Low for 3 hours is good. Have a great time at the party, the smokies will be a huge hit!

Thank you!

Jenn, I precook just to get some of the grease out of those little babies. Bourbon Sausages are my go-to appetizer because you can make ahead and keep warm in the crock pot.

Bourbon Sausages

ï¾ 12 ounces bourbon
ï¾ 1 12-ounce bottle Heinz® Chili Sauce
ï¾ 1 cup dark brown sugar
ï¾ 1 large package of Little Smokies sausage

In sauce pan, bring bourbon, chili sauce, sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickens.

Put smokies on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until grease is rendered. Drain smokies and add to bourbon sauce.

Serve in crock pot on low or chafing dish.

Five minutes in a sauce pan on the stove top and they will be hot....then just keep them warm in the crock pot.

Thanks Mustangs... that sounds delicious! I'll keep that in mind for an adult party.
I've made a sauce from equal parts grape jelly and Heinz chili sauce heated with cooked meatballs and that goes over very well.

My husband finally gave up these sodium bombs (wise choice) for every Sunday breakfast... he's the only one who ate them and it's just the two of us. But for that once-a-year enjoyment they are fun to heat. :-)

I meant fun to eat.

You'll be the hit of the party! I used to do this for school Christmas parties when I was the eternal room mother. The kids LOVED them and I think were craving something meaty and salty after all of the other sweets.

I always precooked in a skillet for a few minutes to get the grease off and give them a less of a raw look (though I know they're not). Then I'd just dump them in the crockpot with a little BBQ sauce and keep warm til the party started.

Grace

Just want to vouch for Mustangs' recipe. I made these for a somewhat "hoity-toity" art event and everyone went crazy for them. There were a couple of guys just hovering at the crock pot all night!

Thanks Amy!

Gotta get me some Bourbon......on a mission

Mustangs, that recipe does sound delicious! Approximately how much does a large package of the little smokies weigh? I've only seen 1LB around here. Thanks!

Thought I'd tray Cathy's for Chriostmas nibblies but I can't find Lil Smokies here. Are they in the frozen section or deli section? Are they like mini Sausages or more like wieners?

I am so sorry! I committed one of my frustrations by not indicating the amount/size. I will adjust my recipe ASAP to indicate the amount of Lit'l Smokies...right after I sit in the corner for 10 minutes.

Happy, I only buy the party package from Sam's Club, it weighs 3.5 pounds (1.5 kg) for this recipe.

Sharon, In the regular grocery store they are with the processed luncheon meat and they are not frozen (until they get to my house). The package says Li'l Smokies smoked sausages.

Cathy

As Cathy said, I found them in the processed luncheon meat section here too... near the hotdogs and bacon. They're wrapped in vacuum-sealed plastic.

They were a hit, even the adults took large servings of them.

Thnaks for that recipe Cathy! I'm adding these to the list for next week. Sharon, they are made by Hillshire Farm....if that helps at all.

David

Regarding Mustangs yummy sounding Bourbon recipe, is it just regular bourbon you buy in a liquor store? Is there like different proofs or any special cooking brand? Can you taste the bourbon?

Calling David...

Misti, I will have to call on my buddy David for guidance as I don't know anything about the hard stuff. I send DH to the liquor store then use whatever he comes home with. He will buy whatever he will drink later. I don't know if you can taste the bourbon 'cause I've never had bourbon.

At Ralph's in Southern California the Lil Smokies are with the bacon, Hillshire Farm sausages & ham products - a separate area near the fresh meat section.

I think since the bourbon is mixed with other ingredients & heated that you don't need to buy an expensive label, as you don't when making a Champagne punch.

Boy, we're eating good this season, aren't we!

Misti, yes, regular bourbon from the liquor store. Makers Mark, Wild Turkey, or any other brand should be fine.

David

Does anyone have any idea how long Lil Smokies will last beyond their 'sell by' date? I just found a couple of packs at the back of the fridge, dated Nov. 29th - ok to use?

Anyone???

What year?

I think those things tend to last well past their date if they've been kept properly, Paulines. Read the label...you'll likely find plenty of preservatives listed. The bourbon (if you use it) should kill off whatever is in there waiting for you!

One more question regarding the Bourbon....can anyone eat the smokies w/ Bourbon or is it more of an adult thing?

2008, lol

DD just threw them away. I figured they'd be fine, smoked meat and all, but DD wasn't going to let me take any chances.

And I was so craving them after reading this thread!

OK I have looked every where and have come to the conclusion this is not a product available in Canada.

The guys are doing a poker run on the snow machines between Christmas and New Years and I think these would be a huge hit at the after party.

What type of deli type smoked sausage do you think I could substitute if cut into rounds? I thinking something like kielbasa ......is that the right texture?

The kielbasa will be perfect Sharon. The smokies are the same texture and have a simular taste. Poker run on snow machines....how fun!! Hope they draw a winning hand.

David

I've seen kielbasa used frequently & I rather prefer them.

That would be similar...lol

I'm glad you all chimed in with Kielbasa as a substitute. I don't have Kielbasa regularly so I wasn't sure. I hope it works for you, I'm guessing your guys wouldn't notice anyway.

Have fun!

Thanks guys . I can get beautiful smoked sausages like kielbasa at several nearby stores!

The boys will be happy, happy.....serving up with cabbage rolls and pirogies

SIDE NOTE: The 12 ounces of bourbon is arbitrary. I used that measurement because I can pour it in the empty chili sauce bottle for easy measurement, no cleanup, and to swish out any remains of the chili sauce. That overkill amount doesn't seem to be overpowering once cooked down.

Eureka! I went to a fabulous Polish deli this AM and low and behold they make their owns minis! I didn't go thinking I'd find them I went to get kielbasa as a sub. Anyhow I spotted these in the packaged deli section and I think they may be close. Do they look right? Got the kielbasa too just in case!

This store is amazing, every type of sausage and deli meat you can think of, homemade pierogi and cabbage rolls, breads, rolls , sweets, pickles etc. Even huge vats of bulk dills, several types of sauerkraut, herring, and other stuff I don't even recognize! Ended up spending well over $100....expensive mini's LOL

That would be them....look just like the ones from Hillshire Farm. Probably better coming from a local deli and being made on site.

David

Anyway to doctor up regular bbq(Sweet Baby Rays)sauce for the little smokies. I went to a liquor store & the cheapest Bourbon was $12. I didn't want to spend so much on the smokies so figured I'd just do the bbq sauce. Although the Bourbon sounds much better, gotta watch my wallet.

Try mini meatballs in your BBQ bourbon sauce. I ended up with 99 meatballs using 2 lbs. hamburger and 1 lb venison sausage 1 chopped onion, 2 eggs, 1 cup breadcrumbs and 2 tsp All Purpose Seasoning. Fantastic.

Christmas day we were 12...6 of the twelve teenagers...well but for the 22 year old...but...
I fixed 1 1/2 poun ds of shrimp, 2 pounds of meat made into meatballs, a ring of Dutch baloney fixed as snackers, 4 kinds of cheeses, crackers, rye bread, herring in sour cream and veggies and dip and about a pound of cubed prime rib with dipping sauce....AND 2 pounds of little smokies in Sweet Baby Ray's.....the smokies went POOF!...I never had one! They ate all the shrimp and all the beef and lots of cheese....
But the smokies were gone first!
I heated them on the stove top and kept them warm over a candle warmer.
Linda C