Ingredients
-
Main
Few things come off a charcoal grill more satisfying than a snappy, charred Italian sausage piled high with sweet caramelized peppers and onions. This Chicago-inspired version keeps it classic — sausages grilled over lump charcoal until deeply browned with a satisfying snap, peppers and onions cooked in a cast iron skillet until tender and lightly caramelized, then everything brought together on the grill to finish as one. Loaded onto a bun with yellow mustard, sport peppers, and a pickle spear alongside a pile of potato chips. Simple, bold, and built for the backyard.
Instructions
-
01
Load the grill with lump charcoal and preheat to 400°F. Allow it to fully come to temperature before adding anything — a hot grill from the start is what gives the sausages their char and snap and gets the cast iron skillet working the way it should.
-
02
Place a cast iron skillet directly on the grill grates and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced peppers and onions. Spread them out in an even layer and allow them to cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, tender, and beginning to caramelize at the edges. The cast iron holds and distributes the heat from the charcoal evenly, which is what develops that sweet, lightly charred flavor that makes this dish.
-
03
While the peppers and onions are cooking, place the Italian sausage links directly on the grill grates over the lump charcoal. Grill, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides with a deep char and a snappy, firm casing. Lump charcoal adds a clean, subtle smoke that works perfectly with the richness of the Italian sausage.
-
04
Once the sausages are browned and the peppers and onions are tender, transfer the sausages into the cast iron skillet with the peppers and onions. Allow everything to cook together for a few minutes so the flavors can combine and the sausages pick up the sweetness from the caramelized vegetables.
-
05
Place each sausage in a bun. Pile the peppers and onions generously on top. Add a squeeze of yellow mustard and top with two sport peppers per sandwich. Serve with a pickle spear on the side and a pile of potato chips. Eat immediately.
