Mississippi Delta hot links at Tony's on Elston

Since the grilling/smoking season is upon us:

If I didn't want to grind and stuff my own, Tony's was once my source of fresh, uncooked hot link sausage on the NW side: assertively spiced, natural casing, very good mix of lean and fat, coarsely ground, and they smoked up nicely (or grilled nicely, too, in a pinch for time).

Generally, I like a coarse ground hot link, but I admit to a weakness, since a fortuitous early childhood exposure, to the DayGlo bright-red, finely-ground grease-bomb variety. My first encounter with this variant was in Pittsburg, Northeast Texas, and they're a staple in the Mississippi Delta, too. Admittedly, they very well might be an acquired taste. In the past, when I got a real hankering, I mail-ordered them from Pittsburg, but the shipping costs rivaled the cost of the links.

Tony's seems to have stopped offering their in-house fresh hot links (at least at my location), but, a few months ago, there appeared these squirty and artery-clogging jewels: Magnolia Hot Links from Magee, MS.



They are a perfect example of the genre.



Be careful when grilling, as these links exude a grease more incendiary than high-octane jet fuel. Warning: they are usually eaten using a knife and fork (almost always of the plastic variety; sporks work, too). I've been tempted to try them in a bun, but they tend to erupt shooting grease of Mount Vesuvious magnitudes.

These pair wonderfully with a nice vinegar/pepper sauce; the hot/sour acidity tames the grease, and provides an almost musical counter-point.

I used this, obtained on my last drive back to TX.



But, damnit, I am out of saltine crackers, the accompaniment in Pittsburg.

Cheers,
Wade

waderoberts wrote:Tony's seems to have stopped offering their in-house fresh hot links (at least at my location), but, a few months ago, there appeared these squirty and artery-clogging jewels: Magnolia Hot Links from Magee, MS.

Wade,

I was at Peoria Packing yesterday picking up a few slabs of spare ribs and noticed a decent selection of DayGlo bright-red sausages including Magnolia. While I didn't purchase the Magnolia I am a fan of Peoria Packing's made in-house Hot Links, which are pretty much as you describe your sausage preference " assertively spiced, natural casing, very good mix of lean and fat, coarsely ground."

For the mother-load of DayGlow bright-red links or, as ReneG refers to them, Crimson Sausage, try Galst in Milwaukee which ReneG posted about here. You can combine it with a trip to Jake's, which is steps from Galst Foods.

By the way, soon as you mentioned vinegar/pepper, saltines and sausage, combined with your picture, I had an embarrassingly Pavlovian reaction.

Enjoy,
Gary

Peoria Packing Butcher Shop
1300 West Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60607
312-738-1800

Galst Food Market
1622 W North Av
Milwaukee WI
414-263-9315

Jake's Delicatessen
1634 W North Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53205
414-562-1272

Reminds me of Jerry's (was that the name?)--that rather humble place on North Avenue near North Park oh-so-many years ago. They served a Mississippi sausage (which the package strongly resembles) that was the best I can recall. One day, Jerry up and closed the place and moved back to Mississippi.
Probably just as well. What had begun as a place for folks coming after church on Sunday mornings and a couple of "pioneers" (softball prompted a great hunger and a greater thirst) became a yuppie destination. By the time it closed, word had gotten so far out so that you could hardly get in. If you were lucky enough to get a table, you found yourself surrounded by a certain age, background, and income cohort that I found less than appealing. I miss Jerry's--but this discovery will make the pain more tolerable. Thanks!