If you’re serving right away, set the disposable aluminum pan on your salt-and-pepper granite counter with a small spoon for extra sauce and a cup of toothpicks. If you’re packing some up, use a spoon to divide a portion of the glazed lil smokies and plenty of sauce into the paper takeout boxes. Serve warm, and expect people to keep circling back, “just grabbing one more,” until the pan is totally wiped out.
Variations & Tips
For a little more heat, add up to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce to the honey mustard mixture. If you like things extra smoky and Southern-style, swap the yellow mustard for spicy brown mustard and add 2–3 drops of liquid smoke. To make these in a slow cooker, whisk the sauce as written, pour it over the sausages in a greased slow cooker, and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours, stirring once or twice; then crack the lid for the last 30 minutes so the sauce can thicken.
Lil smokies served with toothpicks at a casual gathering
For a slightly lighter version, you can use turkey cocktail sausages instead of pork or beef. If you want a bit more texture, sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of finely chopped green onions or parsley over the top right before serving. For game day or potlucks, double the recipe and split it between a large disposable aluminum pan and a couple of paper takeout boxes so you can set some out on the counter and keep a backup portion ready to swap in when the first pan mysteriously “disappears.”
