Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Sausage Footballs
Every football has a surprise in the middle of this one: a bacon-wrapped cube of Velveeta buried inside a beef and Italian sausage blend, shaped by hand to look like the real thing sitting on the grill.
Mix the beef, sausage, onion, breadcrumbs, and egg together by hand, then portion it into golf ball-sized pieces and flatten into patties. Wrap small cubes of Velveeta in bacon, tuck one into the center of each patty, and fold the meat around it, pinching the seams together until you've got something that actually looks like a football. This makes 15 to 20, so it's built for a crowd.
Coat them generously in Croix Valley Cattle Drive BBQ Dry Rub, then get them on the smoker or grill at 300-325°F over indirect heat. Set them seam-side up so the cheese stays put as it melts, and you can genuinely walk away. No flipping, no rotating, just 35 to 40 minutes and patience. In the last 5 to 10 minutes, baste with Croix Valley Original Steak Sauce and let it set into a glaze.
Pull them off, let them cool for a minute so nobody loses a finger to molten Velveeta, and set them out before kickoff.
Cheesy Sausage Footballs
Damon Holter
Snacks and Apps
When game day rolls around, the tailgating parties get into full swing. Burgers, wings, beer and appetizers are certainly a staple at many a Sunday spread, and the art of grilling is just as synonymous with football parties as are the pork rinds and the armchair quarterback’s end-zone analysis. Inspired by the old pigskin itself, we’ve got you covered with an appetizer so delicious, you won’t be able to invite your friends over for the next big game without the requests to ensure you’ve got some of these fantastic morsels on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- 1 Pound Italian Sausage
- 1 Medium Onion, diced
- a few Strips of Bacon, sliced into thirds
- 8oz. Velveeta cheese
- 1 Cup Italian-style bread crumbs
- 1 Egg
- Croix Valley Original Steak Sauce (or any of your favorite Croix Valley Sauces)
- Croix Valley Cattle Drive BBQ Dry Rub
Directions
To prepare, in a large bowl, combine the beef, sausage, onion, bread crumbs and egg. Mix by hand until thoroughly blended.
Next, roll the meat mixture into portions, roughly the size of a golf ball and flatten into patties.
Dice the cheese into approximate 1/2 to 3/4” cubes and wrap in sliced bacon pieces.
Place bacon-wrapped cheese in the center of the patties and fold the meat around the cheese, pinching all sides together to form the shape of a football (recipe makes between 15-20 portions).
Coat generously in Croix Valley BBQ Dry Rub.
Prepare your grill or smoker to medium heat of 300-325°F. Cook over indirect heat (banking coals to one side of the grill and placing footballs away from the flames), using lump charcoal and a piece of hardwood for added smoke and flavor for about 35-40 minutes.
If using a gas grill, turn the burners directly under the appetizers off to avoid flare-ups. Try adding a smoker box or foil pouch with wood chips to the flame-side of your gas grill to attain the best possible flavors from your grill.
If cooked properly and away from direct flames, you should be able to set it and forget it, there is no need to turn the appetizers over or rotate while cooking. Be sure to place the footballs with the seam side up (where you pinched it together), as some cheese may melt out during cooking.
Baste with sauce during the last 5-10 minutes of grilling to allow the sauce to caramelize and set nicely.
