Fresh Hungarian kielbasa is a sausage that is very popular with Americans of Eastern European decent. Hungarian kielbasa is traditionally made from pork, beef, chicken, turkey, venison, or any combination thereof. Smoking kielbasa in a meat smoker provides you with cured, dried smoked sausage.
Step 1
Preheat your meat smoker or grill to medium heat, about 250 F. Pour the beer into a small bowl and soak the wood chips in the bowl until the grill is ready.
Step 2
Wrap the soaked wood chips in aluminum foil and poke holes in the top of the packet. Place the packet of wood chips on the hot coals. When you see smoke coming from the top of the grill, you know that it is ready for cooking.
Step 3
Place the sausage links on the meat rack. Evenly space each sausage to allow the smoke to penetrate each side and cook thoroughly.
Step 4
Monitor each sausage for color and temperature as the smoking process progresses. The color will deepen as the links cook and take on the smoke. When the sausage reaches 150 F, it is completely cooked.
Step 5
Transfer the kielbasa to a large bowl or bin filled with ice water. Bring the internal temperature of the sausage to 90 F. Place the kielbasa in the refrigerator to cure over night.
Things You'll Need
- Fresh Hungarian sausage (uncured)
- Large meat smoker or grill
- Charcoal
- Hickory wood chips
- Small bowl
- 12-oz. can of beer
- Aluminum foil
- Meat rack
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Large bowl or bin filled with ice water
