These Keto Little Smokies make a great Low-Carb appetizer or snack for any occasion!
These Keto Little Smokies are perfect for any get-together, covered dish dinner, tailgating party, or anywhere where finger foods are needed!
Now, as we all know, finding a BBQ sauce that isn’t loaded with sugar is easier said than done. So, what did we do? We created our own!
We’ve always been intrigued by all the different regional varieties of BBQ sauce and we’ve enjoyed trying different kinds, sugar and all. But we're thrilled to create one of our favorites that’s more in line with how we typically choose to eat.
The sauce in this recipe is inspired by Kansas City BBQ because it is what most people think about when they think BBQ sauce. It also happens to be one of our favorites. Keep your eyes peeled for future posts because we love the South Carolina Mustard Sauce and we’ve never tried Alabama White Sauce but we see it in our future real soon.
Do you have a favorite style of BBQ, let us know in the comments below!
Now, let's talk about this recipe in more detail!
How do you make Keto Little Smokies?
You'll start by making your own BBQ sauce. You'll need:
- 1 cup unsweetened ketchup (we use Primal Kitchen)
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown Swerve
- 2 teaspoons natural maple flavoring
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon each - salt, onion powder, garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Then you'll brown the little sausages - we love Trader Joe's Cocktail Pups and Teton Waters Ranch!
How to keep warm when serving
We love using our Instant Pot or Slow Cooker to keep the Keto Little Smokies warm while serving!
How to store
These little smokies keep really well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator!
Looking for more keto appetizers? Check out our round-up for Keto Game Day Recipes and Keto Appetizers!
Keto Little Smokies
Ingredients
- 24 oz cocktail smokies
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup unsweetened ketchup
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown Swerve
- 2 teaspoons natural maple flavoring
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl or jar, set aside,
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat and sear the cocktail smokies for 2-3 minutes until they start to turn color. Pour in the sauce, reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook 10-15 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
Notes
Serving size is about 6 smokies but will depend on the brand that you use
Nan says
Hi Alex this looks delish excited to try it no matter what you make it is always excellent . Look forward to more thank you [email protected]
Cathy says
What is natural maple flavoring and where can I buy it
Alex Lester says
You'll find it in the spice isle with the other flavorings such as vanilla, orange, or mint.
Sarah says
What brand of unsweetened ketchup imdo you use?
Alex Lester says
Primal Kitchen!
Mari F Wolf says
I added a little extra spice and bacon. I made a huge batch for a memorial gathering. Added a little extra swerve too, to fool the people I was serving and it was a hit.
Judy A Fitzsimonds says
We had this for dinner tonight. LOVE your BBQ sauce recipe. I live in Missouri and yes, it does taste like KC barbeque! Thank you so much. Making it again tomorrow to have over chicken.
Jessica McDonald says
Can I put this in the crockpot?
Cast Iron Keto says
You can!
Daniel W Niemeyer says
Can you use brown coconut sugar instead of the brown Swerve?
Kathlyn says
I'm thinking of using the golden (brown) monk fruit instead of Swerve... I bet that would be good and less sugar.
Cast Iron Keto says
Swerve doesn't contain sugar so monk fruit would be the same.
Carri says
It has really good flavor but it’s very watery. I would prolly just omit the water next time.