Ingredients
- 1 pack Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausages
- 1 pack Thick Cut Bacon
- ¼ cup Heath Riles Honey Rub
- 1 tsp Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Apple Juice (adjust as needed)
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat Your Smoker
Before you begin assembling anything, go ahead and fire up your smoker or BBQ and set it to 250°F. You want to cook the sausages low and slow to allow the bacon to render out slowly and wrap tightly around the sausage without burning.
Step 2: Wrap the Sausages in Bacon
- On a clean cutting board or baking tray, lay out 6–8 slices of thick-cut bacon side-by-side.
- Take one sausage and place it directly on one slice of bacon.
- Roll the bacon around the sausage, tucking it tightly so it wraps evenly around the meat.
- If the bacon overlaps a bit, that’s fine—it will help hold it together as it cooks.
- No toothpicks needed—just make sure to place the sausages seam side down when cooking so gravity does the work for you.
Tip: If you’re using smaller sausages or thinner bacon, you may need to adjust the number of wraps to ensure full coverage.
Step 3: Mix Up the Glaze
While your sausages are wrapped and your smoker is warming up, it’s time to prepare the glaze.
- In a small bowl, combine:
- ¼ cup Heath Riles Honey Rub
- 1 tsp gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Start with 2 tablespoons of apple juice and stir until smooth.
Keep mixing and adding a little more apple juice at a time until the glaze reaches a thick, paste-like consistency that can easily be brushed onto the sausages. It should be thick enough to stick to the bacon, but not so thick that it’s clumpy.
Step 4: Start Smoking the Sausages
Place each wrapped sausage directly onto the grill grates of your smoker or BBQ, making sure the seam of the bacon is facing down to help it stay wrapped during cooking. Close the lid and let them smoke gently at 250°F for about 45 minutes.
This part is all about slowly rendering the bacon and cooking the sausage through without rushing. You’re aiming for a golden, slightly crispy exterior and juicy, flavorful interior.
Step 5: Glaze and Finish
After 45 minutes of smoking, it’s time to bring in that delicious BBQ glaze.
- Using a basting brush or the back of a spoon, carefully brush a generous amount of the glaze onto the top and sides of each sausage.
- Close the lid and continue smoking for another 15 minutes.
- For extra flavor or shine, feel free to glaze them one more time right before removing them from the smoker.
This step caramelizes the glaze and adds an irresistible sticky-sweet outer layer that contrasts beautifully with the crispy bacon.
Step 6: Rest and Serve
Once the sausages are fully cooked and the glaze is looking shiny and delicious, remove them from the smoker and transfer them to a cutting board or platter. Let them rest for about 5 minutes—this gives the juices time to settle back into the meat so they stay nice and moist when you bite in.
You can serve these beauties:
- Sliced into bite-size pieces as an appetizer with toothpicks
- In a toasted bun with your favorite toppings for a fun, upscale BBQ sausage sandwich
- Or just straight-up on a plate with a fork—no shame in that!
Quick Recap
- Preheat your smoker to 250°F.
- Wrap each sausage in a slice of thick-cut bacon, seam side down.
- Mix glaze ingredients in a bowl until you reach a spreadable paste.
- Smoke sausages for 45 minutes, seam side down.
- Brush on the glaze and continue cooking for 15 more minutes.
- Let sausages rest for 5 minutes, then serve however you like.
Helpful Tips and Notes
Can I use different sausages?
Absolutely! Bratwursts, chorizo, or even chicken sausages would all work great with this method.
Can I cook this in the oven?
Yes! If you don’t have a smoker, you can bake these in the oven at 350°F for about 45–50 minutes. Use a wire rack over a baking tray to allow the fat to render properly and the bacon to crisp up.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
It can be! Just make sure you’re using gluten-free Worcestershire and soy sauce. Everything else is naturally gluten-free.
Can I prep these ahead of time?
Yes! You can wrap the sausages and mix the glaze ahead of time, then refrigerate until you’re ready to smoke or bake them.