Grape Jelly – the Key to Truly Superior Cocktail Sausages
Some products cannot be “upgraded”. Tomato sandwich, plain sausage gravy, spam are the best versions of ourselves. Likewise, 3-way cocktail sausages (and meatballs) made with Concorde grape jelly cannot be enhanced with more sophisticated jams or marmalade – trust me, I tried.
If you’re from an abandoned city, you’ve probably tried some version of this sweet-salty, somewhat tangy, slow-cooked treat. Heather , Alicia, and I grew up enjoying these cocktails in family gatherings, with slight variations in the recipe. The only non-negotiable ingredient? Grape jelly. I’ve tried canned peach, raspberry jam, and other unusual fruit gels, but it’s grape jelly that gives the sauce its glossy, sticky-sweet character, which is extremely important. For a change, you can play with a non-meat ingredient. Yellow mustard gives a sweet and sour vibe, while barbecue sauce and brown sugar are a serious mix of salty and sweet. I’ve always used the Heinz Chili Sauce, which falls somewhere in between. To do it yourself, you will need:
- 2 x 14oz Lil ‘Smokies or an equivalent amount of another cocktail sausage OR an equivalent amount of frozen fully cooked meatballs
- 1 cup Concord grape jelly
- 1 12oz Heinz Chili Sauce OR 1/2 cup yellow mustard OR 3/4 cup brown sugar OR 1 cup BBQ sauce
- Chili flakes to taste, optional (I’ve never added them, but Heather loves to sprinkle them to warm up a little).
You can cook holiday meats slowly or quickly on the stove top or in the multicooker. For the stove, transfer everything to a saucepan or saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the sausages or meatballs are hot and the sauce is thick and glossy. For a multicooker, throw everything in there and cook for two hours over high heat. Warm in a slow cooker set over low heat and eat by piercing them with toothpicks.