BBQ sauce:
2 cups ketchup
4 tablespoons molasses
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ cup pureed blackberries
1 cup canned mushroom broth
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
¼ tablespoon cayenne pepper
Sausage mix:
2 pounds precooked Polish sausage, cut into ½-inch rounds
1 large yellow onion, cut into ½-inch slices
2 green bell peppers, cut into ½-inch slices
2 strips raw bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 bay leaves
Mix all ingredients for BBQ sauce (from ketchup to cayenne) in a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add sausage, onions, peppers, bacon and bay leaves into slow cooker and mix until combined.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
Remove bay leaves. Serve with toothpicks.
Pro tip: Use 3 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce and 2 tablespoons of grape jelly instead of making the sauce from scratch to save time and ingredients.