Cooking with Conecuh: Tailgate Edition
This time of year, people in the South are buzzing about the return of SEC football. Starting a little later than usual this year, we welcome the joyous return of football with an extra air of excitement. I love going to games and tailgating with family and friends, or watching games from the comfort of my own home. A delicious spread for game day is a must. One of my favorite aspects of football season (or really any season for that matter) is planning what appetizing dishes to serve. If you’re anything like me, you have a large arsenal of fan favorite recipes you like to make during football season. The recipes I am sharing with you today all involve the common ingredient, Conecuh Sausage.
Why Conecuh Sausage? If you live in Alabama you’ve probably tried Conecuh Sausage at some point. It’s so well known and liked around here that it is synonymously known as “Conecuh”. New to Conecuh Sausage, click here to learn more about the hickory smoked goodness or to order it you can’t find it at your local grocery stores.
COOKING WITH CONECUH: PORK WRAPPED PORK
On the starting lineup of my “cooking with Conecuh” recipe list is a recipe I call “pork wrapped pork” also known as “bacon wrapped Conecuh”. This bite size app is a small piece of conecuh sausage wrapped in bacon, then sprinkled with brown sugar. I got this recipe from my former roommate, Maibeth, years ago, and I’ve been making it football season after football season. This delightful appetizer travels well if you’re heading to a tailgate or friends house to watch a game.
Pork Wrapped Pork is made with only 3 ingredients:
1 lb of Conecuh Sausage
8 slices of bacon, cut into thirds
1 cup of brown sugar
With a pair of scissors cut 8 slices of bacon into three equal sections, crosswise. With a sharp knife cut your Conecuh Sausage into one inch pieces. Tightly wrap one piece of the cut bacon around a piece of the cut sausage. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon. Repeat this process until all the pieces of conecuh are wrapped with bacon.
Prepare a foil lined cookie sheet fitted with a wire rack. Be sure to lightly spray the wire rack with cooking spray. Roll each piece of bacon wrapped sausage in brown sugar and place onto the wire rack. Once all pieces are prepared and rolled in brown sugar, place the cookie sheet into an oven preheated to 350 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and the brown sugar is caramelized. Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes to add an extra bit of crispness to the bacon.
This recipe yields about 24 pieces of pork wrapped pork. These mouthwatering bites will be gone before the first quarter is over. If you're headed to a party or tailgate that is going to be well attended, I suggest you double this recipe.
COOKING WITH CONECUH: BARBECUED CONECUH
Second on the recipe lineup is a simple versatile recipe. I like to serve barbecued Conecuh two different ways, but it’s very good on its own. Here is how I grill it:
Take 1 lb of Conecuh Sausage and place it in a dish or ziplock bag. Liberally pour barbecue sauce over the links of sausage until they are fully coated. I prefer to use a thicker barbecue sauce for grilling conecuh. Allow the Conecuh to marinate in the barbecue sauce for at least an hour before grilling. Cook the sausage over indirect heat between 350F-400F on your grill for about 20 minutes or until heated through. No grill, no problem. Simply place the sausage on a broiler pan and broil on high for 8-10 minutes.
SAUSAGE AND CHEESE PLATE
My sausage and cheese plate is inspired by a former restaurant known as “The Rib Cage” in Oxford, MS. This “no frills” plate is easy on the taste buds and completely customizable depending on what types of cheese you’re into. Like the pork wrapped pork recipe, this sausage and cheese plate travels well to tailgates or parties. I typically use the following ingredients to put my sausage and cheese plate together on a charcuterie-ish board:
Barbecued Conecuh, cut into bite-size pieces
Saltine crackers
Ritz crackers
Cheddar cheese
Pepper jack cheese
Gouda Cheese
Petite Kosher Baby Dill pickles
Vlasic Stacker Pickles (can you tell I like pickles)
Pickled Okra
I simply slice the barbecued conecuh, cheese, and pickles up, then throw all the ingredients on a board. If I’m taking this plate on the road, I put everything in separate ziplock bags in a cooler, then throw the ingredients on the board when I arrive.
BARBECUE CONECUH SHEET PAN NACHOS
Ahhh, Nachos. I’m a huge fan!! This recipe is best served when you are watching the game at home. So quick and easy to make, I usually throw this together during halftime. Oh so tasty, here is how I make sheet pan nachos using barbecued Conecuh sausage. I layer the following ingredients in this order on a sheet pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray:
Tortilla Chips (I’m currently loving Golden Flake Cantina Style Tortiyahs)
Shredded Cheese
Chopped Barbecued Conecuh Sausage
Barbecue Sauce
Queso
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Sliced Jalapeños
After your ingredients are layered, broil on high for 5-7 minutes (carefully watch so exposed edges of the chips don’t burn on the edges ). While your nachos are broiling, heat queso dip in the microwave according to package instructions.
