A traditional recipe that is both simple and delicious to make is sausage balls. Sausage balls are a dish with many uses. Serve these cheesy sausage bites for breakfast, brunch, or as a snack on game days or special occasions. This is a traditional Bisquick recipe that is very well-liked during the holiday season. You only need three ingredients to make a tasty snack or side dish. These sausage balls are the kind of hearty, decadent, comforting food that one should start making in the winter.
Whether you serve these 3-ingredient sausage balls as a breakfast or brunch treat, party appetizer, game day snack, or holiday hors d’oeuvre, everyone will love them. Savory sausage, pre-made biscuit mix, and sharp Cheddar cheese combine for an unrivaled savory, cheesy flavor. These are really delicious. Sausage balls are a crowd-pleaser that will add class to any gathering, from potlucks and tailgates to holiday breakfasts. Additionally, with just a few common ingredients, this sausage ball recipe couldn’t be simpler!
What are Sausage Balls?
The original sausage ball recipe, which according to Betty Crocker is one of their most popular recipes, calls for a lot of sausage and cheese, a dash of dried herbs, and milk and Bisquick to bind it all together. They are served with barbecue or Heinz chili sauce for dipping, and when baked into small balls, they resemble regular meatballs but have a more doughy, bready texture.
Heinz chili sauce is a classic condiment that tastes a little like Worcestershire sauce and ketchup combined, but it’s not at all spicy. Although the chili sauce is also a nice contrast, I personally prefer the sweet tang of barbecue sauce with the sausage balls.
How to Make Sausage Balls?
These Bisquick Sausage Balls are extremely simple to make. This simple recipe, which includes milk, Bisquick mix, sausage, and cheese, is excellent as an appetizer or a quick meal. This straightforward appetizer’s great feature is how quick and simple it is to prepare.
In fact, when we need to quickly feed a large group of people, this is one of our go-to recipes. These sausage cheese balls never, ever let you down, which is one of their great qualities.
Ingredients:
- cooking sputter
- Cheddar cheese, shredded, 8 ounces (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 cup store-bought or 2/3 cup Microplane-grated Parmesan cheese, 3/4 ounce, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon of fresh parsley leaves
- 1 half teaspoon of rosemary leaves, fresh (optional)
- preferably bulk pork sausage, 8 ounces, uncooked
- 2% or whole milk, one-fourth cup
- 1.5 cups of Original Bisquick
- either 1 cup of Heinz chili sauce or barbecue sauce
Instructions:
- Prepare the pan and preheat the oven. Set a rack in the center of the oven and turn the temperature up to 400 degrees. Cooking spray should be used after lining a baking sheet with a rim with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Get the cheese grated. Grate 3/4 ounces of Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup store-bought grated or 2/3 cup grated on a Microplane) and shred 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups). Both should be put in a big bowl.
- Trim the herbs. If desired, finely chopped 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary. Combine the two in the cheese bowl.
- Add milk and sausage together. 8 ounces of sausage, if necessary, should have the casings removed. Add the sausage to the bowl. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix in 1/4 cup of milk while slamming the side of the bowl to ensure even distribution.
- Add the Bisquick, stirring. When the mixture comes together and forms a mass, add 1 1/2 cups Bisquick and stir with your hands.
- Shape the sausage into balls. Place the mixture on the baking sheet, spacing the 1-inch-wide balls (about 40 total, a generous tablespoon each) about an inch apart. For 15 minutes, bake. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked and light golden brown.
- Add sauce as a glaze. Apply 1/4 cup of the barbecue or chili sauce to the sausage balls. About 5 more minutes of baking will result in a slight color darkening of the sauce.
- More sauce should be provided for dipping. With the remaining 3/4 cup of sauce, serve the meatballs with it for dipping.
What’s the Substance of Sausage Balls?
Sausage, Bisquick, shredded cheddar cheese, and milk are the only four basic ingredients needed to make sausage balls. This simple appetizer is the ideal nibble at a party or tailgate! Every season of the year is a great time to enjoy these Bisquick Sausage Balls.
Why are my Bisquick Sausage Balls Dry?
This happens when the ratio of sausage to Bisquick is off. Don’t add too much baking mix to prevent this from happening. You’ll be fine if you follow the recipe’s measurements exactly! However, if your batter ends up being too thick, simply add milk to thin it out. Just add more milk if necessary after adding 1/4 cup at first. Using pre-shredded cheese is another factor that can result in dry sausage balls.
Cheese that has been pre-shredded doesn’t melt as well and lacks the moisture of freshly-grated cheese. This recipe needs moisture to work. If you don’t, the only thing you’ll get is dry sausage balls! The final offender is low-fat sausage. The sausage fat gives these balls a lot of their juicy texture.
