A coarse-ground beef sausage stuffed with pickled jalapeños and sharp cheddar cubes, smoked until the casing snaps and the cheese pockets caramelise. The signature sausage of the Dallas BBQ style.

The jalapeño cheddar sausage emerged from Dallas BBQ counters in the 1990s as an evolution of the Czech-German smoked sausage tradition that was already embedded in Central Texas BBQ. The addition of jalapeños and cheddar was a Tex-Mex fusion move that became the default sausage at every major Dallas pit. Pecan Lodge's version, using house-ground beef and house-pickled jalapeños, is the Dallas benchmark.

Where to eat Jalapeño cheddar sausage in Dallas

4 editor picks for Jalapeño cheddar sausage in Dallas, ranked by editorial score. All Dallas signature dishes · Jalapeño cheddar sausage across every city.

  • Pecan Lodge

    Order Beef brisket by the pound, beef rib on Saturdays while supplies last.

    The Deep Ellum BBQ institution that made Dallas a serious stop on every national list.

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  • Lockhart Smokehouse

    Order Shoulder clod cooked 18-20 hours over post-oak. Brisket with no sauce on butcher paper.

    The Dallas outpost of the Lockhart BBQ tradition, run by descendants of the original Kreuz Market bloodline.

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  • Slow Bone

    Order Smoked pork chop, a cut most Dallas BBQ joints skip. Beef brisket by the half-pound.

    A Design District lunch institution that closes when the meat runs out.

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  • Ten50 BBQ

    Order Brisket; burnt ends on Fridays; house-made sausage.

    The Dallas location of the family-run Richardson BBQ favourite, opened in 2025 near Inwood Village in the former Sonny Bryan's space.

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Make it at home

Serves 83 hrAdvanced

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg coarse-ground beef (80/20 fat ratio)
  • 18g kosher salt
  • 8g coarse black pepper
  • 4g garlic powder
  • 100g sharp cheddar, cut in 1cm cubes
  • 80g pickled jalapeños, drained and chopped
  • Natural hog casings, soaked
  • Post-oak wood for smoking

Method

  1. Mix salt, pepper, and garlic powder into the cold ground beef. Mix briefly; do not overwork.
  2. Fold in jalapeños and cheddar cubes until evenly distributed.
  3. Stuff into soaked hog casings, tying into 20cm links. Do not pack too tightly.
  4. Cold-smoke at 65-75 C (150-165 F) for 1.5 hours over post-oak.
  5. Raise temperature to 90 C (195 F) and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 71 C (160 F).
  6. Rest 15 minutes before slicing or serving.

Editor tip. The cheddar cubes must be cold when stuffed to avoid smearing into the meat. Chill the stuffed sausages 30 minutes before smoking if your kitchen is warm.

Common allergens: Dairy.