Hot & Sweet Sausage Sandwiches with Grilled Peppers & Onions

Split hot Italian sausages grilled over charcoal alongside a colorful mix of poblano, red, and yellow bell peppers and sliced onions, all piled into hollowed-out rolls spread with horseradish mustard. This is pure backyard grilling at its best.

Hollowing out the bread is a smart move. It creates a trough for the sausage and peppers to sit in without everything sliding out the sides, and a quick hit on the grill gives the cut surface char marks and a toasty crunch that holds up against the juicy filling.

Chef Tips

• Slice the sausages lengthwise before grilling. Butterflied sausages cook faster, get more charred surface area, and lay flat in the roll.
• Toss the peppers and onions lightly in olive oil before grilling. Just enough to coat, not dripping. Too much oil causes flare-ups over charcoal.
• The poblano adds a mild, smoky heat that balances the sweet bell peppers. Don’t skip it for just more bell peppers.
• Let the grill burn down to embers, not active flames. Low, even heat grills the sausages through without charring the outside to carbon.

Variations

• Mix hot and sweet Italian sausage for a crowd that can’t agree on heat level.
• Skip the horseradish mustard and use a garlicky aioli or chimichurri instead.
• Add sliced provolone to the rolls and let it melt from the heat of the sausages for a cheesesteak-style upgrade.