Of course, there are just a few families' preparations that I associate with Christmas and every year my family prepares these dishes. Many of them are sweet—the coconut cake my grandfather was fond of, and we continue eating this cake in his honor, the homemade boiled custard served with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream—but not all. However, sausage balls are also known as sausage puffs.
It is a three ingredient appetizer that I always seem to make and everybody loves them. Sausage balls, as you would know, can be taken for just about any event whether a sports event or simple functions but to me they equal Christmas, and it was always a tradition in my home to have them during the Christmas brunch.
In a recent discussion of this recipe with some of the other editors at Simply Recipes, everyone knew about it immediately. In fact, as I soon discovered, I wasn't the only one awake feasting on sausage balls in my childhood. Simply Recipe's associate social director Brooke Schuldt, claims to have a profound family inheritance to what she and Germans refer to as 'sausage cheese puffs.' (Note: It doesn't feel right to call them balls though it is much easier, so do so if you will not mind.)
The sausage cheese puff is one of the best loved recipes of my family among a lot of recipes which are our family secrets. Each holiday there were cookies, small cheesy biscuits, which my grandmother baked in the morning of that particular day. All I have been occasionally known to ask for them as birthday or Christmas prescence, that is how much I personally like them.
Brooke is actually a girl and she says: "they are most nostalgic and make me recall the moments when I was happily laughing with some of the closest people, in my grandma's living room, for example".
All her family entered the conversation, joining the conversation and revealing their favorite story about the family recipe. But if that doesn't make you want to try sausage puffs/balls, then I don't know what will.
How to Make Sausage Balls
To make about 35 sausage balls, you'll need:
- 1 pound bulk pork sausage, taken out of the refrigerator
- 2 cups Bisquick baking mix
- Cold shredded cheddar cheese 1 pound
Suggested oven temperature for this recipe is 350°F and the baking is done in a large, rimmed baking sheet which has been covered with parchment paper.
Place the sausage that has been taken out of the fridge at room temperature and Bisquick to the bowl. Then use your hands to mix it up but make sure that not everything is mixed up. Then, incorporate half of the cheese into the dough and mix properly with the rest of the cheese.
Shape the mixture into walnut sized balls, putting them at least an inch apart on the sheet. Bake in the oven until the cake is golden at the bottom and totally cooked through, 20- 25 minutes.
Tips for Making Sausage Balls
These three-ingredient gems are incredibly easy to make, but I will note one big tip: temperature is key. Your sausage must be at the room temperature while your cheese must be cold. Otherwise it is impossible to mix and all of cheese will come out as soon as it comes in contact with the oven. They become extra tidy balls and for this you can put them in the refrigerator for about thirty minutes after forming them and before baking.
A quick note about cheese: The only time I would suggest using the shredded cheese from the store is now. The outer layer containing the anti-caking agents prevents all cheese from oozing out as soon as you have made the sausage balls. Plus, it's a real time saver.
Spicy sausage is what I do prefer for sausage balls that give an extra spice to the meal. You can also substitute the cheese—sharp cheddar for more kick, or pepper Jack. It's best if the cheese is a type that melts easily.
