Crockpot Pineapple Sausage with a Sticky Sweet Glaze Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before turning on the slow cooker, gather all of your ingredients and prep the sausage. Slice the smoked sausage into uniform half-inch rounds to ensure they heat evenly and fit easily on a toothpick for serving.

Open the canned pineapple chunks, keeping the sweet juice in the can as it will form the base of the sticky glaze. Prepare your slow cooker insert and ensure it is clean and ready for assembly.

Instructions

Assembling the Ingredients

1. 1Prep and Assemble
   Slice the smoked sausage into uniform 1/2-inch rounds and place them directly into the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour the canned pineapple chunks along with all of their juice over the sausage slices.
   Look for The sausage slices should be covered by the pineapple chunks and juice.
   Tip Keep the sausage slices uniform in thickness to ensure they heat evenly.
2. 2Stir and Cover
   Stir the sausage slices and pineapple chunks together to distribute them evenly in the slow cooker. Cover the cooker with the lid to trap the heat and moisture.
   Look for The ingredients should be evenly mixed in a shallow layer of juice.
   Tip Ensure the lid is seated flat on the cooker to prevent steam from escaping.

At the end of this phase, the sliced smoked sausage and golden pineapple chunks should be combined in the slow cooker insert. The sausage slices and pineapple chunks should be evenly distributed and submerged in the sweet pineapple juice. There should be no dry pieces, and the mixture should be ready for the slow cooking process.

Slow Cooking and Caramelizing

3. 3Slow Cook
   Set the slow cooker to cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or on high for 2 hours, allowing the sausage to heat through and the pineapple juice to begin reducing.
   Look for The liquid should bubble gently around the edges of the pot.
   Tip Avoid opening the lid during cooking to maintain a consistent internal temperature.

By the end of the slow cooking phase, the kitchen will be filled with a rich, smoky, and sweet aroma. The liquid in the crockpot should be bubbling gently around the edges of the pot, and the sausage slices will have plumped up slightly. The pineapple chunks will look golden and glistening, having absorbed some of the savory sausage juices.

Thickening the Glaze

4. 4Thicken and Serve
   Remove the lid and stir the mixture thoroughly. Let the dish sit uncovered on the warm setting for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the pineapple juice and sausage juices to reduce into a thick, sticky glaze that coats the sausage slices.
   Look for The glaze should look glossy, thick, and cling to the sausage and pineapple.
   Tip Keep the slow cooker on the warm setting if serving this at a party.

Once the cooking time is complete and the lid is removed, the steam will clear to reveal a glossy, bubbling sauce.

After stirring and letting the dish rest for ten minutes, the glaze will visibly thicken, transforming from a thin liquid into a sticky, caramel-like coating that clings to the sausage and pineapple. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is draining the pineapple chunks completely and discarding the juice. Without the juice, there will not be enough liquid to prevent the sausage from drying out, and you will miss out on the sticky glaze.

Another error is cooking the dish on high for too long, which can cause the sugars in the pineapple juice to scorch along the edges of the crockpot. Finally, avoid slicing the sausage too thin, as thin slices can become dry.

How to tell it’s done

Because smoked sausage is already fully cooked when purchased, the goal of this recipe is to heat the ingredients thoroughly and allow the pineapple juice to caramelize.

The dish is done when the sausage slices are hot all the way through, the pineapple chunks are tender, and the liquid has reduced into a thick, sticky glaze. The sausage slices should be piping hot and register at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit if tested with a meat thermometer.