In future, though, I'll use one of the recipes that say to cook in oven and transfer to the crockpot to keep warm.
"Why?" you ask. Good question.
Because it took over four hours to cook in the crockpot! Plus, the Lit'l Smokies® on top (those not being entirely cooked in bacon fat were essentially steamed and needed to be broiled to brown the bacon).Another reason? We had to deal with that tantalizing smell for almost all the time they were cooking! I swear some of the men (and women) were drooling in anticipation once they asked, "What's that smell?" and I told them.
I used the turkey version of the Lit'l Smokies®. You can't tell the difference from regular, taste-wise, and it's got half the fat. And it's hard to find, so plan to buy them in advance! I went to two different stores in search of them.
Also, I used thick-sliced bacon, which was recommended in several of the recipes Hillshire Farms' website says you also can use turkey bacon for a leaner version, though that didn't get as positive a response on the recipe boards. (Yes, I did extensive research, bordering on obsessive.) My bacon was fattier than normal, so I think I'll get the 25 percent leaner (and thinner) type next time.
Once done, they were very popular (though they definitely played second banana to the prime rib my friend, Amanda, served). And I have just a few words for you re the prime rib: Precooked. From Costco. Tender. Excellent.
I've included another link from the Hillshire Farms website that hopefully will lead to faster Bacon-Wrapped Smokies, or as I like to call it now, Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Candy. You can then toss them into a crockpot on low to keep them warm (don't forget to put the lovely brown sugar and bacon fat "sauce" in with them to keep them tender).
One key mistake on my part: I forgot my camera and didn't have the presence of mind to use my cell phone's camera to show you what they looked like.
Instead, you can drool at a picture of the finished product on the baconology.org website, which offers another version cooked in the oven, as well as several other mouth-watering sounding bacon recipes. This one's originally from allrecipes.com. (See direct link for a lovely picture.)
