Like many folks have this week, growing up my family would some years pack up the car and make the 700+ mile drive from the Texas Panhandle to the Gulf Coast to spend the holidays with the extended famdamnily.
We happened to enjoy the bonus of having both sets of grandparents living in the same town and were plied with distinctive southern food treats from the minute we crawled from the Olds , stiff and cranky after the long drive.
Rum balls.
Divinity.
Pickles and pickled okra from that fall’s garden.
Fresh crab and redfish cakes.
Mama’s (maw maw) round steak and gravy.
Chow chow.
The list could go on and on. Though there’s one that was a favorite (and still is) – a handmade, holiday season, cheesy sausage ball. These little flavor bombs showed up at every family gathering, were often made in huge batches and set out when company dropped by and were often just left out on the counter to be picked clean during the day. Seeming every southern family had (has) a favorite version.
Southern sausage balls are another one of those things that might taste best when made using your grandmother’s recipe, though when we stumbled across this recipe (we’ve modified a bit) from chef Vivian Howard on Garden and Gun’s food blog (with video), we suspected this one would be a clear cut winner.
The cornmeal (replacing the classic home recipe Bisquick) is a stroke of shear genius; these sausage balls will almost remind you of a sausage hushpuppy, but they’re far, far better.
The perfect snack food for your New Year’s soiree coming up next week, though be aware, you’ll be tempted to eat the whole danged recipe yourself.
These earn a well deserved ‘hot damn’.
1 cup yellow cornmeal + 1/2 cup for dusting
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
6 oz. sharp cheddar, grated
2 oz. white cheddar, grated
1/2 small onion, grated
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 lb. spicy country style bulk sausage
2 oz. cream cheese
Preheat the oven to 350; line baking sheet with parchment and spray with cooking spray.
Mix the dry. In a large bowl mix the 1 cup cornmeal, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes and baking powder. Now add the grated cheeses and mix well, making sure all the cheese is coated.
Combine the wet. Using your hands, combine the sausage, grated onion, dijon mustard and cream cheese.
Put it together. Now dump the sausage mixture into the cheese and dry ingredient bowl, using your hands to mix well. Form into roughly 1-inch balls, roll in cornmeal to coat and place on the baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes until brown and crispy; there should be cheese oozing out here and there.
Serve ‘em up warm or later at room temperature. Vivian Howard serves with a sauce made with 3/4 cup apple butter and 1/4 cup Dijon mustard.
Enjoy.
