Summer Sausage Foil Packets

Week 438. Year 9. Tommy is 42. Deep summer. The business thriving. Luc (18) at LSU studying engineering. The heat index above 100 and the AC straining and the only relief is the cold beer and the screened porch and the sound of the fan turning and the knowledge that fall is coming and the gumbo is waiting.

Made shrimp tacos this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Come eat, cher.

The shrimp tacos were the headline, but the week called for something that could go straight from the grill to the porch table without any fuss — something that let the summer evening do most of the talking. These Summer Sausage Foil Packets are exactly that kind of food: wrap it up, throw it on the heat, crack a cold beer, and by the time the fan makes one good pass, supper is ready and the only thing left to do is sit down and be grateful for it.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb smoked summer sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pats
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high (about 400°F), or preheat the oven to 425°F if cooking indoors.
Par-cook the potatoes. Microwave the cubed potatoes for 4–5 minutes until just slightly tender but not fully cooked. This ensures everything finishes at the same time.
Mix the filling. In a large bowl, combine the sausage rounds, par-cooked potatoes, corn, bell pepper, and onion. Drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat.
Build the packets. Tear four large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (about 18 inches each). Divide the sausage and vegetable mixture evenly among the sheets, mounding it in the center. Dot each portion with small pats of butter. Fold the foil up over the filling and crimp the edges tightly to seal.
Cook the packets. Place packets on the grill (or on a baking sheet in the oven) and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are fully tender and the sausage is heated through. For the grill, flip the packets once halfway through.
Serve. Carefully open the packets — watch the steam — and slide the contents onto plates or serve straight from the foil. Top with fresh parsley and eat on the porch while the fan is still turning.

Nutrition (per serving)

Summer Sausage Foil Packets — When the Heat Index Hits 100 and the Porch Is Calling