Lyndsay Burginger
Cocktail sausages, or cocktail weenies as my mother likes to call them, are always a staple at every party I attend. Be it a tailgate or a baby shower, you can always count on someone bringing a small crockpot filled with lil smokies.
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What makes these little hot dogs so delectable? Is it the fact that you can eat six or seven of them without thinking twice about it? Or perhaps its because cocktail wieners are just too fun to eat with a toothpick. Whatever the case, there’s one ingredient I always add to my slow cooker cocktail sausage links, and it’s an ingredient you’ll find in your pantry. Concord grape jelly.
Everyone has their own rendition of the sweet little smokies. Some add in brown sugar and bbq sauce, others, like my mother, love to add apricot jam and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. But personally, I like to add a little dab of grape jelly and a dash of Heinz chili sauce. Pure heaven in a slow cooker. Sticky and sweet, these lil smokies are the epitome of party food.
I’m not saying you have to make your party appetizers this way, (you can even give your mini sausages a bit of an Asian flair with soy sauce and sesame oil) I’m just saying these cocktail franks are always a party hit.
To make up a batch of this easy recipe, add a package of mini sausages, about a cup of concord grape jelly, and a bottle of chili sauce (or 1 cup barbecue sauce in a pinch). If you like a little bit of heat you can add a dash of hot sauce to the mix. Like most slow cooker recipes go, you can either cook this on HIGH heat for two hours or on LOW heat for four to five hours, stirring halfway through.
