Need a Last-Minute Party Recipe? 3 ingredient Piggy-Wrapped Piggies to the rescue! (Bacon wrapped sausages)

Need an easy, last-minute appetizer recipe without the faff? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this delectable and mouth-watering dish. It hits all the food experience necessities - salt, fat, acid, and heat! I'll freely admit that my food never looks as good as stock pictures but your guests will be begging for the recipe, presentable or not.


Decide how many piggies you want available for each guest and adjust the main two ingredients (cocktail sausages and bacon) and the final ingredient you’ll have enough on hand for whatever amount you make. That’s right - no need to trawl every aisle, just 3 ingredients needed.

Let’s get started!

Ingredients:
  • 2 Packages of Cocktail Sausages (or around 80), you can freestyle it here and use a sausage of your choice - what doesn't taste great with bacon?!
  • 2 Packages of Bacon* 
  • 1 Box or Bag of Light Brown Sugar 
*Bacon notes: Do NOT buy thick-cut bacon as it will not work for this recipe
Honestly, the thinner the better, so I typically go with the basic Oscar Meyer original smoked bacon as it is easy to work with.
Additionally, I buy an extra package of bacon (3 total) in case some of the bacon packages have less than 18 slices in them or sometimes portions of the slices are unusable (all fat, no meat).
Tools:
  • Box of Toothpicks
  • 2 Deep Baking Trays 
  • Cutting Board
  • Sharp, sharp Knife 
  • Medium-Sized Bowl
Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or about 200 degrees Celsius. 
  2. Open the packages of bacon and slice them into thirds. Do this while the bacon is all still stuck together for easier cutting.
    Bacon Cutting Hack: Put in the freezer for an hour or two beforehand to make cutting easier, especially if you don’t have an incredibly sharp knife.
  3. Open the packages of cocktail sausages and put them in the medium-sized bowl. This will make the next step easier. There are about 40 cocktail sausages in each package, but this will vary as they are packed by weight (just like the bacon). 
  4. Assembly -you should have one baking dish available to drop in the piggy-wrapped piggies into. I recommend greasing it or spraying it with a misting of oil to prevent sticking. Typically the bacon grease itself will lift any premature sticking, but, I have run into issues with some stubborn ones and recommend always greasing. Now, this part is a great way to have fun with the family and get them involved in the process. In the past, I have sat the ingredients in the middle of the table and put my friends, family, and even the kids to work!
    Assembly process: Take a cocktail sausage and wrap a slice (3rd) around the piggy. Stab a toothpick through and lay the piggy-wrapped piggy neatly in the baking dish. I recommend only doing a single layer for ease and simplicity.
  5. Once all of the piggies are wrapped and stabbed, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. This is done by eye, not by measurement - so, you essentially want to cover the piggies generously in this step. Once the fat renders from the bacon, much of the brown sugar will be melting into that (and soaking into the piggies!), so being generous at this stage is perfect. 
  6. Place the baking tray in the oven. 
  7. After 10 minutes, take the piggies out and stir or flip individually so that the piggies can get a good soak of fat and sugar on each side. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes. 
  8. This next part can be a little tricky as cooking times vary based on different ovens and the amount of fat in the bacon, but after 20 minutes, the fat should completely finished rendering. At this point, you’ll want to get your other baking dish (greased) and transfer the piggies to the new dish. Sprinkle on a bit more brown sugar (think: a pinch on each) and return to the oven until the brown sugar has melted. This will help crisp up the bacon more and put a fresh brown sugar glaze. This could take 5 minutes or this could take 15 minutes, so you’ll want to keep a sharp eye on them during this step.  
  9. I have also been known to broil the top for a few minutes for a nice finish.
    Broiling note: If you aren’t familiar with the intricacies of using a broiler, I recommend skipping the broil step. You won’t be missing out on anything, I promise.
  10. Transfer the piggies to a serving dish and enjoy while warm! 

Comments