It’s Josh’s turn to celebrate #NationalPorkMonth!
Two Easy Pork Appetizers You Need to Try: Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls & Sticky Asian Meatballs!
By Josh Ryan
October is National Pork Month, and around here at Clear 99, we take our pork pretty seriously. Every year, our friends at the Missouri Pork Association help us celebrate by providing pork for the Clear Crew to cook up something delicious.
This year, I decided to go with TWO different recipes. Both are ridiculously easy to make, both use good old-fashioned pork breakfast sausage, and both are perfect for parties, tailgates, family gatherings, or eating directly off the baking sheet when nobody’s looking.
The first is a cheesy, garlicky twist on Red Lobster’s famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits. The second is a sweet, sticky, Asian-inspired pork meatball covered in a homemade brown sugar and sesame glaze.
Let’s get cooking!
Recipe #1: Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls
If you’ve ever had Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you already know how dangerous those things can be. Now imagine combining that buttery, garlicky biscuit flavor with pork sausage, cream cheese, and freshly shredded cheddar.
Yeah. We’re doing that.
This recipe is inspired by the Red Lobster Sausage Balls from Favorite Family Recipes, and I made a double batch because apparently I don’t believe in moderation when cheese is involved.
Prep Time: 15–20 minutes
Cook Time: 18–22 minutes
Oven Temperature: 400°F
Yield: Approximately 40–48 sausage balls, depending on size
Ingredients
- 2 pounds mild pork breakfast sausage
- 2 boxes (11.36 oz each) Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix
- Both garlic-herb seasoning packets included with the biscuit mix
- 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese (approximately one 8 oz block)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the raw pork sausage, dry Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix, both included seasoning packets, softened cream cheese, and shredded cheddar.
- Mix everything together until thoroughly combined. A stand mixer makes this easier, but your hands work just fine.
- Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, form the mixture into evenly sized sausage balls and place them on your baking sheets.
- Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes, until golden brown and the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving.
A couple of tips: Don’t cook the sausage beforehand, and don’t prepare the biscuit mix according to the directions on the box. Everything goes into the bowl as-is!
Bonus: Josh’s Sweet & Tangy Honey BBQ Dipping Sauce
These sausage bites are delicious on their own, but I wanted a dipping sauce that could hold its own against all that cheese and garlic.
I started with Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ Sauce and gave it a little personality.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or 2 teaspoons yellow mustard)
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- A few drops of hot sauce (optional)
Whisk everything together and warm over low heat for 2–3 minutes.
The mustard and vinegar help balance the sweetness of the BBQ sauce and cut through the richness of those cheesy sausage bites.
Recipe #2: Sticky Sweet Asian-Inspired Pork Sausage Meatballs
Now for something completely different!
I wanted another pork appetizer that didn’t involve cheese, especially since one of my coworkers can’t have dairy. After digging through my pantry, I realized I already had just about everything I needed.
Soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and a pound of mild pork sausage.
The result? Tender little sausage meatballs coated in a sweet, savory, garlicky glaze that gets beautifully sticky in the oven.
And having already made a batch of these, I can tell you they’re DELICIOUS.
Prep Time: 10–15 minutes
Cook Time: 22–26 minutes
Oven Temperature: 400°F
Yield: Approximately 20–24 small meatballs
Ingredients for the Meatballs
- 1 pound mild pork breakfast sausage (I used Williams Mild)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Ingredients for the Sticky Brown Sugar Glaze
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the raw pork sausage, garlic powder, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
- Roll the sausage into approximately 20–24 small meatballs. Place them on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes to help them hold their shape.
- Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes, until browned and cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F.
- While the meatballs are baking, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, water, sesame oil, and garlic powder in a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, for approximately 4–6 minutes. The sugar should dissolve and the sauce should begin to thicken slightly.
- Once the meatballs are cooked, remove them from the oven and carefully drain any excess grease.
- Toss the meatballs in the warm glaze until coated.
- Return them to a clean, parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for another 3–4 minutes, just long enough for the glaze to become sticky and lightly caramelized.
My advice: Don’t add extra salt! Between the seasoned sausage and soy sauce, there’s already plenty. And go easy on the toasted sesame oil. A little bit goes a long way.
If you’re making these for someone avoiding dairy, check your packaged ingredient labels to make sure they’re milk-free and keep the preparation separate from the cheesy sausage balls.
