Little Smokies in the Crockpot
Little smokies crockpot style are the party snack everyone empties first. The mini sausages simmer in a sweet and tangy sauce that cooks down to a glaze, and the slow cooker keeps them warm for hours.
16
servings5
minutes3
hoursLil smokies cook in barbecue sauce, grape jelly and a touch of mustard until glossy. They are a no-fuss appetizer for game day or holidays.
Ingredients
2 packages (14 oz each) cocktail smoked sausages, drained
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup grape jelly
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Toothpicks for serving
Directions
- Spray a 4-quart or 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
- Add the barbecue sauce, grape jelly, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, vinegar, garlic powder, paprika and pepper. Whisk until mostly smooth. The jelly will stay a little lumpy at first.
- Pour in the drained sausages and stir to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The sauce should be hot and bubbling at the edges.
- Stir once or twice during cooking so the jelly melts evenly.
- Remove the lid for the final 20 minutes if the sauce looks thin. It will thicken and cling to the sausages.
- Switch to WARM and set out with toothpicks.
- Stir before serving so each sausage picks up glaze.
Notes
- The sausages are already cooked, so you are only heating and glazing them. Use turkey smokies for a lighter version. For heat, add a tablespoon of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. You can double the batch in a 6-quart cooker, but stir often.
Why little smokies belong in the crockpot
Little smokies are already cooked, so the slow cooker is only there to heat them and build a glaze. That is exactly what it does best. Three hours on LOW turns a thin sauce of barbecue and grape jelly into something sticky and sweet that clings to every sausage.
It also solves the party problem. Once the sausages are hot, you flip to WARM and they hold for hours without drying out or scorching, which a stovetop pan cannot do. It is one of the few party foods where the cooking vessel is also the serving dish, which means less to wash and nothing to carry around.
Ingredient notes
Cocktail smoked sausages: Buy two 14 oz packages and drain them well. Extra packing liquid thins the sauce and leaves it watery.
Barbecue sauce: Choose one you like straight from the bottle. A smoky, medium-sweet style works best because the jelly adds plenty of sugar.
Grape jelly: It gives the glaze its shine and that familiar sweet-tangy flavor. Use jelly, not jam, since the seeds and fruit chunks in jam do not melt smooth.
Mustard and vinegar: A tablespoon of each cuts the sweetness. Without them the sauce can taste flat and candy-like.
Brown sugar: Two tablespoons deepen the color and help the glaze caramelize at the edges.
Tips for the best result
Whisk the sauce first: Mix everything in the crock before the sausages go in. The jelly stays lumpy at first, but it melts evenly if you stir once or twice during the cook.
Lift the lid at the end: If the sauce looks thin, cook uncovered for the last 20 minutes. It thickens and coats the sausages instead of pooling in the bottom.
The most common mistake is cooking on HIGH too long: After 2 hours on HIGH the sugars start to catch on the sides and the sausages shrivel. Stick to LOW for 3 to 4 hours when you can. Choose a slow cooker with a lid that fits tightly, since a loose lid lets sauce reduce too far. A 4-quart size is the better fit for two packages.
Swaps and variations
For heat, stir in a tablespoon of sriracha or a diced jalapeño. For a tangy version, trade the grape jelly for cranberry sauce or apricot preserves. Beef or turkey smokies work in the same amounts, and chicken apple sausage links cut into bites make it a bit lighter.
Fresh raw sausage does not work with this method. It needs to be browned and cooked through first, and the sauce would turn greasy. Cutting the grape jelly in half and adding extra barbecue sauce makes a tangier glaze that is less sweet, if that suits your crowd better.
What to serve with it
Set the crock out with a cup of toothpicks and a small bowl for the used ones. Pair it with a veggie tray, cheese cubes and crackers so the sweet sausages have something sharp next to them. A pot like this sits happily at the end of a game day table. Put out small plates and napkins, because the glaze is sticky and guests will want somewhere to land.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in their sauce for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan or back in the slow cooker on LOW for about an hour, adding a spoonful of water if the glaze has set up.
They freeze well for up to 2 months in a sealed container with the sauce. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm gently so the casings do not split. Add the sausages to fresh sauce if you need to stretch leftovers for a second round at another gathering.
Little Smokies in the Crockpot at a glance
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 3 hours
- Servings: 16 servings
- Ingredients: 11, led by packages (14 oz each) cocktail smoked sausages, barbecue sauce, grape jelly, brown sugar
Tips for Little Smokies in the Crockpot
The sausages are already cooked, so you are only heating and glazing them. Use turkey smokies for a lighter version. For heat, add a tablespoon of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. You can double the batch in a 6-quart cooker, but stir often.
Little Smokies in the Crockpot FAQ
How long does Little Smokies in the Crockpot take?
Little Smokies in the Crockpot takes 3 hours of cooking after 5 minutes of prep.
How many people does Little Smokies in the Crockpot serve?
This recipe makes 16 servings.
What do I need to make Little Smokies in the Crockpot?
11 ingredients, led by packages (14 oz each) cocktail smoked sausages, barbecue sauce, grape jelly, brown sugar. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
