Juneteenth, which began in Texas and has gradually expanded to the rest of country, is a celebration of the end of slavery in America.  Despite some people’s perceptions that this is a novel liberal invention, it is, in my opinion, one of the most important occasions our nation celebrates.  Independence Day is a celebration of our nationhood, and of the principles the United States were founded on, and Juneteenth is a celebration of a critical step forward in actually practicing those principles — for everyone.

Texas Hot Links — or “Not” Links

Juneteenth has a number of longstanding traditions, some related to the purpose for the celebration, and some flowing from the reality that it began in Texas. One of these traditions is enjoying “Texas Hot Links” as part of a celebratory cookout.  Hot Links are a type of beef sausage but, as you might suspect, preparing the sausage links requires stuffing casings.  That’s more than I want to mess with (and I don’t eat pork, which most commercially-available sausage casings are made from), so I set out to make an adaptation that uses the same group of seasonings, but in a form that doesn’t require casings.

Texas “Not” Links – Important notes before you get started

I can’t eat these right now due to my food sensitivities, but my taste testers tell me the heat level on these is mild to moderate.  If you want them hotter, you can increase the cayenne pepper or add a little bit of red pepper flakes.

I recommend using gloves when mixing this, because you don’t want cayenne pepper all over your hands.  Not only will it not be comfortable for your hands, you don’t want to know what happens if you don’t get it all perfectly washed off and you rub your eyes.

I don’t recommend omitting the sugar; it serves a purpose as part of the seasoning blend.  The sugar in the recipe balances the heat and adds caramelization.  Although we try to minimize sugar around here in general, I’m comfortable with it in small amounts as a seasoning.  Some recipes for Hot Links use dried milk powder instead.  I haven’t tried this yet, but if you’re really uncomfortable with the sugar, you can try substituting an equal quantity of milk powder.

If you’re not familiar with mustard powder, don’t confuse this with the mustard you eat on a sandwich.  Mustard powder is a spice; you’ll find it with all the other spices in the baking aisle.  It’s ground mustard seeds, and the condiment you eat on hot dogs is made from this, along with other ingredients.

In case you want to multiply this and make it in bulk, the recipe makes about 3-1/2 tablespoons of seasoning, so multiply as needed/desired, and then use about 3-1/2 tablespoons of the mix per pound of beef.

Texas “Not” Links – the Recipe

About the Juneteenth Flag

Unlike the holiday itself, the Juneteenth flag is a relatively recent invention.  It’s rich in symbolism, though, and something you might want to dig into as part of your celebration.

What to Drink with Your “Not” Links

Along Texas Hot Links, red foods are a Juneteenth tradition.  This includes things like red velvet cake — and red beverages like strawberry soda and pink lemonade.  If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to storebought options, or just having trouble finding them, here are some alternatives:

DaVinci Gourmet Classic Strawberry Syrup, 25.4 Ounce (Pack of 4)

• DaVinci strawberry soda syrup – If you want to make your own strawberry soda, but don’t want to make the syrup from scratch, this is a great option.  (I haven’t personally tried this flavor, but we’ve used other DaVinci syrups before and they’re fantastic.)
• DIY strawberry soda syrup – If you want to make it all from scratch, use this option.
• Strawberry-Honey Soda – This recipe uses honey instead of sugar, so it’s going to be less traditional, but healthier.

(Use 1-2 Tbsp. flavored soda syrup per 8 oz. seltzer water as a starting point.)

• Strawberry-Lemonade Water Kefir – If you want to really knock up the healthy factor, and are less concerned about being totally traditional, try this strawberry-lemonade water kefir, courtesy of Cultures for Health.
• Healthy Pink Lemonade – My own creation, this strawberry lemonade is sweetened with fruit juice (no refined sugar!)…and uses a “secret” ingredient for the “pink.”