Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies are the kind of appetizer that makes a party feel like a party. You take a package of little smokies, wrap each one in bacon, shower the whole pan with brown sugar and BBQ rub, and bake until everything is sticky and crisp. That is the entire idea, and it works every single time.
The recipe comes from Luke Brown at Cooking in the Midwest, where it is a holiday party and family gathering staple. One batch makes 48 bacon wrapped smokies and serves about 8 people, which means there is usually enough for the tray to survive the first ten minutes.
Luke tested this recipe for holiday parties and family gatherings, and it has become one of those appetizers that people ask for by name. The combination of bacon, brown sugar, and beef little smokies is simple, and simple is exactly why it works.
What I love about this dish is how little it asks of you. Four ingredients, one oven temperature, and no fancy technique. If you can wrap a strip of bacon around a tiny sausage, you can make this.
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- Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
- Ingredients
- Make Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
- Serve Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Notes
- Recipe details
- FAQs
- How long should you bake bacon wrapped little smokies at 375°F?
- What type of bacon works best for bacon wrapped little smokies?
- Can you prepare bacon wrapped little smokies ahead of time?
- Can you make bacon wrapped little smokies in a slow cooker?
- Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Last Step:
- Did you make this recipe?
Ingredients
Everything here is easy to find, and two of the four items are probably already in your kitchen.
- 1 lb bacon, regular cut
- 1 1/2 pounds beef little smokies, a 24 ounce package
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp BBQ rub, such as Strawberry’s Grand Champion
Luke prefers all beef little smokies for flavor, and he notes that the pork version works if that is what your store carries. Either way, the little smokies are the base and the bacon is the wrapper, so pick the one your family already likes.
The one ingredient he warns against is thick cut bacon. Thick cut takes longer to cook and never gets as crispy as regular cut, and crispy bacon is the whole point of this appetizer. Buy the standard cut and you will be happy.
The rub is the flexible part. Strawberry’s Grand Champion is what the original recipe uses, and Luke says any BBQ rub from your spice cabinet will work. A sweet and smoky blend plays especially well with the brown sugar.
Tip: regular cut bacon crisps faster and more evenly than thick cut, so save the thick cut for burgers.
Make Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a large baking dish with cooking spray. While the oven warms, cut the pound of bacon into three even sections. Each section wraps one little smoky, so you end up with a tidy strip every time instead of a long piece that needs trimming.
Wrap a piece of bacon around a little smoky and place it in the greased baking dish. Repeat until every smoky is wrapped. This is the slowest part of the recipe, and it is also the part I find weirdly relaxing. Put on some music, work through the pack, and you will be done before the oven finishes heating.
Once all of the little smokies are wrapped in bacon, sprinkle them with 1 tbsp of BBQ rub and 2/3 cup of brown sugar. Try to get a little of both on every piece so each bite has that sweet and smoky contrast.
The brown sugar melts as it bakes and turns into a sticky glaze that clings to the bacon.
Here is the detail that separates a good tray from a great one: do not pile the smokies on top of each other.
Luke used two baking dishes, a 9 by 13 inch dish plus a smaller one, so all of the smokies sat in a single layer. When they are crowded, they steam instead of roast and the bacon stays soft.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bacon gets crispy. The tops come out crisp while the bottoms of the little smokies stay a little softer, which gives you a nice mix of textures in one bite.
Ovens run hot and cold, so start checking around the 40 minute mark and trust your eyes over the clock.
A quick word about the rub. Strawberry’s Grand Champion is the one in the original recipe, and Luke is clear that any rub from your spice cabinet works just as well. The brown sugar does most of the heavy lifting on sweetness, so the rub mostly adds smoke and spice.
If your dish looks crowded, grab a second dish. A single layer is the difference between crisp bacon and bacon that never quite gets there.
Serve Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
These are ready as soon as the bacon is crispy. Pull the dish out of the oven, let the smokies cool for a couple of minutes, then move them to a platter. They are hot, so a short rest helps both your fingers and your guests.
For an appetizer night, Luke served them alongside cranberry meatballs and spinach and artichoke dip. That combination works because you get something sweet, something saucy, and something creamy all on one table. Add a bowl of pretzels or a plate of cut vegetables and you have a full spread without much extra work.
A toothpick in each smoky is optional, but it makes them easier to pick up and helps the bacon stay put while people serve themselves. If you are feeding a crowd, set out a small cup for the used toothpicks so nobody has to wonder where to put them.
They fit just as well on a game day table as they do at a holiday gathering. If you need to hold them for a while, keep the dish in a low oven and they will stay warm and crisp enough to keep disappearing.
