Grilled Italian Sausage

Grilled Sausages with Apple Mustard — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Servings:

For grilled sausages with a lightly charred exterior and juicy bite, chef and cookbook author Tyler Florence first sears the links on the hot side of the grill, then finishes them over indirect heat. The sausages are then topped with sweet apple mustard and giardiniera, a bright mix of pickled vegetables. The result is a dish that’s spicy, tangy, and sweet, and sure to be a hit at your next cookout.

The fruity mustard includes apples softened in a foil packet on the grill before being blended into a smooth apple mustard (which is also great served with grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, or tossed with roasted brussels sprouts).

This recipe is adapted with permission from American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire by Tyler Florence, Abrams Books, 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is giardiniera?

Giardiniera is an Italian pickled vegetable relish. Though it hails from Italy, it’s especially popular among Italian Americans, particularly in Chicago, where it’s used to top Italian beef sandwiches. While recipes vary, the relish generally consists of carrots, cauliflower, peppers, celery, and chile peppers that are pickled in vinegar, then marinated in olive oil. It’s available at most grocery stores or online at mezzetta.com.
What is stone-ground mustard?

Stone-ground mustard falls somewhere in between Dijon and whole-grain mustard. It’s made by grinding mustard seeds with water and vinegar until it becomes a coarse spread with more texture than Dijon, but it is still smoother than whole-grain mustard. A 50-50 mix of Dijon mustard and whole-grain mustard can be substituted for stone-ground mustard.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

A two-zone grill setup is great for sausages. You get a good sear and browning over the heat, then finish cooking them through with gentler, indirect heat to ensure that they remain juicy and evenly cooked throughout. This also reduces any risks of flare ups, since the fat isn’t dripping directly over the flame.

Suggested pairing

A berry-driven Valpolicella, such as Zenato Valpolicella Superiore, pairs especially well with these sausages.

Make ahead

The apple mustard can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

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Ingredients

Apple Mustard

1 Fuji apple, cored and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons stone-ground mustard, divided

Hot Dogs

8 (4-ounce) hot or sweet Italian pork sausage links
8 top-split hot dog buns
Store-bought giardiniera (mixed pickled vegetables)

Directions

Make the apple mustard

Preheat a gas grill to medium (350°F to 400°F) on one side, or push hot coals to one side of a charcoal grill. Stir together apple, onion, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer mixture to a large sheet of aluminum foil; fold foil over apple mixture, and seal edges to create a packet. Place foil packet on grates over unlit side of grill. Grill, covered, until apples are very soft, about 30 minutes.
Transfer apple mixture to a blender, and add 2 teaspoons mustard. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening; process until mixture is completely smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, and stir in remaining 2 teaspoons mustard. Cover, and chill until ready to serve.

Make the hot dogs

Increase heat or add additional charcoal to lit side of grill to bring to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Poke a few holes in each sausage using the tip of a paring knife. Place sausages on grill grates over lit side of grill. Cook, uncovered, turning occasionally, until slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer sausages to unlit side of grill; cook, covered, until a thermometer inserted into center of sausages registers 160°F, 9 to 12 minutes.
To assemble hot dogs, place 1 sausage in each hot dog bun. Top with apple mustard and giardiniera; serve hot. (Reserve any remaining apple mustard for another use.)