Smoky Summer Staycation Recipes

Our smokehouse sits smack dab in the middle of New England, located in the same lush countryside we’ve been doing business on for more than a century. Like most New Englanders, we lean into seasonal ingredients and find ourselves drawn towards the flavors our region is so well known for. From sweet maple syrup to buttery cheese, our passion for provincial flavor is apparent in every handcrafted, small-batch we smoke.

Summer is the perfect time to break out of your meal-planning rut and try new recipes with local ingredients. Gardens are bountiful and farmers’ markets can be found on almost every corner. So, turn off the stovetop and take it outdoors – it won’t be difficult, our fully cooked sausage, ham, and hot dogs make meal prep a breeze - all you have to do is heat & serve. Be it family meals firmly planted at the picnic table, or carefree campfire cookouts, summer dining with friends and family in your own backyard is the stuff sweet, smoky dreams are made of.

Here are 3 super-simple recipe ideas to try on your next staycation.

Backyard Garden Kabobs with Vermont Cheddar Sausage

Pro Tip: Cook these kabobs over an open flame to activate the deep, creamy pockets of cheddar for melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The great thing about kabobs is you can use whatever garden vegetable you have growing in abundance.  Simply slice the Vermont Cheddar sausage links into thick, meaty 1” pieces, and alternate vegetables and sausages on your skewer. The vegetables will pick up the savory flavor of the sausage while cooking. Sprinkle the skewers with salt, pepper, and garlic then grill them on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally. Our sausages are fully cooked, so there will be no long lines at the grill. The best part? You only need one hand to eat them – so you can crack a can of your favorite microbrew with the other.

Grilled Corn Salad with Chorizo Brandy Sausage

Cooldown at sundown with this oh-so-simple summer salad. The recipe is quick and easy, but the flavor is endless. Start by slicing our Chorizo with Brandy Mexican Style Sausages in ½” thick pieces. Grill them in a cast-iron skillet with olive oil, turning your slices until the pieces are slightly charred.  In a bowl, combine fresh ‘off the cob’ corn kernels (to lessen prep time, grill your corn cobs ahead of time), halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and cilantro. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cumin. Finally, place a heaping pile of salad on your plate and top it off by adding your Chorizo. The flavor is fresh and zesty.

Smokehouse Style Smores 

Okay, this recipe may be more for the big kids’, but we couldn’t resist stacking a few crispy slices of our certified humane, Fruitwood Smoked bacon on a smore. It was everything we had hoped for. We like to pan fry our bacon in a cast iron skillet over the campfire, so we can enjoy the aroma of the bacon frying while we lazily toast our marshmallows. Grab your favorite graham crackers, add chocolate, marshmallow, and bacon. Give them a moment to rest, so the chocolate has time to melt. Sit back, stoke the fire, and indulge. Smores will never be the same.