or veal needs to be cooked to 160°F while sausage containing chicken or turkey needs to have an internal temperature of 165°F. Stick a thermometer in the end of the sausage link to check the temperature.

How To Cook Smoked Sausage

You can use any type of grill to make smoked sausage recipes.

Pellet/Electric Smoker – Set the grill to 225°F. Place the sausages on the grill grate and smoke for 1-2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 160°F – 165°F. The total smoke time and internal temperature will differ depending on the type of protein being used.

Wood/Charcoal – Heat the grill to 225°F, using an in-direct heat set-up. Place the sausages on the indirect heat side of the grill grate and smoke for 1-2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 160°F – 165°F. The total smoke time and internal temperature will differ depending on the type of protein being used. Aim to keep the temperature between 225°F – 250°F.

Best Wood To Use

Smoked sausage can withstand a hit of hearty smoke like hickory, oak or even mesquite.  For a healthy dose of smoke, that isn’t as intense try pecan wood, apple wood, maple wood or cherry wood. 

Equipment

• Energy Source – Charcoal, wood or propane.
• Smoking Wood –  Chunks, chips or pellets.
• Thermometer – Always use a thermometer. Our go-to digital thermometer is the Thermaworks Dot.
• Smoker Box – You’ll need one to impart the smoke flavor if using a gas grill. We’ve used this one from Amazon in the past.

FAQ’S

Leftover Ideas

If you have leftover smoked sausage, consider throwing them in these recipes:

Recipes With Smoked Sausage

Smoked sausage recipes for dinner are always quick and easy! Here are a few ways to use these smoked sausages:

Click to see our list of 50 Best Things To Smoke In A Smoker.