If you are hosting, put them out in batches. A fresh tray coming out of the oven halfway through the party gets more attention than a platter that has been sitting out for an hour.
Ingredients
If you are at the store and just need the short list, here is the recipe card version.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bacon | 1 lb |
| Little smokies | 1 1/2 lb (24 oz) pack |
| BBQ rub | 1 tbsp |
The full list above also calls for 2/3 cup brown sugar, which is the ingredient that gives these their caramelized finish.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a large baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cut the bacon into thirds. Wrap a piece of bacon around a little smoky and place it in the greased baking dish.
- Once all of the little smokies are wrapped in bacon, sprinkle them with 1 tbsp of BBQ rub and 2/3 cup of brown sugar.
- Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bacon gets crispy.
That is the whole method, start to finish. The only judgment call is the bacon, and you will know it is done when it looks shrunken, browned, and crisp at the edges.
If you are working with a smaller baking dish, split the batch between two dishes so nothing is stacked. If you want to get a head start, you can wrap the smokies earlier in the day, cover the dish, and keep it in the refrigerator, then add the brown sugar and BBQ rub right before the dish goes into the oven.
Leftovers, if you have any, reheat well in a low oven or in an air fryer for a few minutes. They will not be quite as crisp as the first time, but they are still worth fighting over.
Notes
This recipe makes 48 bacon wrapped smokies, and a few small choices make a real difference in how they turn out.
- Use two baking dishes. A 9 by 13 inch dish plus a smaller one keeps the smokies in a single layer, which helps the bacon cook evenly all the way through.
- Add toothpicks if you like. A toothpick in each wrapped smoky is optional, but it holds the bacon in place and makes serving simpler.
- Choose all beef little smokies. Luke prefers them for flavor, and pork little smokies work fine if that is what you have.
- Skip thick cut bacon. It takes longer to cook and does not get as crispy as regular cut bacon.
- Use whatever BBQ rub you have. Strawberry’s Grand Champion is the original choice, and any rub from your spice cabinet is a fine substitute.
- Expect crisp tops and softer bottoms. That is normal for this method and part of what makes them so good.
If you are scaling up for a bigger crowd, double everything and use three or four dishes rather than stacking. The bacon needs room to render, and crowding is the most common reason these come out chewy instead of crisp.
Recipe details
Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is about 45 minutes, and one batch serves 8 people.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 45 minutes |
| Oven temperature | 375 degrees F |
| Servings | 8 people |
| Yield | 48 bacon wrapped smokies |
Plan on roughly six smokies per person, and more if this is the main appetizer on the table.
FAQs
How long should you bake bacon wrapped little smokies at 375°F?
Bake bacon wrapped little smokies at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes. They are done when the bacon is crispy. Spread them in a single layer in the baking dish to ensure even cooking and caramelization.
What type of bacon works best for bacon wrapped little smokies?
Standard cut bacon is best for this recipe. Avoid using thick-cut bacon because it takes longer to cook and may not become as crispy. Regular cut bacon wraps more easily around the small sausages and crisps up in the recommended 40 to 45 minute bake time.
Can you prepare bacon wrapped little smokies ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the bacon wrapped little smokies up to 24 hours in advance and store them covered in the refrigerator. However, wait to add the brown sugar and BBQ rub until just before baking to prevent the sugar from dissolving and making the dish too wet.
Can you make bacon wrapped little smokies in a slow cooker?
Yes, cooked bacon wrapped little smokies can be kept warm in a slow cooker on the low setting for up to two hours, but the bacon will lose some crispness. For the best texture, bake them in the oven first to get crispy bacon, then transfer them to the slow cooker to keep warm for serving.
Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies are the kind of appetizer that makes a party feel like a party. You take a package of little smokies, wrap each one in bacon, shower the whole pan with brown sugar and BBQ rub, and bake until everything is sticky and crisp.
- Total Time: 0 min
- Yield: 48 bacon wrapped smokies 1x
Ingredients
1 lb Bacon
1 1/2 lb Beef Little Smokies
2/3 cup Brown sugar
1 tbsp BBQ Rub
Instructions
1-Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a large baking dish with cooking spray.
2-Cut bacon into 3rds: Cut bacon into 3rds. Wrap a piece of bacon around a little smoky and place in the greased baking dish.
3-Once all of the little smokies are: Once all of the little smokies are wrapped in bacon sprinkle them with 1 tbsp bbq rub and 2/3 cup of brown sugar.
4-Bake at 375 for about 40-45 minutes: Bake at 375 for about 40-45 minutes or until bacon gets crispy.
Last Step:
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- Cook Time: 45 min
- Method: bake
