According to master griller Hank, “Smoked chicken sausage delivers big, smoky flavor with less fat and calories than pork.”
With my experience as a long-time backyard pitmaster perfecting my craft, I’ve honed a foolproof method for making insanely delicious smoked chicken sausage from scratch.
Let me walk you through my tips for choosing quality chicken and spices, proper grinding and casing, maintaining perfect temperature control in an electric smoker, and how I get restaurant-quality results every time with way less fat than pork.
How to Make Homemade Smoked Chicken Sausage
After years of perfecting sausage recipes in my backyard smoker, I’ve developed go-to methods for light, flavorful chicken sausage.
As an avid smoker, I’m always experimenting with new flavors and ingredients to share. This smoked chicken sausage recipe is one I keep coming back to for its simplicity and deliciousness.
Let me walk you through the techniques I’ve learned to produce unbelievably moist chicken sausage infused with wood smoke. We’ll start with carefully selected ingredients for balanced flavors and health benefits.
From there, I’ll share my tips for proper grinding, stuffing and hot smoking using an electric smoker to make the process easy and mess-free.
Let’s get started with an ingredient list you can feel confident will meet the highest standards. Then we’ll move on to preparation steps guaranteed to impress. I look forward to hearing how it turns out for you!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs, diced
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1/4 cup diced roasted garlic
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup coarse sea salt or kosher salt
EQUIPMENT
- Meat grinder or food processor
- Sausage stuffer or casings (optional)
- Electric smoker (optional)
- INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a freezer for 30 minutes to firm up before grinding. This will result in a smoother texture.
- Grind chicken through a 1/4-inch die into a large mixing bowl. Add onions, garlic, seasonings, water and salt. Mix thoroughly until blended.
- Load mixture into a sausage stuffer and stuff into hog casings or skip casings and form into patties.
- Set electric smoker to 180°F to 200°F. Hot smoke sausages until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. This will infuse smoky flavor while cooking fully.
- Enjoy smoked sausage hot off the smoker or refrigerate for later. Serve on buns or add to dishes like jambalaya for a flavorful protein option with less saturated fat than pork sausage.
By making your own smoked chicken sausage, you have full control over ingredients to reduce saturated fat intake while enjoying delicious smoked flavors.
Using an electric smoker allows you to easily hot smoke fresh sausage at home for a healthier homemade smoked meat without the hard work and mess of traditional smoked meats.
With minimal ingredients and effort, you can produce restaurant-quality smoked sausage to please any crowd.
Credit : Chuds BBQ
Nutritional Benefits of Smoked Chicken Sausage
Nutrient Comparison of Smoked Meats
Chicken sausage provides lower calories, fat, and cholesterol than pork or beef options
| Meat | Calories | Fat (g) | Protein (g) | Cholesterol (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Sausage | 50 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| PORK Sausage | 80 | 5 | 8 | 80 |
| SMOKED BEEF Sausage | 110 | 7 | 12 | 100 |
I’ve analyzed the nutritional profiles of different smoked sausage options. Through this research and hands-on cooking trials, chicken sausage consistently provides the most favorable nutrient balance compared to pork or beef varieties.
With lower calories, fat and cholesterol amounts, it allows for enjoyment of wood-smoked flavors in a leaner package.
A closer look at the macronutrient profiles shows a standard 2-ounce SERVING SIZE of chicken sausage contains 10g of protein, 0g of fat, and 50 calories. In comparison, pork sausage of equal size provides 8g protein but contains 5g fat and 80 calories (1).
There are also several key reasons chicken sausage has nutritional advantages over pork or beef versions.
It provides higher protein and lower fat content. Unlike smoked PORK or BEEF sausages, chicken sausage contains NO CHOLESTEROL.
It utilizes lean chicken breast meat rather than fatty PORK cuts or BEEF. Seasonings like herbs and BLACK PEPPER are used to infuse flavor instead of pork FAT.
Following the safe INTERNAL TEMP of 165°F also ensures food safety for poultry.
Smoked chicken sausage presents an easy healthier option compared to other smoked SMOKED sausages (2).
