Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Sausage Balls
- 450 g ground pork sausage, room temperature
- 225 g sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 150 g biscuit baking mix
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 79 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 185 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 10 mg
- Potassium
- 51 mg
- Calcium
- 49 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 4 mg
- Phosphorus
- 59 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 6 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and absorb excess fat.
Grate the sharp cheddar cheese using a box grater. It is crucial to grate it fresh, as pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that will prevent the mixture from binding correctly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature ground pork sausage, grated cheddar cheese, and biscuit baking mix. Use your hands to knead the mixture together until no dry spots of baking mix remain. Always wash your hands, surfaces, and tools thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling raw pork to prevent cross-contamination.
Pinch off small portions of the dough and roll them into 2.5-centimeter (1-inch) spheres, weighing approximately 20 grams each. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the sausage balls at 190°C/375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. They are ready when they are golden brown, sizzling, and the internal temperature of the pork reaches a safe 74°C/165°F.
Remove from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving platter. This allows the melted cheese to set slightly, keeping the balls intact.
Chef's Notes
- Always grate your own cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches like cellulose that prevent it from properly melting and binding with the sausage and baking mix.
- For the best texture and easiest mixing, let your raw sausage sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before assembling. The warmer fat incorporates much more smoothly into the dry biscuit mix.
- These freeze beautifully raw. Flash freeze the formed balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen by adding 5 to 8 minutes to the baking time.
- If you want to elevate the flavor, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, a dash of garlic powder, or finely chopped scallions to the mixture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat to crisp the exterior.
Freezer: 3 months — Can be frozen before or after baking. If raw, flash freeze on a tray before transferring to a bag.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C/350°F oven for 10 minutes until warmed through and crispy.
Troubleshooting
Mixture is too dry and crumbly to form balls
Cause: The cheese was pre-shredded or the sausage was too lean or too cold
Fix: Continue kneading; the heat from your hands will eventually melt the fat and bind it. If still too dry, add a splash of whole milk (15ml) and knead again.
Prevention: Always use freshly grated cheese and let the sausage sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the fats to soften before mixing.
Sausage balls flattened out while baking
Cause: Too much fat in the sausage or insufficient baking mix to bind the fat
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but they will still taste delicious.
Prevention: Ensure precise measuring of the baking mix and use standard (not extra-fat) breakfast sausage.
Cultural Context
A cornerstone of American Southern entertaining, sausage balls are a staple at holiday parties, tailgates, and church potlucks. They gained immense popularity in the mid-20th century when commercial biscuit mixes were heavily marketed to homemakers, transforming a simple savory dough into an iconic, widely accessible three-ingredient classic.
