Place the pan (on the baking sheet) into the preheated oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, stirring gently halfway through, until the sausages are heated through and the sauce is bubbling and starting to thicken.
Turn the oven to broil on high for 2–4 minutes, watching very closely, until the edges of the sausages are slightly browned and the sauce looks glossy and sticky. This is what gives them that irresistible, caramelized look and flavor. Do not walk away while broiling; they can go from perfect to scorched quickly.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and let the lil smokies rest for about 5–10 minutes. The sauce will thicken more as it cools, turning into that clingy, finger-licking glaze everyone loves.
If you’re serving right away, set the disposable aluminum pan on your salt-and-pepper granite counter with a small spoon for extra sauce and a cup of toothpicks. If you’re packing some up, use a spoon to divide a portion of the glazed lil smokies and plenty of sauce into the paper takeout boxes. Serve warm, and expect people to keep circling back, “just grabbing one more,” until the pan is totally wiped out.
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Variations & Tips
For a little more heat, add up to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce to the honey mustard mixture. If you like things extra smoky and Southern-style, swap the yellow mustard for spicy brown mustard and add 2–3 drops of liquid smoke. To make these in a slow cooker, whisk the sauce as written, pour it over the sausages in a greased slow cooker, and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours, stirring once or twice; then crack the lid for the last 30 minutes so the sauce can thicken. For a slightly lighter version, you can use turkey cocktail sausages instead of pork or beef. If you want a bit more texture, sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of finely chopped green onions or parsley over the top right before serving. For game day or potlucks, double the recipe and split it between a large disposable aluminum pan and a couple of paper takeout boxes so you can set some out on the counter and keep a backup portion ready to swap in when the first pan mysteriously “disappears.”
