Grilled Hasselback Kielbasa With Jalapeño Honey

By Ali Slagle

Updated July 25, 2024

Grilled Hasselback Kielbasa With Jalapeño Honey
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(215)
Comments
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Sweet, spicy and crisp, these grilled sausages and onions are a good reason to fire up the grill. Instead of leaving the sausages and onions plain, coat them with a mixture of honey, whole-grain mustard and pickled jalapeños beforehand. When hit with the heat, it will caramelize into a sticky glaze. Cutting deep slits in the sausage creates more crispy bits and area for the glaze to settle, and ensures that the sausage won’t explode or shrivel. The pickled jalapeños cut through the richness and can be nestled between the slits on the kielbasa for surprising pops of heat. Pile the sausage and onions into buns, eat alongside coleslaw and potato salad or cut the jalapeno-studded kielbasa into small pieces to serve with toothpicks for an appetizer.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ¼cup honey
  • 2tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, plus more for greasing
  • 2tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 14ounces to 1 pound kielbasa
  • 1large red onion, halved through the root, then cut through the root into ½-inch wedges
  • ¼cup pickled jalapeño slices
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

456 calories; 34 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 750 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the grill to medium. In a large dish, such as a 9-by-13-inch pan, use a fork to stir together the honey, oil and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prep the kielbasa.

  2. Step 2

    Stopping short of cutting all the way through, make cuts ½ inch apart along the top of the kielbasa. Add the kielbasa, onions and pickled jalapeños to the dish. Use the fork to brush the kielbasa and onions with the honey mixture. Spread some of the honey mixture in between the kielbasa slices.

  3. Step 3

    Clean and lightly grease the grill grates. Add the kielbasa and onions and cook, turning occasionally and basting with the honey mixture, until warmed through, tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep the top of a gas grill closed between flips.) Don’t worry if the kielbasa breaks apart; you’ll need to slice it for serving anyway. As ingredients are done, add them back to the dish. If you like, stick some of the jalapeños in between the slices of kielbasa.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
215 user ratings
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Comments

Liz

My 16-year-old son pronounced this a great dinner. I liked it too, and it was plenty good using a turkey kielbasa. However, I didn't grill due to the the risk of the sausage pieces breaking off plus small segments of onion and jalapeño falling through the grate. So I roasted it on a sheet pan at 450 and then broiled it for 3 minutes. Should've lined the pan with foil as cleanup of caramelized sauce was a bear. Used hot honey and you should too.

Eegulleye

I converted to oven roasting as follows: Preheat oven to 425F. In an 11 x 17 baking dish, mix the glaze ingredients. Brush the kielbasa with some of the glaze, place a few jalapeno slices in some of the slits, and set it aside. Mix a few Tablespoons water with the remaining glaze, add the onions and jalapenos to the dish and toss. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven, toss again, and lay the kielbasa on top. Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes. Broil 3 minutes for more crispiness. Delicious!

JP

Sam’s recipe, that you refer to, is one of my favorites. I make it often. This recipe adds some differences that I look forward to trying soon.

Delicious

So good and easy to make. My guests were delighted

Brian B

Easy & delicious. There's no reason not to add more jalapeños if you like them. I used a grill pan & was glad I did since it enabled me to scrape the tasty caramelized honey/mustard bits on top of the final product.

amycobu

Wonderful! I elected to use the oven method mentioned several times. I used "tamed" jalapenos and their pickling liquid to thin the honey sauce a bit. I basted at half-time and once out of the oven, sprinkled with finishing salt and cracked pepper. Had company and they raved and raved. An absolute keeper!

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