Description
Juicy, perfectly char-grilled Italian sausage sandwiched inside a toasted brioche roll, topped with castelvetrano-giardiniera relish & lemon basil aioli. This post will teach you how to grill Italian sausage perfectly every time, & how to serve it up in the BEST Italian sausage sandwich you’ll ever eat!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound fresh Italian sausage links (Hot or Mild, your preference – see Recipe Notes, below)
- nonstick cooking spray
- 4–6 St Pierre Brioche Hot Dog Rolls
- for serving: castelvetrano giardiniera relish (below), lemon basil aioli (below), balsamic glaze, etc.
for the lemon basil aioli:
- 1/2 cup high-quality mayonnaise
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves & tender stems (roughly 1.25 ounces)
- 1 medium lemon, zested (use the juice to make a Spaghett!)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon each Morton coarse kosher salt & ground black pepper
for the castelvetrano giardiniera relish:
- heaping 1/2 cup pitted castelvetrano olives (roughly 5 ounces)
- 1/2 cup giardiniera (mild or hot), drained
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
Instructions
- Preheat the grill: Prepare your grill for indirect cooking, creating a zone of direct high heat & a second zone of indirect heat. If using a gas grill, begin preheating at least 15 minutes before grilling. If using charcoal, light the charcoal at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. (To learn more about zone grilling, be sure to check out this post.)
- Prep the aioli & the relish: While the grill preheats, prep the Italian sausage toppings!
- Lemon basil aioli: Add all listed ingredients to a food processor. Process until combined into a smooth mixture. Transfer to a serving dish and set aside, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Castelvetrano giardiniera relish: Add all listed ingredients to the same food processor used to make the aioli (no need to even wash it!). Pulse just 3-5 times, just until the olives & giardiniera are roughly chopped. Transfer to a serving dish and set aside, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Grill the sausage: Once the grill is hot, place the sausage directly on the indirect heat side of the grill, arranging the sausage as close to the direct heat as possible without being directly over the flame. Close the lid & cook for 4-5 minutes. The heat from the direct heat side of the grill will circulate around the sausage, cooking them with really gentle indirect heat. After 4-5 minutes, flip the sausage, & cook over indirect heat for another 4-5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the sausage registers a temperature of 150 degrees F.
- Chargrill the sausage: Transfer the sausage to the direct heat. Grill 2-3 minutes per side, until charred as desired & the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Transfer to a plate to rest & cool slightly before serving.
- Toast the St Pierre Brioche Hot Dog Rolls: Lightly spritz the rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Place the rolls on the grill grates over direct heat. Cook for 1 minute or so, until as toasty & crisp as desired.
- Serve the grilled sausage on a toasted roll, topped with castelvetrano relish & generous drizzles of lemon basil aioli & balsamic glaze, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Sausage: You can use pretty much any Italian sausage links you love in this recipe. We typically stick to classic hot pork Italian sausage, but if you prefer chicken, it’ll work great. Note, the Recipe Directions above are specific to grilling fresh (raw) sausage links. If you’re using fully-cooked sausage instead, simply cook them over medium-high direct heat, flipping occasionally until the sausage is heated through or as crusty & charred as desired.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: While this is a super quick & easy recipe, a little prep in advance will make dinnertime even more effortless. Whenever you’re meal prepping for the week, prep & store the lemon basil aioli & the castelvetrano giardiniera relish according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. At dinnertime, all you have to do is fire up the grill – couldn’t be easier!
