These little slow cooker sausages are the kind of simple party food Midwestern cooks have relied on for generations, especially when the house is full and the table needs one more warm dish to round things out. With just a handful of budget-friendly ingredients and hardly any hands-on work, they turn into a sticky, sweet-and-savory appetizer that feels right at home at Christmas gatherings, game days, church suppers, and potlucks alike.
Serve these sausages straight from the slow cooker with toothpicks and a small stack of cocktail napkins, alongside cheese and crackers, deviled eggs, relish trays, or a pan of baked beans. They also go nicely with buttery rolls, scalloped potatoes, or a crisp cabbage slaw if you want to make them part of a fuller supper spread.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Poor Man Sparkler Sausages
Servings: 10
Ingredients
2 pounds frozen raw beef sausage links
1 cup inexpensive maple-flavored syrup
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1. Place the frozen raw beef sausage links into the slow cooker in an even layer.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the maple-flavored syrup, barbecue sauce, yellow mustard, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.
3. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the sausages, making sure they are well coated.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, stirring once or twice if convenient, until the sausages are fully cooked through and glazed.
5. Switch the slow cooker to WARM for serving, and offer toothpicks or small forks for easy holiday snacking.
Variations & Tips
For a tangier batch: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or a spoonful of prepared horseradish to cut the sweetness and give the sauce a sharper edge.
If you like a little heat: Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few dashes of hot sauce. It wakes up the syrup nicely without changing the character of the dish too much.
To keep them from overcooking: Check the sausages near the early end of the cooking time, especially if your slow cooker runs hot. Once they are cooked through, the WARM setting is your best friend.
For easier cleanup: Spray the slow cooker insert lightly before adding the sausages and sauce. That sticky glaze can cling a bit by the end of the party.
For a neater appetizer spread: If the sausage links are long, slice them into shorter party-size pieces after cooking and return them to the sauce for 10 minutes so every bite gets nicely coated.