Fast and Hot Smoked Texas-Style Sausage with Pickled Onions
Spicy Texas-style smoked sausage cooked using a fast and hot method, paired with tangy homemade pickled onions for a perfect balance. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 75 minutes, pairs Texas-style smoked sausage links, apple cider vinegar, water for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 links (about 1 lb) Texas-style smoked sausage links
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 medium, thinly sliced red onion
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- handful smoking wood chips (hickory)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black peppercorns, and the thinly sliced 1 medium red onion in a heatproof bowl; stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Let this mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to pickle.
- Step 2: Preheat your smoker to 325°F using hickory wood chips for a bold smoky flavor.
- Step 3: Lightly brush 1 tbsp olive oil over the 4 Texas-style smoked sausage links to prevent sticking and enhance browning.
- Step 4: Place sausages on the smoker grate and cook for 45-60 minutes, turning occasionally, until internal temperature reaches 160°F and the casing is crisp and browned.
- Step 5: Remove sausages from the smoker and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Step 6: Serve the sausages hot alongside a generous scoop of the tangy pickled onions to cut through the richness.








