Slow Cooker Cowboy Butter Sausage and Potatoes Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before beginning, ensure your slow cooker insert is clean and dry. Wash the baby red potatoes thoroughly under cold running water, scrubbing away any dirt, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Slice the smoked sausage into uniform coins about one-half inch thick. If using frozen butter, ensure it is completely melted and at room temperature before pouring it over the ingredients to prevent uneven distribution.

Instructions

Layering the ingredients

1. 1Prepare the slow cooker
   Arrange the sliced smoked sausage in an even layer at the bottom of the slow cooker insert to ensure uniform heating during the cooking process.
   Look for Sausage coins are spread in a single layer.
   Tip Ensure the sausage is sliced to a consistent thickness for even cooking.

At this stage, the sausage should be neatly arranged in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker. This base layer is crucial for the foundation of the dish. Ensure that no sausage pieces are overlapping excessively, which helps ensure that the heat from the bottom of the slow cooker is transferred evenly to the meat and the potatoes that follow.

Seasoning the potatoes

2. 2Add potatoes and seasoning
   Place the halved baby red potatoes over the sausage layer. Evenly sprinkle the garlic paprika seasoning over the potatoes to distribute the flavors thoroughly throughout the dish.
   Look for Potatoes are piled on top of the sausage.
   Tip Shake the seasoning from a height to get an even coating.

The potatoes should be distributed evenly over the sausage, and the garlic paprika seasoning should be scattered uniformly. At this point, the ingredients should look organized and ready to receive the butter.

Check that the seasoning has covered most of the potato surfaces. If you see large clumps of spice, gently shake the slow cooker insert to redistribute them before moving to the final step.

Adding the butter and cooking

3. 3Add butter and cook
   Pour the cowboy butter over the potatoes and sausage. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours until the potatoes are tender and the sausage reaches 160°F (71°C).
   Look for Butter is poured over the ingredients.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (ground meat)
   Tip Make sure the butter is fully melted before pouring.

Once the butter is poured over the top, the cooking process begins. The butter should begin to pool around the base of the potatoes. After the allotted time, the kitchen should smell fragrant with garlic and herbs.

The potatoes should look softened and slightly translucent, and the sauce should have thickened into a rich, herb-flecked coating that clings to the sausage and potato surfaces.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is overcrowding the slow cooker, which can prevent the potatoes from cooking evenly. Always ensure there is enough room for the steam to circulate.

Another error is not checking the internal temperature of the sausage; since the meat is pre-cooked, it must be heated until it reaches 160°F (71°C) to ensure it is hot throughout. Finally, avoid lifting the lid during the first few hours of cooking, as this lets out essential heat and moisture.

How to tell it’s done

The dish is fully cooked when the potatoes are fork-tender, meaning they offer no resistance when pierced. The sausage must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) as measured by a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a sausage coin. The sauce should appear glossy and slightly thickened, coating the potatoes and sausage evenly without appearing thin or separated.

• Ground meat: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part