The lean protein profile allows for enjoyment of authentic smoked wood flavors with significantly lower calories, fat, and no cholesterol. A tasty substitute for any meal.
Tips for Best Results
Key Steps for Making Smoked Chicken Sausage
- Select high-quality GROUND CHICKEN and seasonings for maximum flavor
- Prick HOG CASINGS with a pin before stuffing to prevent bursting
- Monitor the INTERNAL TEMPERATURE closely while HOT SMOKING
- Refrigerate leftovers and consume within 1 week
Ingredient Best Practices
| Ingredient | Selection Tips |
|---|---|
| Chicken | Use a mix of dark and light meat for depth of flavor |
| Seasonings | Herbs, spices like red PEPPER, ROASTED GARLIC infuse flavor |
| Casings | Natural HOG CASINGS allow smoke to permeate |
With the right techniques and ingredients, one can produce SMOKED CHICKEN sausage rivaling smoked PORK or BEEF varieties but with lower fat and calories.
Maintaining a safe INTERNAL TEMP while smoking ensures safety of this tasty SMOKED MEAT. Enjoy your handcrafted sausage for outstanding flavor.
Following proven methods that take advantage of components’ unique properties leads to consistently flavorful smoked sausage each time. Remember that small details make big differences in final results.
FAQ
Can I hot smoke chicken sausage?
Yes, hot smoking at moderate heat below 200°F allows full cooking and flavor absorption from smoke. Maintain an internal temperature of 165°F for safety.
What internal temperature for smoked chicken sausage?
Reaching an internal temperature of 165°F ensures safety by killing any bacteria during hot smoking. This cooking temperature results in juicy, flavorful sausage every time (3).
How does chicken compare to smoked beef or pork?
By utilizing GROUND CHICKEN over fatty pork or beef cuts, smoked chicken sausage offers lower calories, fat and cholesterol but comparable smoke flavors especially when HOG CASINGS are used.
Can ground chicken be used to make smoked sausage?
Yes, GROUND CHICKEN takes SMOKED FLAVORS very well and makes delicious smoked sausages similar in texture to traditional SMOKED MEATS but with a healthier profile when combined with quality seasonings and hog casings.
Conclusion
Overall, creating homemade smoked chicken sausage delivers incredible WOOD-SMOKED flavors and textures rivaling premium restaurant SAUSAGES.
The key is using quality LEAN GROUND CHICKEN, aromatic seasonings like SMOKED PAPRIKA and ROASTED GARLIC, and NATURAL HOG CASINGS for authenticity. With an ELECTRIC SMOKER, the entire process is simplified for mess-free backyard smoking.
Following safe INTERNAL TEMPERATURES also ensures food safety. Compared to fatty pork or beef SAUSAGES, smoked chicken options provide a lighter nutritional profile with ample protein, making them a SATISFYING centerpiece for any meal.
Experiment with flavors, and enjoy your fresh artisanal SAUSAGES. I’d love to hear how your homemade smoked chicken sausages turn out, so please comment below with your experience and flavor variations to try next!
Reference
- https://facts.net/chicken-sausage-nutrition-facts/
- https://bbqhost.com/chicken-sausage-vs-pork-sausage/
- https://thermomeat.com/internal-temperature-chicken-sausage-done/
Related Article
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/wood-for-smoking/
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/high-fiber-foods-list-for-weightloss/
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/allulose-benefits/
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I’m Mary R. Q. , a seasoned professional chef dedicated to elevating home cooking experiences. Through my expertise in the culinary arts, I provide practical cooking tips and insightful reviews of kitchen utensils on my blog, milkwoodrestaurant.com. As a passionate advocate for transforming everyday meals into extraordinary culinary adventures, I aim to empower home cooks with the knowledge and tools they need to create delicious and memorable dishes. I’m also an author of the book “1,001 Kitchen Tips & Tricks: Helpful Hints for Cooking, Baking, and Cleaning (1,001 Tips & Tricks)” which is sold on Amazon. Join me on a flavorful journey as we explore the art of cooking and the essential tools that make it a joy.