What to Serve with Breakfast Sausage Balls?
Sausage balls are a well-liked starter. Although they are frequently served with gravy or other sauces, they also make a fantastic breakfast starter. Traditional pairings include fried eggs, but you can also try other menu items. Try serving the balls with roasted red peppers, sauteed spinach, or sauteed mushrooms. Scrambled eggs are the ideal accompaniment for sausage balls if you want to prepare them at home.
With just about any breakfast recipe, biscuits make a delicious side dish. Waffles or pancakes with syrup to go with the breakfast sausage balls. Because they complement the flavors of cheese and sausage and are delicious on their own, hash browns make a great side dish for sausage balls. Serving cherry cobbler as a side dish or dessert goes fantastically with breakfast sausage balls.
How Should I Choose a Pork Sausage?
You can use any sausage you like even though the original recipe specifies ground pork sausage. In my experience, the best sausage balls are made with inexpensive, fatty sausage. The balls are extremely moist and highly addictive because they are extremely greasy.
Because it typically provides you with that ideal meat-to-fat ratio of 80/20, the shoulder area of the hog is the best place to get your pork for making sausage. Among my top choices are these:
- Maple syrup breakfast sausage
- Bacon with sage
- The Italian sausage
- Seasoned sausage
- Chorizo
How are Cooked Sausage Balls Stored?
Sausage balls that are left over should be properly stored in a container with a tight lid. In the refrigerator, leftovers can be kept for three to four days in an airtight container. Additionally, baked sausage balls can be frozen for 3–4 months. Whether they are fresh or pre-cooked, sausage products should only be kept out of the fridge for two hours or less.
How can You Tell if Cooked Sausage is Bad?
First, the smell, appearance, and texture of the sausage will all indicate whether it has gone bad. You shouldn’t eat anything if it smells foul, has a slimy coat, or is a uniform color. It’s not good if your chilled sausage turned grey.
When sausage is fully cooked, it should be discarded if it is slimy or has that peculiar, sweet-sour funky smell that you can identify. You can tell that your sausage has spoiled by those sights and smells.
Follow a few easy steps to determine whether your sausages have gone bad or not. First, smell the sausages. Sausages that have been cooked and properly stored will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Cooked sausages can be frozen, wrapped tightly in freezer wrap or heavy-duty aluminum foil, or placed in covered, airtight containers to further extend their shelf life.
Can You Freeze Sausage Balls?
Yes, you can freeze raw or cooked sausage balls. Roll the uncooked sausage into balls, then put them on a baking sheet to freeze. Place them in zip-top freezer bags after they have been overnight flash-frozen. Wrap in foil and store flat in the freezer for up to three months.
After defrosting in the refrigerator, bake the food as directed in the recipe. Bake the cooked sausage balls and let them cool completely before freezing. Place them in zip-top freezer bags after they have been overnight flash-frozen. Wrap in foil and store flat in the freezer for up to three months.
Reheat frozen food in the fridge, then in the oven or microwave. When you need a tasty main dish or appetizer for last-minute dinner guests or at the end of a long day, freeze sausage balls. You can freeze unbaked sausage balls and bake them later, or you can bake sausage balls first and then freeze them. Sausage balls that haven’t been baked keep their quality for up to four months. Use baked sausage balls within two to three months of freezing them because baked meat dries out more quickly.
How Long will Pork Sausage Remain Fresh in the Refrigerator?
Pork sausages can be kept in your refrigerator with any other kind of sausage. Sausages made from raw pork can be kept in the refrigerator for about two days. Uncooked sausages should not, however, be left at room temperature for an extended period of time. In reality, they can only be taken out of the fridge for two hours. More than two hours at room temperature can cause pork sausages to spoil and grow unhealthy bacteria and toxins that can make you sick.
Cooked pork sausages can be kept in the fridge for a little while longer; they’ll still be edible after three to four days. On the other hand, your pork sausages can last up to six months if you decide to store them in the freezer. Pork sausages that have been cooked can be stored for a much longer period of time.
Conclusion
A sausage is a type of meat product that is typically made from ground meat, usually pork, beef, or poultry, along with salt, spices, and additional seasonings. As extenders or fillers, additional ingredients like grains or breadcrumbs may be used. Sausage balls are a dish with many uses. Serve these cheesy sausage bites for breakfast, brunch, or as a snack on game days or special occasions. Holiday parties and other informal gatherings are perfect occasions to serve sausage balls, which are easy and delectable finger food.
