Sweet-And-Spicy Sausage Bites

Cook Southern-favorite Conecuh in a savory, smoky, but slightly sweet sauce for a fun twist on a side of breakfast sausage.

Southern Living Sweet-and-Spicy Sausage Bites in the skillet to serve
Photo:

Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Servings:
10 to 12

Smoked sausage is good any time of day, as these saucy bites prove. Browned in a cast-iron skillet and then simmered in a sweet and spicy homemade barbecue-style sauce, they’re the best version of those “cocktail smokies” appetizers you’ve been snacking on since the early 1980s. Serve them in the skillet they’re cooked in, or transfer them to your slow cooker to keep them warm as long as your tailgate or party guests are still snacking their hearts out.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil

  • 2 lb. spicy hickory-smoked sausage (such as Conecuh), sliced diagonally into 1 1/2-inch-thick pieces (about 6 cups)

  • 1/2 cup pure cane syrup (such as Steen’s)

  • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup ketchup

  • 1/4 cup bourbon

  • 2 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard

  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

  • 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add half of the sausage; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining sausage. Pour drippings into a small heatproof bowl, and set aside to cool before discarding; do not wipe skillet clean.

  2. Whisk together cane syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, bourbon, spicy mustard, vinegar, and Worcestershire in a medium bowl until combined; pour into skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Return sausage to skillet; stir until well coated. Cook over medium-low, stirring often, until heated through, about 1 minute.

Related Articles