Remove your sheet pan from the oven and pour melted queso over the top of the nachos. Drizzle barbecue sauce over the top of the queso. Serve with guacamole, sour cream, and sliced jalapeños.
Conecuh Sausage is a versatile, tasty ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. My family enjoys all of these recipes, but I certainly don’t serve them all on a single game day. I spread the recipes out throughout football season. Everything in moderation, right?
I plan to make “pork wrapped pork” on the first game weekend of the season. What’s on your menu?
Whatever team you cheer for, enjoy the season, the fellowship, and the food!
-XOXO-
Sally
Bacon Wrapped Conecuh
Ingredients
- 1 lb of Conecuh Sausage
- 8 slices of bacon, cut into thirds
- 1 cup of brown sugar
Instructions
- With a pair of scissors cut 8 slices of bacon into three equal sections, crosswise. With a sharp knife cut your Conecuh Sausage into one inch pieces. Tightly wrap one piece of the cut bacon around a piece of the cut sausage. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon. Repeat this process until all the pieces of conecuh are wrapped with bacon.
- Prepare a foil lined cookie sheet fitted with a wire rack. Be sure to lightly spray the wire rack with cooking spray. Roll each piece of bacon wrapped sausage in brown sugar and place onto the wire rack. Once all pieces are prepared and rolled in brown sugar, place the cookie sheet into an oven preheated to 350 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and the brown sugar is caramelized. Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes to add an extra bit of crispness to the bacon.
- This recipe yields about 24 pieces of pork wrapped pork. These mouthwatering bites will be gone before the first quarter is over. If you're headed to a party or tailgate that is going to be well attended, I suggest you double this recipe.
Barbecued Conecuh Sausage
Ingredients
- 1lb Conecuh Sausage
- 1 bottle Barbecue Sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray’s or a thicker sauce)
Instructions
- Take 1 lb of Conecuh Sausage and place it in a dish or ziplock bag. Liberally pour barbecue sauce over the links of sausage until they are fully coated. I prefer to use a thicker barbecue sauce for grilling conecuh. Allow the Conecuh to marinate in the barbecue sauce for at least an hour before grilling. Cook the sausage over indirect heat between 350F-400F on your grill for about 20 minutes or until heated through. No grill, no problem. Simply place the sausage on a broiler pan and broil on high for 8-10 minutes.
- Tortilla Chips (I’m currently loving Golden Flake Cantina Style Tortiyahs)
- Shredded Cheese
- Chopped Barbecued Conecuh Sausage
- Barbecue Sauce
- Queso
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
- Sliced Jalapeños
- This recipe is best served when you are watching the game at home. So quick and easy to make, I usually throw this together during halftime. Oh so tasty, here is how I make sheet pan nachos using barbecued Conecuh sausage. I layer the following ingredients in this order on a sheet pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
- After your ingredients are layered, broil on high for 5-7 minutes (carefully watch so exposed edges of the chips don’t burn on the edges ). While your nachos are broiling, heat queso dip in the microwave according to package instructions.
- Remove your sheet pan from the oven and pour melted queso over the top of the nachos. Drizzle barbecue sauce over the top of the queso. Serve with guacamole, sour cream, and sliced jalapeños.
- Barbecued Conecuh, cut into bite-size pieces
- Saltine crackers
- Ritz crackers
- Cheddar cheese
- Pepper jack cheese
- Gouda Cheese
- Petite Kosher Baby Dill pickles
- Vlasic Stacker Pickles (can you tell I like pickles)
- Pickled Okra
- My sausage and cheese plate is inspired by a former restaurant known as “The Rib Cage” in Oxford, MS. This “no frills” plate is easy on the taste buds and completely customizable depending on what types of cheese you’re into. Like the pork wrapped pork recipe, this sausage and cheese plate travels well to tailgates or parties. I typically use the following ingredients to put my sausage and cheese plate together on a charcuterie-ish board:
- I simply slice the barbecued conecuh, cheese, and pickles up, then throw all the ingredients on a board. If I’m taking this plate on the road, I put everything in separate ziplock bags in a cooler, then throw the ingredients on the board when I arrive.