Candied Bacon Pigs

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 280 min
Servings: 10
Yield: 10 servings

Description

Little smoked sausages are wrapped in bacon and slow-cooked for hours in brown sugar, cola, and a touch of five-spice powder for a great appetizer that looks after itself.

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) package little smokie sausages
1 pound bacon slices, cut into thirds crosswise
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, divided
1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can cola-flavored carbonated beverage
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2 Wrap each little sausage with 1/3 slice of bacon, and secure them with toothpicks.
3 Place the appetizers on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of brown sugar.
4 Bake in the preheated oven until the sugar is melted and bubbling, about 40 minutes; turn the appetizers after 20 minutes.
5 Remove the appetizers from the baking sheet with a slotted spoon, and place into a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of brown sugar and the five-spice powder over the smokies, and drizzle with the cola. If desired, add hot sauce to taste.
6 Set the cooker to High, and cook 4 hours. Serve warm.