Something Southern: Sausage Balls

*I am crazy busy, so we’re talking food today and I’m robbing an old post from my food blog, Pots and Plots.

No Southern party or get together is ever complete without the inclusion of sausage balls.  These meatball size bundles of meaty, cheesy deliciousness are nothing in the realm of healthy (though you can make them healthiER by subbing turkey sausage for the pork) and they have the same addictive properties as crack.  I double dog dare you to eat just one.   Some people do not care for sausage balls.  It is my theory that a) these people are not Southern and b) they had sausage balls made with too much Bisquick.  The Bisquick is NOT the star of the show here, people.  It’s a binding agent.  The spicy sausage and sharp cheddar take center stage for a marriage of flavors that, when done properly, make angels sing.  Makes 30 sausage balls.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound spicy pork breakfast sausage (yes, spicy…you need the heat when mixed with all the other ingredients) (for gluten free, eaters READ YOUR LABELS–it is HARD to find sausage with no MSG) [Cook’s note: You can absolutely use turkey breakfast sausage here, but add a half tsp of red pepper flakes for heat if you do.]
  • 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2 cups Bisquick (for gluten free eaters, use 2 cups of this baking mix)

Directions:

  1. Allow the sausage and cheese to come to room temperature.  I promise, it’s worth the wait.  They’ll mix a lot better and the end result won’t be so greasy.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prep your baking sheets with parchment paper (easier clean up).
  3. Now you can do this with your hands, but I prefer to use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
  4. Dump in the sausage and the cheese and mix on lowest speed until combined.
  5. Add the Bisquick and continue to mix on lowest speed until combined.  It might be a little crumbly.  This is fine.
  6. Scoop out enough of the sausage mixture to make balls about 1 inch across.  Press and roll together with your hands and set on your baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
  7. Continue until all mixture is used.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes.
  9. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes or the hot center will burn your mouth.  :speaks from the voice of experience:
  10. These freeze beautifully (although if you manage not to eat them all on the first day, you have way more self control than we do) or keep in the fridge for about a week.

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