Recipe archive
Loading
Setting the table...
Fetching the latest recipes from the archive.
Loading
Fetching the latest recipes from the archive.
Recipe archive
America's Melting Pot
Crockpot Little Smokies hero image coming soon
1970-1989 - American home cooks and party hosts popularizing convenient snack dishes.
Crockpot Little Smokies are small smoked sausages cooked in a flavorful sauce, commonly served as appetizers or party snacks. Combining ease and taste, they became a popular dish for casual gatherings and tailgate parties in late 20th-century American social cuisine.
No featured photo yet. Upload a photo with your review. The highest-rated community photo may become this recipe's hero image.
Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
2-3 hours
Total time
2 hours 5 minutes
Servings
10 servings
Region
Kansas City, Missouri Rival Crock-Pot home kitchens
Era introduced
1970-1989
Introduced by
American home cooks and party hosts popularizing convenient snack dishes.
Recipe tools
Log in to save this recipe to a collection.
Little Smokies, mini smoked sausages, have long been a favored American party food. In the late 20th century, combining them with sweet and tangy sauces in a crockpot made them ideal for social events, potlucks, and tailgate parties. This dish represents casual communal eating and the growing influence of convenience appliances in transforming simple snacks into beloved staples.
Share family changes, regional twists, or pantry-friendly adaptations as full community recipes.
Log in to submit a community recipe.
No community recipes yet. Submitted recipes are published right away.
Rate this recipe and share how it worked at your table.
Log in to review this recipe.
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate this recipe.
Recipes matched by era, region, occasion, ingredients, and cultural roots from the archive.
Same era
America's Melting Pot
ABC Juice photo coming soon
1970s-present
ABC Juice brings juice-bar color and American smoothie-counter energy to the glass: Apple, beet, carrot.
America's Melting Pot
Auntie Anne's-Style Pretzel Bites photo coming soon
1970-1989
A homemade mall-style pretzel bite recipe with yeast dough, a baking-soda dip, coarse salt, and a generous butter finish.

1970-1989
Split bagels topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, oregano, and pepperoni or vegetables, baked until bubbly for a lunchbox and after-school classic.
Same region
America's Melting Pot
Crockpot Apple Butter photo coming soon
1971-present
Crockpot Apple Butter is a convenient modern adaptation of traditional apple butter, slow-cooked fruit preserves spiced with cinnamon and cloves. It features in American regional and tailgate cooking, offering a spread or condiment with deep, concentrated apple flavor achieved through slow cooking.
America's Melting Pot
Crockpot Beef Stroganoff photo coming soon
1971-present
Crockpot Beef Stroganoff adapts the classic Russian-inspired sauteed beef and mushroom dish to slow cooker convenience, delivering tender beef in a creamy sauce typically served over noodles. This Americanized version suits weeknight cooking and reflects 1970s-80s home cooking trends embracing convenience appliances.
America's Melting Pot
Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs photo coming soon
1971-present
Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs marry tender meatballs with a tangy-sweet sauce made from grape jelly and chili sauce. This quick and popular crockpot appetizer or main dish gained traction in American home cooking and potlucks during the late 20th century.
Same table
America's Melting Pot
Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs photo coming soon
1971-present
Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs marry tender meatballs with a tangy-sweet sauce made from grape jelly and chili sauce. This quick and popular crockpot appetizer or main dish gained traction in American home cooking and potlucks during the late 20th century.
America's Melting Pot
Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork photo coming soon
1970-1989
Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork is a hallmark of American slow-cooking convenience, featuring pork shoulder cooked slowly with barbecue sauce until tender enough to shred. This dish combines traditional Southern barbecue flavors with modern slow cooker ease, popular at tailgate parties and casual gatherings.
America's Melting Pot
Frogmore Stew photo coming soon
1970-1989
Frogmore Stew is a one-pot Southern boil including shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes simmered with spices. Popular since the 1970s as a casual regional meal for gatherings and tailgates.