Bacon Wrapped Li’l Smokies

Ok, I’ve had lots of requests for this recipe.  We’ve made these little smokies at both my parent’s Christmas party and our Christmas party and they were gone before we knew it!  


I adapted this recipe from one that I found on Pinterest from Cooking Ventures.  Since I was making these for a party I quadrupled the recipe!  It makes a big crockpot full.  Here is my adapted version:


Bacon-Wrapped Li’l Smokies with Brown Sugar and Maple Glaze

4 packages (1 lb each) of Li’l Smokies
3 packages of center-cut bacon

Glaze:
1-1/3 cups brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup ( the real stuff!)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup of BBQ sauce

A couple of dashes of cayenne 

(If you want you can do the first step the day before and just refrigerate them until it’s time to put them in the oven the next day!)

1.  Drain the smokies and pat them dry.  Cut the bacon strips into thirds.  Wrap a strip of bacon around each smokie and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  


2.  When you are ready to bake the smokies, you need to make the glaze.  Whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, BBQ sauce and cayenne pepper in a saucepan.  Bring it to a boil stirring occasionally.  Reduce the temperature.  The sauce will begin to thicken slightly.  


3.  Using a turkey baster, squirt some of the glaze on each smokie.  Place the pan in the oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until the bacon is lightly brown.  (When we made these at my mom’s house, we used her convection oven at 350 degrees for only 20 minutes.)


4.  Remove from the pan and place in a slow cooker (Crockpot) on low to keep them warm.  Make sure you pour the leftover sauce on top of them!  These are so good!  Make sure you get a few before they are all gone if you are making these for a party!  🙂  Enjoy!