Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
Little sausages in the crock pot are the easiest party appetizer you can make, and this version uses a sticky brown sugar BBQ glaze. The slow cooker keeps them hot for hours without drying them out.
16
servings10
minutes3
hoursCocktail sausages simmer in a sweet, smoky BBQ sauce until glossy and hot. Leave them on WARM and let guests help themselves.
Ingredients
2 packages (14 oz each) little smoked sausages, drained
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup water
Toothpicks for serving
Directions
- Drain the sausages and pat them dry. This keeps the sauce from thinning out from packing liquid.
- In the slow cooker, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne until smooth.
- Stir in the water so the sauce is pourable. It will thicken as it cooks.
- Add the sausages and stir until every one is coated.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the sausages are hot through.
- Stir once about halfway through. Packaged smoked sausages are already cooked, so you are just heating and glazing them.
- If the sauce looks thin at the end, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
- Switch to WARM and set out with toothpicks and a small bowl for the used picks.
Notes
- Use beef, pork or turkey cocktail sausages, whichever you like. Skip the cayenne for kids or double it for adults. You can mix the sauce a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Leftovers keep 4 days and freeze for 2 months. Serve with cheese cubes, crackers and pickles on the same table.
Why little sausages in a slow cooker beat the stovetop
Cocktail sausages are fully cooked, so they only need to heat through and pick up flavor. The slow cooker does that with almost no attention, and it holds them at a steady serving temperature for the whole party.
A pan on the stove would scorch this sauce because of the sugar. The low, even heat in a crock lets it thicken into a glaze without catching on the bottom.
Sweet and smoky sauces work well with salty sausages. Each bite gets a thin layer of glaze, and the vinegar keeps it from being heavy.
Ingredient notes for the glaze
Little smoked sausages: The mini links in the shelf-stable pack are the classic choice. Get a brand with a snappy casing so they stay plump.
Ketchup: It is the base of the sauce and brings tang and sweetness together. Plain ketchup is all you need.
Brown sugar: Light or dark both work. Dark gives a deeper molasses note.
Apple cider vinegar: This cuts the sweetness so the sauce does not taste like candy.
Smoked paprika: It gives a backyard grill flavor without a grill.
Tips for a glossy, not watery, sauce
Drain and pat dry: Packing liquid dilutes the sauce. A quick pat with paper towels fixes it.
Taste the sauce first: Brands of ketchup and BBQ seasoning vary a lot. Taste before adding the sausages and adjust sugar or vinegar.
Do not cook them for 8 hours: This is the most common mistake. Cooked sausages split and shrivel if left on LOW all day. Three to four hours, then WARM.
Keep the lid on for the first hour: Heat builds fast in a closed pot, and the sauce loosens up and coats the sausages without any stirring.
Swaps and variations
For a spicy version, add a tablespoon of hot sauce and a diced jalapeno. For a lighter pot, use turkey sausages and cut the brown sugar to 1/3 cup. You can also swap the BBQ sauce for a jar of chili sauce and grape jelly if that is the way your family makes them.
Raw sausage links do not belong in this recipe. They need to be browned and cooked through separately before they go into a sweet sauce.
For a make-ahead pot, mix the sauce the night before so the sugar dissolves and the flavors blend. Pour it over the sausages in the morning and start the clock.
What to serve with it
Set the slow cooker on the appetizer table with a bowl of toothpicks, cheese cubes, crackers and sliced pickles. For a bigger spread, add a veggie tray and a dip so guests have something fresh next to the sweet sauce.
For a bigger crowd, double the batch in a larger oval slow cooker, or run two pots with different sauces so guests can pick sweet or spicy. Label each pot so nobody grabs the hot one by mistake.
Storing and reheating
Cool the sausages and sauce within two hours and store them in a covered container for up to 4 days. They freeze for 2 months in a zip bag with the sauce.
Reheat in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water, or back in the slow cooker on LOW for about an hour. Stir now and then so the sugar does not scorch.
Serve them hot from the pot for the first two hours. After that, the sauce gets very thick, so stir in a spoonful of water and keep the setting on WARM.
Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 3 hours
- Servings: 16 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by packages (14 oz each) little smoked sausages, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar
Tips for Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
Use beef, pork or turkey cocktail sausages, whichever you like. Skip the cayenne for kids or double it for adults. You can mix the sauce a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Leftovers keep 4 days and freeze for 2 months. Serve with cheese cubes, crackers and pickles on the same table.
Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce FAQ
How long does Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce take?
Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce takes 3 hours of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce serve?
This recipe makes 16 servings.
What do I need to make Little Sausages in Crock Pot with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce?
12 ingredients, led by packages (14 oz each) little smoked sausages, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
