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Nothing screams summer BBQ more than perfectly grilled sausage on a bun smothered with grilled onions and pepper.
Backyard BBQ, baseball game tailgate, beach day, & pool party are only a couple of summer moments when grilled sausage and peppers are the BEST item on the menu!
We are currently in the heart of grilling season and if this grilled sausage and peppers recipe is not on your summer cookout list, it NEEDS to be.
Just like my smoked hot dogs recipe on this site, this summer sausage dish pairs well with my smoked baked beans side dish. This is a match made in heaven.
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Grilled Sausage & Peppers Video (1 Minute)
Ingredients
We are going to be grilling very tasty sausages (hot italian, sweet italian, or both) and topping them with freshly sliced onions and peppers.
Add a little seasoning to enhance but NOT overpower the flavor.
- Italian Sausages (spicy, sweet, or both)
- Onion
- Bell peppers
- Hot dog or sausage buns
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper, garlic
See recipe card for quantities.
How to grill sausage & peppers
- Step 1: Slice bell peppers and onions into long strips.
- Step 2: Preheat grill to 350-400°F and place cast iron pan on grill.
- Step 3: Place sausages on grill grates and poke 4 holes in each sausage with toothpick or knife to prevent splitting and bursting while cooking.
- Step 4: Warm oil in cast iron skillet and add onions and peppers. Season with SPG. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Step 5: Cook sausages to an internal temperature of 160°F turning several times while cooking.
- Step 6: Grill buns for 30 seconds if desired.
- Step 7: Place sausage on bun and top with grilled onions and peppers. Can also serve on a plate with side dishes, no bun.
The spiciness of the hot italian sausages with a nice char on the outside paired with the sweetness of the bell peppers will excite your taste buds and make your eyes widen with the burst of amazing flavor!
Hint: Sausages have a high fat %. If your grill is flaring up from the falling fat, reduce the temperature to 300-350°F to prevent burning the sausage.
Sausage Variations
When it comes to grilling sausage, there are MANY choices to go with. Doing a mixture is a good way to allow everyone at your barbecue to choose their favorite sausage.
- Sausage Meat - The most common is pork. But chicken sausage will give guests a leaner & more calorie friendly sausage if desired.
- Sausage Flavors - I love using a variety. Spicy Italian sausage, sweet Italian, bratwurst, and kielbasa are the best sausages to use when grilling and topping with peppers.
- Bell Peppers - I like using red bell peppers & yellow bell peppers. But substitute with whichever color you like.
- Buns - Hot dog buns or sausage buns (larger than hot dog buns) are recommended. This can be served in grilled tortillas as well. Simply slice sausages after grilling and mix into the onion and pepper mix. Then scoop and add into tortilla for a nice sausage taco.
Grilling Equipment
A grill is a must for this sausage and pepper recipe. You just can't replicate the grilled flavor cooking on a stove. Use whatever grill you have. Charcoal grill, propane grill, or pellet grill will work great.
I used my Weber Genesis grill (affiliate link) which has a spot for a cast iron wok (affiliate link). The designated cast iron spot is one of the reasons I bought this grill.
Storage & Leftovers
Store the grilled italian sausage and peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To re-heat, the microwave is honestly the easiest and good way to reheat these sausages and veggies. Toast the buns in a toaster oven or grill.
Reheating the sausages on the grill or in a pan on the stove over low heat until warmed through is also an option.
Top tip
Use a meat thermometer to ensure the middle of the sausages are cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit. Turn down grill temp if fat falling from sausages is causing excessive flare ups burning the sausages.
FAQ
It depends. Most pork sausage is NOT cooked and needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F before eating. Chicken sausage is commonly already cooked and simply needs to be heated to consume.
Check the package or ask your butcher if the sausages you are purchasing are cooked or uncooked.
Cook sausages to a minimum of 160°F. Sausages are able to handle more heat without affecting texture or juiciness, so don't be worried if they go higher to around 185°F.
Grill uncooked sausages for about 15 minutes at 350°F to cook all the way thru to an internal temperature of at least 160°F. This time will vary depending on size of sausages.
You will be moving and rolling sausages while they are cooking to prevent them from burning in one spot. So leaving the grill open is fine.
You can close the lid as well, but monitor the amount of smoke coming out of grill which indicates your sausages have caught fire (grill temp is too hot)
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Sausage & Peppers Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with grilled sausage and peppers:
Ingredients
- 6 each italian sausages (hot or sweet)
- 1 onion (sweet)
- 3 bell peppers (different colors)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 buns (hot dog or sausage)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 350-400°F and place cast iron pan on grill.
- Slice onions and peppers into long strips. Do not chop.
- Place sausages on preheated grill and poke 4 holes in each sausage with a toothpick or knife to prevent splitting and bursting while cooking.
- Warm oil in pan and add onions and peppers. Season with SPG to your liking. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Cook sausages to an internal temperature of 160°F turning several times while cooking. About 10-15 minutes.
- Grill buns for 30 seconds if desired and remove to a serving platter.
- Remove sausages when finished and place onto buns. Top with grilled onions and peppers. Serve with condiments of your choice. (Mustard, ketchup, relish...)
Video
Pro Tips
- Use a meat thermometer to determine when the sausages are finished cooking. This prevents under or over cooking.
- Turn down the temperature or move sausages away from direct heat if they are flaring up from the fat falling onto the flames. Sausages are fatty and flare ups are common.
- Clean grill with a grill brush after preheating to remove any leftover food from previous cooks. Rubbing an onion cut in half on the grates will help disinfect the grill and help remove old food.
Nutrition
Food safety
When dealing with pork sausage, make sure to keep your guests safe following some food safety rules.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 160 °F. If grilling pork chops, 145°F internal temp is fine, but when cooking ground pork in sausage, bring it up to 160°F
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw pork
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave food unattended on the grill. Especially fatty meat like sausage.
See more grilling safety guidelines at National Fire Protection Agency.
Will
This grilled sausage and peppers recipe was so much fun to put together, and eat! I hope you give it a shot and come back to leave a comment and let me know how it turned out. Your comments really help out the site. Thanks for stopping by!