Beef & Pork Kielbasa with H-Town AP, Jalapeño & Sharp Cheddar (No Nitrates/Nitrites)

**Video from Hook's Rub on YouTube**

I love a smokey, spicy, well-seasoned, cheese sausage on a toasted bun with mustard, sauerkraut, hot sauce and peppers. I love sausage making, but not the artificial flavor or nitrates and nitrites. So I created a kielbasa recipe using our H-Town All Purpose seasoning in the spice blend, that hits all those notes of flavor so it can be loaded up with your favorite toppings without the artificial nitrates. The celery powder or celery seed adds the natural preservative and takes the place of the nitrates/curing salts. 

This sausage can be grilled or fried right away or smoked and vacuum sealed for your next tailgate or barbecue cookout.

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Ingredients (5 lbs batch)

• 2.5 lbs pork shoulder (well-marbled, boneless or bone-in with bone removed)
• 2.5 lbs beef chuck (or brisket flat, or point for fat + flavor)
• 1/2 Cup Hook’s H-Town AP Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp celery powder (adds natural preservative & flavor depth)
• 2 Tbsp sea salt
• 1 Tbsp coarse black pepper
• 3 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp smoked paprika (adds smokiness & color without curing salts)
• 1 Tbsp mined onion (rounds out the flavor)
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, diced into ¼-inch cubes (freeze before mixing so it stays intact)
• 4-6 fresh jalapeños, finely diced (adjust for heat by leaving in or removing seeds and white pith inside)
• 1/2 cup cold water to mix in with spices
• ½ cup ice-cold water (helps bind proteins and keeps sausage juicy after the grind)
• Natural hog casings (32–35mm), rinsed and soaked

Tools

• Sharp chef’s knife & cutting board
• Meat grinder (with medium & coarse plates)
• Large mixing bowl (stainless steel preferred, chilled)
• Measuring spoons & cups
• Sausage stuffer (manual or attachment for grinder/stand mixer)
• Natural hog casings (32–35mm) – soaked and rinsed before stuffing.
• Bowl of ice water – to keep things cold and rinse casings if needed.
• Nitrile Gloves – for cleanliness and binding sausage mixture after blending and mixing in the spices, cheese and jalapeños.
• Sheet pan + parchment paper or wire rack – to rest and dry sausages overnight in the fridge.
• Plastic zip bags or vacuum sealer – for storing extra sausage.
• Grill, smoker, or heavy skillet – for cooking the kielbasa.
• Post oak or mesquite wood for smoking
• Thermoworks digital thermometer – to check that sausages reach a safe internal temp of 160°F (71°C).
• Freezer-safe container or bag – to freeze cheddar cubes before mixing (prevents melting during stuffing).

Instructions

Put on your gloves first!

1. Prep meat & equipment
   
• Chill your grinder parts, mixing bowl, and meat until nearly firm but not frozen. This keeps grind clean and fat from smearing.
• Cut beef and pork into 1–2 inch cubes.
  
2. Grind
   
• Grind all meat through a medium plate (about ¼ inch). For a more traditional kielbasa texture, you can do one coarse grind and a second finer grind, then mix together.
  
3. Mix seasonings
   
• In a large bowl, add H-Town, water, celery powder, sea salt, pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, and onion powder 
• Mix seasoning into the ground meat.
• Add ice-cold water knead until sticky and proteins bind and stick to your hand (about 3–5 minutes by hand or paddle attachment on stand mixer).
  
4. Fold in jalapeños & cheese
   
• Gently mix in diced jalapeños and cheddar cubes. Try not to overwork once the cheese is in.
5. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and rest meat mixture in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and helps build the structure and texture of the kielbasa. (optionally, you can stuff the sausage into casing right away and skip to step 7.
6. Stuff sausages
   
• The next day, load meat mixture into sausage stuffer and stuff into prepared hog casings following package instructions. Twist into 6–8 inch links alternating twisting direction at each link. (Twist away from you then towards you on the next link.
  
7. Rest again
   
• Refrigerate uncovered sausage links on a sheet pan overnight if possible. This firms them up and helps flavors meld.
  
8. Cook
   
• Since there are no nitrates/nitrites, grill or pan-sear until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
• If smoking, keep chamber around 225-250°F and smoke until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
9. Ice Bath
• Once sausage reaches 160 degrees F internal, remove them to a container and pour in ice and water which will shock the sausages and stop the cooking process. Let them sit in the ice bath for 15-30 minutes.
10. Heat and eat immediately or vacuum seal and freeze or refrigerate. 

Storage: Keep raw links refrigerated up to 3 days, or vacuum-seal/freeze for 3–4 months.

Variation: Add a pinch of marjoram for a more old-school Polish kielbasa flavor, or swap cheddar for pepper jack if you want even more heat.

LOVE FLAVOR WITHOUT COMPROMISE?

Level up your kitchen game with Hook’s Rubs & Spices—crafted for clean, bold, and unforgettable taste.
Grab H-Town along with other products we use and love now at www.HooksRub.com and explore our full lineup of award-winning seasonings and cooking essentials!

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