Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe
This lil smokies recipe for the crockpot is the party food everyone reaches for: little smoked sausages in a sticky, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. It takes five minutes, and the slow cooker keeps them hot all through the party.
16
servings5
minutes3
hoursLittle smoked sausages simmer in a sticky barbecue sauce with brown sugar, mustard and a splash of vinegar. They stay hot on WARM for hours.
Ingredients
3 packages (14 oz each) little smoked sausages, drained
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup water
Chopped fresh parsley or green onion, for serving
Directions
- Drain the sausages and pat them dry with paper towels. This keeps the sauce from thinning.
- Add the sausages to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Whisk the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, honey, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne in a bowl until smooth.
- Stir in the water and pour the sauce over the sausages. Stir until every sausage 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 and the sausages are hot at 165°F.
- Stir once halfway through so the sauce on top gets mixed in.
- If the sauce looks thin, cook uncovered on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes until it thickens.
- Switch to WARM and sprinkle with parsley or green onion.
- Serve with toothpicks.
Notes
- Use cocktail-size hot dogs or sliced smoked sausage if you cannot find the little ones. For a spicy version, add a tablespoon of hot sauce or diced jalapeno. Keep warm for up to 3 hours. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Serve with toothpicks, on slider buns or over rice.
Why little smokies belong on every party table
Little smoked sausages are already cooked, salty and a little smoky, so all they need is a sauce and some heat. The slow cooker gives you both, and then holds the pot at serving temperature for hours without the sausages drying out or splitting. Because they are cooked already, the only goal is to heat them through and glaze them, which makes this one of the safest dishes to hand to a new cook.
The sauce is the secret of a good batch. Brown sugar and honey give it stickiness, barbecue sauce gives it body and the vinegar and mustard keep it from tasting like candy. You get a glaze that clings to each sausage instead of pooling in the bottom.
Ingredient notes for sticky barbecue smokies
Little smokies: pick a beef or pork and beef brand with a mild smoked flavor. Turkey versions work, but they are leaner and can taste bland.
Barbecue sauce: choose one you would put on ribs. A sweet, smoky sauce works best, and a thin vinegar-style sauce does not give enough body.
Brown sugar: it dissolves into the sauce and caramelizes at the edges. Light brown is milder than dark.
Honey: a quarter cup gives gloss and a different kind of sweetness than sugar. Maple syrup also works.
Vinegar and mustard: both add the tang that stops the sauce from tasting flat. Do not skip them.
Cayenne: optional, but a pinch gives the sauce a gentle heat that sneaks up after the sweetness.
Little smokies come in packs of different sizes, so check the weight rather than the count, and use a total of about three pounds for a full 6-quart cooker.
Tips for the stickiest smokies
Drain and dry: The packages contain liquid that waters down the sauce. This is the most common mistake. A minute with a paper towel prevents a thin glaze.
Reduce at the end: If the sauce still looks loose, leave the lid off on HIGH for 15 minutes. It tightens up and clings.
Stir now and then: Sugar settles and darkens at the bottom. A stir every hour keeps the sauce even and prevents scorching on WARM.
Keep it on WARM: Past three hours, switch from LOW to WARM so the sauce does not scorch and the sausages do not split their casings.
Swaps and variations
Use grape jelly and chili sauce in place of the barbecue sauce for the classic party version. Add a can of drained pineapple tidbits for a sweet and sour style. Swap in sliced kielbasa or cocktail wieners for the little smokies, or use meatballs. Hot sauce or sliced jalapenos bring the heat.
Do not use raw sausage links without cooking them first. They release grease that spoils the sauce.
What to serve with little smokies
Set the cooker on a table with toothpicks and small napkins. Add a veggie tray with ranch, a bowl of chips and some cheese cubes. For dinner, tuck the smokies into small slider rolls with a little slaw, or serve over mac and cheese for a kid-friendly meal. A bowl of pickles or sliced cucumbers cools the sweetness and gives guests something crisp.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days in a covered container. The sauce thickens as it chills.
Freeze for up to 2 months in zip bags with the sauce. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan with a splash of water, stirring until they reach 165°F.
Leftover smokies make a good breakfast tucked into a scrambled egg wrap the next morning.
Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe at a glance
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 3 hours
- Servings: 16 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by packages (14 oz each) little smoked sausages, barbecue sauce, light brown sugar, honey
Tips for Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe
Use cocktail-size hot dogs or sliced smoked sausage if you cannot find the little ones. For a spicy version, add a tablespoon of hot sauce or diced jalapeno. Keep warm for up to 3 hours. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Serve with toothpicks, on slider buns or over rice.
Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe FAQ
How long does Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe take?
Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe takes 3 hours of cooking after 5 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe serve?
This recipe makes 16 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Lil Smokies Recipe?
12 ingredients, led by packages (14 oz each) little smoked sausages, barbecue sauce, light brown sugar, honey. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
