Recipes

Maker’s Mark Sausage Balls with Bourbon Mustard

2020-05-21

“This classic Southern appetizer works great when paired with a Maker’s cocktail or taken along to a potluck party. These cheesy bite-sized beauties are served with a Bourbon Mustard Dipping Sauce that brings a nice blend of mustardy heat, sweet honey and caramel notes from the Maker’s Mark. The recipe has a low degree of difficulty. Once your prep work is done, the sausage balls take just a few minutes to cook in the oven.”

Recipe and Photos found here at www.makersmark.com.

Recipe card

Ingredients

SAUSAGE BALLS
2 lbs. good country sausage
2 sleeves saltine-style crackers, crushed
1-1/2 cup fresh shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk BOURBON MUSTARD
1 cup mayonnaise
3 oz. (2 shots) Maker’s Mark Bourbon
1/3 cup yellow mustard
2 tbsp. honey

Instructions

1SAUSAGE BALLS
21.
3Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2.
4In a large bowl, combine crackers, egg and buttermilk and mix well. 3.
5Add sausage and cheese.
6Mix again, being careful not to overmix. 4.
7Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool. 5.
8Form the mixture into balls and place on greased baking sheets. 6.
9Bake for 12 minutes and check progress.
10Bake for remaining 6 minutes or until cooked through.
11You want some browning and crunchy exterior.
12BOURBON MUSTARD
131.
14Combine mayonnaise, mustard, honey and bourbon in a large bowl and mix well.
152.
16Refrigerate any leftovers and save for up to 1 week.
17NOTES HERE’S THE SCOOP
18Use an ice cream scoop or melon baller – depending on desired size – to help form uniform sized sausage balls and keep your hands clean.
19STICK FIX
20You might find that lining your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil will make cleanup easier, as well as removing the sausage balls from the baking sheet.
21ADULTS ONLY
22The dipping sauce contains full-strength Maker’s.
23For a family-friendly version, first simmer the bourbon until it’s reduced to a syrupy texture and let cool.
24This will burn off the alcohol.
25TIPS, TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
26Sausage balls are a fairly simple concept, but there are still ways you can make the task of making them even simpler.
27If you own a stand-up mixer let the paddle attachment do some of the mixing work for you.
28Also, whisking your eggs before you add them to the crushed saltines will make mixing them easier and create a more uniform mixture.
29Also, consider shredding your own cheddar.
30Some pre-shredded brands use an additive that prevents clumping.
31This is good for some things, but not trying to form sausage balls that hold together.
32Finally, the mixture can be refrigerated overnight, which may help you with scheduling and – some would argue – flavor.