Sausage Balls

If you've read my blog at all, I'm sure you've heard me mention these savory delights several times--usually around the holidays. You may or may not have had any idea what I've been talking about, though.  Sausage balls are (as far as I know) a Southern thing. And the only reason I say that is because I read a book once (a romance novel, naturally) that was set in Louisiana and the hero was from "up yonder" (he was a yankee) and when he spent Christmas Day with the heroine's family in Louisiana he "ate something they told him was a sausage ball and it was the best thing he'd ever eaten". I took that to mean he'd never eaten one before, nor had he heard of it. And since a romance novel character from "up yonder" had never heard of them, naturally I assumed that sausage balls were a Southern secret. *grin*

I've eaten them most of my life. And you can find them at just about any potluck or party as they are a southern appetizer/snack staple. Seriously, we served them at Sis1's wedding reception as well as my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary AND have them at every Christmas gathering. There was a plate of them at the Christmas party we had here a the library Tuesday. (I didn't make them. Co-worker said, "You've got nothing to worry about. They don't hold a candle to yours.") Wheee!

While they are fairly simple (although messy) to make, just about every sausage ball I've eaten has tasted different. Different cooks, same ingredients, entirely different taste. Mine, for instance, taste different from Mama's. Mama's taste different than Granny's. Sis1's tastes different from all of us. Although, hers do closely resemble Mama's.

Personally, I think the secret is in the kind of baking mix used and how much. But we'll get to that in a second.

Now that you've had the history and my profession to love them, here's the recipe. And since I enjoy pics with my recipes ala The Pioneer Woman, I'm posting mine with step by step pics, too. It makes trying recipes easier when you know what it's supposed to look like! Right? :-D

Sausage Balls

1 lb sausage, mild or hot, according to taste (I always make a double batch so I use one of each)
1 to 1.5 (heaping) cups baking mix (I use Pioneer Baking mix while Mama and Sis1 both use Bisquick. The Pioneer has a less flour-y taste to it and a little hint of flavor that adds that little something that makes you go, "Yum!" BTW, if you're making a double batch, like I do, you'll need 2 to 2.5 cups)
2 Cups of shredded, melted cheddar cheese (I used to be a purist and buy the cheese in blocks and grate it by hand with a grater. But I got wise as I aged and figured out that the pre-shredded stuff=just as good and a heckuvalot quicker! Also, use the sharp cheddar. The sharper the better.)

Now, some folks do these next steps entirely differently than I do. My BFF's mom and Paula Deen both keep the sausage raw and the cheese unmelted and let the heat from their hands bind the stuff together before baking. Not me. That takes too long and too much muscle.  I like it fast and I like already cooked. So...

Scramble your sausage in a skillet until it's nice and brown.

If you're making a double batch you're gonna want a tiny bit larger skillet instead of the saute pan I used. But all my deep skillets are pretty much toast these days so I gotta use what I got.

While the sausage is cooking, go ahead and pour your cheese out into a microwave safe bowl.

Or grate your cheese if you're a purist. Seriously, either fresh grated or pre-grated tastes just as good. You can even experiment with white cheddar. I did once and it was YUM. But white cheddar doesn't come pre-shredded. And have I mentioned lately that I have a lazy streak??

Once you're sausage looks about like this,

Go ahead and pop your cheese in the microwave. You'll want to stir it after each minute until it looks weird, oddly colored and oily. Then give it another good stir to make sure the oil hasn't separated too much.

Give the sausage another stir and then take it off the eye to let it cool just a teeny tiny bit. But don't drain it on paper towels! This is essential! You'll need the grease to cling to the sausage! (I know. Sounds horrible, right?)

While the sausage is slightly cooling (But not cold. You'll still want it almost hot.) Measure out your baking mix.

The amounts on the baking mix are never exact. It just depends on how greasy your sausage is, how oily your cheese is, how humid it is in your kitchen and if you hold your mouth right. A single batch may need a cup. It may need closer to two cups. But always start with a cup and go from there. I've got two heaping cups measured here because I'm double batching. I ended up adding a touch more later.

Dump your baking mix in a large bowl and add the melted cheese. If your cheese has started to harden again, give it another 30 second zap. You want it nice and gooey.

Then add  your sausage. I use a large slotted spoon and take it straight from the skillet. Some folks drain off all the fat and then dump the sausage straight in there. I never have a place to pour hot grease, though, hence the large slotted spoon. Just tap the excess oil back into the skillet before dumping into the bowl.

Once all of your sausage is in the bowl with the cheese and baking mix, wash your hands. You're gonna need 'em in a sec.

Give the mix a couple of good stirs with the spoon. I use a heavy wooden spoon because the mixture is dense. Like stirring bread dough. Sorta.

Then you gotta just dig in with your hands.

It'll be hot. It'll be greasy. I keep a sink of hot sudsy water on the ready in case the phone rings or I need to scratch my nose. Quick wash! Also, I often burn my pinkie fingers in this process. They're the only fingers that aren't calloused yet. Poor pinkie fingers!

When the baking mix is evenly distributed, it should look like this.

The cheese will look stringy but it should all pretty much stick together at this point. If you still have an excessive amount of grease or cheese oil at the bottom of the bowl, add a bit more baking mix and knead again. You don't want the mixture dry but you don't want it too greasy, either.

It's usually at this point that I have a hard time not eating it all just as it is. Seriously. The dough is...*swoon*

Also? Don't let your dog con you into giving her any, either.

She'd eat it all and you'd have to start over!

If you still have any dough left, roll into whatever sized balls you want. Small, medium, large...It's all good! I usually make various sizes. The bakery here on campus makes them biscuit size and sells them for breakfast as "Sausage cheese biscuits." So the size is all up to you.

Place them on a baking sheet (One with a lip. There will still be a bit of grease to cook out!) (All this talk of grease is making my arteries cry.)

They don't spread much, so you can place 'em fairly close.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or so. (I've never actually timed it!) Or until the visible cheese is golden. The bottoms should be brownish, too.

I generally spread paper towels over cooling racks to drain and cool them.

Some of them might split open during baking. And that's fine.

They're really good for sampling.

 

Mmmmm...

 

I almost lost a finger!  
Once they're cool, store in an airtight container. Goofus insists on refrigeration but generations of my family have never refrigerated them and none of us have died because of it. So I leave that up to you.
 
They're good warmed up for breakfast with cup of coffee, cold at lunch with a Coke. Or even for supper. And anytime in between. I've been known to eat an entire batch on my own throughout a day. It's probably not a terribly healthy thing to do.
 
But whatever you do and however you eat them just enjoy!