This BBQ smoked sausage recipe is delicious! That being said, oh my gosh, I thought I created a catastrophe. My skillet almost started overflowing while the cornbread was baking, haha! I’ve adjusted the recipe so that hopefully the same thing doesn’t happen to you!
BBQ Smoked Sausage Filling
The one thing that makes this different from most barbecue recipes is that instead of the traditional ketchup based BBQ sauce, I used a mustard based one. I find that I like how the tanginess of the mustard and vinegar pairs up with the sweetness of the cornbread. That being said, you are absolutely free to use a traditional ketchup based sauce. If you’re looking for a recommendation for mustard based sauce though, I highly recommend Red Duck brand’s Sweet Mustard Peppercorn. You can find it either at your local grocery store or here as part of this BBQ sauce trio.
The main filling aside from the sauce is sliced kielbasa smoked sausage, red onion, garlic, corn and rotel. You’re free to use other veggies or even substitute the sausage for chicken though if that’s what you want to do!
But after you assemble the filling, it’s time to top it with the cornbread and that’s where things got tricky for me!
The Cornbread
When I originally made this recipe, I used two boxes of cornbread mix, which as it turns out, is WAY TOO FREAKING MUCH. I seriously thought I was making a popover for lunch at first. Not even kidding!!
So thankfully, you have my mistakes to learn from, haha! I’ve since modified the recipe to only include one box of cornbread mix so that hopefully this doesn’t happen to you! Luckily for me, it still turned out phenomenal!
BBQ Smoked Sausage and Cornbread Skillet Casserole
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large, deep skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 packages kielbasa smoked sausage, sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 can rotel, well drained
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup mustard based BBQ sauce such as Red Duck's Sweet Mustard Peppercorn
- 1 box Jiffy cornbread muffin mix
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings
- green onion
- jalapeño slices
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or large, deep oven-safe skillet, such as stainless steel or cast-iron.
- When butter is melted and the pan is hot, add kielbasa, onion and garlic, sauteing until softened, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Add in corn and rotel mixing well to incorporate with other ingredients and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the entire mixture and stir to combine. Allow roux to cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Reduce heat to medium.
- Whisk in chicken broth and salt and pepper, to taste, incorporating with the flour. Allow sauce to thicken, approximately 3 minutes. Add barbecue sauce and stir frequently until thick. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While kielbasa mixture is simmering, make the cornbread mixture by stirring the boxed cornbread mix, egg, milk and half of the cheese together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix until smooth, making sure there are no large clumps in the mixture.
- Pour the cornbread mix over the top of the kielbasa mixture, spreading out so that it is evenly distributed over the top. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered or until the cheese is melted and cornbread is fully cooked.
- Allow the casserole to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Top with any optional toppings of your choice.
And that’s all there is to it! I hope you enjoy this recipe as well as the others you can find here on my recipes page. Please feel free to let me know what you think in the comments below and subscribe to Growing Up Garlicky for more delicious recipes and family fun! Thanks
We are eating this as I write. It is absolutely delicious 😋
I’m so glad you enjoy it! Thanks for the feedback!