Another popular sausage indigenous to Texas is turkey sausage. The most famous purveyor of this local delicacy is Inman’s in Llano. They case theirs fresh, then barbecue it. If you do the same, your sausage will be somewhat drier than if you smoke it first. Smoking also produces a more robust flavor.
10 lbs. boneless turkey meat, including skin
1 oz black pepper
1 oz brown sugar
1 t ginger
pinch of cloves
pinch of allspice
In purchasing the turkey meat, you can save money by buying turkey parts excluding the breast. Grind the meat once using coarse blade. Blend spices and sprinkle over meat. Mix thoroughly with your hands and regrind. Case in separate links 1 1/2 inches by 10 inches. Tie off both ends and pull into a ring. To make ready-to-eat sausage, put in a smoker at 150 degrees and smoke for 4 hours, then raise the temperature to 170 degrees and continue smoking until the internal temperature of the meat is 138 degrees. Store in refrigerator until ready to cook.
This recipe is one of several featured in the August 1978 article The Missing Link.
