Flowers are lovely, but spring is the beginning of GRILLING season if your house is like mine. Sure, we have enjoyed comfort food like chili and mugs of cocoa, but I am ready to be living my life on my porch with an iced tea and the smells of a charcoal grill, especially when the grill has sausage skewers topped with balsamic glaze! Happy springtime y’all.
Let’s Talk Equipment
We are big fans of Traeger smokers like this baby. If you ask my big bro from Texas, he can give you a complete rundown on every grill worth it’s salt. But here’s the big question: what is your grill setup at your cabin?
I love the Char-Griller we have because it is less than $100 and perfect for just the family. The grill’s portability when we want to head out to another spot makes it a great car camping grill. Especially if you want something that can handle heavy-duty.
There is the con. You may have to do batch cooking due to its size, but this puppy was perfect for skewer night with this new simple glaze that you will want to bathe in. It is seriously that good.
A tip for this recipe is to spend just a little bit on a kitchen gadget that will provide so much! This OXO grip basting and pastry brush are attached to the grill side. It is excellent for putting on a rack of ribs or lathering on your beautiful balsamic glaze.
The final equipment check-in is for your skewers. If you go the bamboo or wooden skewer route, which you can order bamboo skewers here, make sure to soak them in water during the prep stage to make it easier to slide on your “toppings.”
Having upgraded to metal skewers, I don’t feel the need to turn back. I love being able to reuse them, and their heft makes it so much easier for grilling kebabs or chicken. Metal skewers also have a nostalgic place for me for how my grandparents always used to grill.
In short, get the bamboo if you want to prep ahead of time for a spring barbeque block party, but keep metal skewers around for your everyday noms.
The Magic of the Balsamic Glaze
Over the last couple of years, I have been collecting flavor bombs – little tips and tricks in the form of spices or sauces that pack a PUNCH. Seriously, this stuff is so good and so easy. The beauty of the balsamic glaze flavor bomb is you can put it on ANYTHING and get some umami (or, as my toddler says, WOO-MOMMY!) that is game-changing.
It’s acidic and robust thanks to balsamic vinegar, sweet from the honey, spicy from the red pepper flakes, and garlic. Add that over-the-top finishing layer that makes this a flavor bomb! What else is so great about this four-ingredient balsamic glaze? It is FLEXIBLE.
Additions and Substitutes
Additions or substitutions, especially for the spicy component, are welcome! If you are toying around. Swipe in some cayenne if you feel muy caliente or adobo peppers if you want something that settles warm in your chest.
In New England, everyone is all about maple syrup, so I am toying with getting that glaze just right! However, glazing, you raise the wow factor for your grill buddies!
To Skewer or Not to Skewer
Everybody has their favorite veggies for the grill. I have used onions and mushrooms (my favorite grill heroes) and orange bell pepper because the sweetness of the spicy sausage is top tier. But don’t let me stop you! Spike whatever vegetable to your heart’s delight!
Other skewer combos that would be great with this balsamic glaze include an eggplant-mushroom-onion-cherry tomato vibe (which my vegetarian friends love), or throw on some zucchini rings to these excellent spring sausage skewers.
Preparation
Ever get confused about how to prep an onion for the grill? When you aren’t skewering and have plenty of time, you can put the whole onion on the grill until it gets juicy and soft. (I also love to put whole tomatoes or eggplant on the grill like this.)
But what about when you want to make it bite-sized enough for a skewer? Chop the onion in half. Then, make another cut perpendicular to your first half. You should have four chunks. Now, you can either take some of these split petals or julienne style the onions from this point as you like.
When I was a kid, what felt like pointless skewer filler became my favorite part and enhanced the full bite when you get a piece of each veggie with the sausage in these skewers. What about your protein? I am absolutely in love with this Costco sausage: Premio Sausage. I think the sausage has some nice heat that works with the honey in the balsamic glaze. Don’t have sausage on hand? Try marinating the chicken with half the glaze before spearing it up for the grill.
Alright, that’s my rundown of today’s grilling bonanza! Without further ado, here is the recipe:
PrintThe Best Spring Sausage Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
For Skewers:
- 1 lb of Premio Hot Italian Sausage (one package)
- A large yellow onion
- 1 8 oz package of white mushrooms
- 2 orange bell peppers (or any other bell pepper color!)
For Glaze:
- ¼ cup of balsamic
- vinegar3 tbsp of honey
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp of salt
- 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat Grill
Step 2: Cut your skewer toppings of sausage, mushrooms, and orange bell peppers into bite-size pieces. Cut the onion into julienned chunks.
Step 3: Arrange your skewer toppings in colorful combinations on your skewer. (Recommended: sausage – onion – orange bell pepper – mushroom – repeat.)
Step 4: Using a mortar and pestle, smash garlic cloves with salt until it forms a paste. (If you do not have a mortar and pestle, finely chop your garlic.)
Step 5: In a small bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, garlic paste, and red pepper flakes to form your balsamic glaze.
Step 6: Lightly baste skewers with a basting brush.
Step 7: Grill skewers until almost done.
Step 8: Do a second baste with the balsamic glaze while skewers are on the grill.
Step 9: Finish grilling skewers until sausage is thoroughly cooked.
Step 10: Enjoy!
Are you looking for more recipes to enjoy this spring? Here are some ideas!
Simple Tomato and Mozzarella Bruschetta
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