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Home Ā» Recipes Ā» Main Dish Ā» Kielbasa Ā» BBQ Kielbasa

BBQ Kielbasa

April 21, 2023 by Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life Leave a Comment

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A sweet sauce with 7-Up, BBQ sauce and onions make the perfect topping for BBQ Kielbasa sandwiches. Our BBQ Kielbasa recipe is one of our favorite super easy ways to dress up smoked sausage.

Kielbasa sandwiches with meat, onions and a barbecue sauce glaze on plates on a red and white napkin

BBQ Kielbasa Sandwich Recipe

BBQ sauce is an added layer of flavor that makes Kielbasa even more irresistible! Enjoy the extra flavor in smoked sausage in a sandwich or as bite size pieces in an appetizer.

So easy to make in a skillet or toss in the crock pot in just 5 to 10 minutes an easy meal the whole family will enjoy is ready with very little effort.

Take the Kielbasa sausage and nestle in a bun, top with the softened onions and scoop a little of the sweet BBQ sauce over the top to level up your meal. My husband loves all of our Kielbasa recipes and said this reminds him of a sandwich he would get at the ball park.

Kielbasa sausage made from pork with spices added, then smoked is such an amazing meat. The meat is versatile and pairs well with Sauerkraut, Pierogies, Noodles, and Sausage, Peppers & Onions so we couldn’t wait to try it with barbecue sauce.

Smoky chunks of Kielbasa cooking in BBQ sauce with onions in a black crock pot

Another fun option for this recipe is cutting the Kielbasa into thick coins or chunks and browning in a skillet with the onions and sauce. Use toothpicks to serve up a delicious appetizer that is similar to Smokies in Sauce.

Why This Recipe Works:

  • Can be made in a crock pot for sandwiches or the center piece of a meal OR it can be made in a skillet for smaller appetizer sized pieces
  • Smoky, salty and sweet make an irresistible combination of flavors the whole family can enjoy
  • This meal only takes 5 minutes of hands on time to toss in the crock pot
  • The ingredients store well for a couple weeks, so this recipe can be added to the menu to stretch the time between grocery store visits
Skillet full of Kielbasa with bbq sauce and onions ready to eat or put on a sandwich bun

Ingredients Needed to Make Barbecue Kielbasa

  • Kielbasa or smoked sausage that is pre-cooked – I prefer to purchase them in longer, straight sticks than in the U-shaped package if making a sandwich as the straight pieces of meat fit better on a bun.
  • Onions – I typically use sweet onions because the slices are a little bigger, but white or yellow onions work well too.
  • BBQ Sauce – Your favorite sauce will work fine, Montgomery Inn is our preferred sauce for this recipe.
  • 7-Up – a lemon lime soda helps create a sweet glaze that makes this recipe even more special, Sprite works great too.
Ingredients to make BBQ Kielbasa on a wooden counter top are 7-Up, Barbecue sauce, onion and polska Kielbasa

How To Cut the Kielbasa

I prefer to purchase the Kielbasa sausage that come in two longer, more straight sticks as opposed to the U-shaped pieces.

The bend in the U-shaped pieces makes it more difficult to make uniform sandwiches or bites.

I like to cut the pieces as pictured below, but it is also common to cut the quarter up even more. If bigger chunks are used then a few pieces can fit fine in a sandwich bun.

Two sticks of Kielbasa sausage cut in half to prep for sandwiches

Sometimes I will cut the meat into smaller chunks after cooking and coat in the bbq glaze before serving. There are lots of easy options with this recipe!

BBQ Smoked Sausage in the Crock Pot

Use a liner or generous coating of non-stick cooking spray.

Cut the Kielbasa into pieces that will fit well on a hotdog or slightly larger brat bun.

Lay the meat in a single layer in the crock.

Wedges of white onion laying across freshly cut pieces of Kielbasa in a black crock

Add wedges or thick slices of onion.

Pour the 7-Up over top. You want some liquid to sweeten the glaze, but too much will prevent the sauce from sticking very well.

Black slow cooker with Kielbasa sausage, onion wedges and lemon lime soda fizzing from being just poured over the top

Finish up by drizzling bbq sauce in a nice layer on top.

A generous layer of BBQ sauce poured over onions and meat in the crock pot

Set to high for 2 hours or cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.

Serve warm and enjoy!

How To Make A Bigger Batch

Additional layers of meat, onions and sauce can be added to make a bigger batch, but cooking time will increase based on the size of the crock pot and amount added.

Five to six pound of smoked sausage cook on high for 1 hour and then on low for an additional 3 – 4 hours.

Cooked sticks of BBQ Kielbasa basting in a sweet glaze with more bbq sauce on top resting in a black crock

Add large pieces to a hot dog sized sandwich bun or cut into chunks.

Take a spoon and drizzle a little more of the delicious bbq sauce over the top.

Long pieces of Kielbasa cooked in a sweet BBQ sauce with tender onions laying on top of the meat in hot dog buns on a white plate

BBQ Kielbasa in a Skillet

Pre-heat skillet to medium high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Brown pieces of Kielbasa, turning often to brown all sides evenly.

Swiss Diamond skillet full of Kielbasa while it browns on the stove top

Using a quality skillet like my Swiss Diamond set makes this recipe cook much faster and the meat will brown more evenly.

Add soda pop to the skillet along onions and barbecue sauce. Turn down to medium heat and cook for 3 to 6 minutes until onions are tender.

7-up soda pop and bbq sauce bubbling after being added to a hot skillet with browning Kielbasa meat and raw onions sprinkled on top

Use toothpicks to make stacks of meat and onions coated in this beautiful BBQ sauce or just scoop onto a plate or into a bun to enjoy.

Close up browned pieces of smoked sausage in a skillet with a bbq sauce coating and slices of sweet onions

Another great skillet recipe is our Kielbasa & Cabbage. We love having this quick and easy options to make quickly for a week night meal.

Recipe Tips & Tricks:

  • BBQ Kielbasa is popular to add to sandwiches with onions
  • Thin slices of bell peppers make a nice addition to this recipe too
  • I slightly prefer the flavor of browning chunks in a skillet, but find the recipe easier to make in a slow cooker
  • Cook on high in the crock pot if making a much bigger batch and stir occasionally to better coat the meat with BBQ sauce
Close up view of warm, cooked Kielbasa coated with a sweet bbq sauce glaze and onions in a bun on a plate by a slow cooker

More Easy Family Meals

  • Chicken Pockets are better than the frozen food version and so easy to make at home.
  • Crock Pot Ham is great for parties and also makes delicious sandwiches.
  • Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole is a hearty spin on a classic recipe with pork sausage that we enjoy for any meal of the day.
  • Homemade Hamburger Helper Skillet Meal – is a delicious option from my friend Amy at House of Nash Eats.
Chunks of Kielbasa in a sweet bbq sauce nestled in softened slices of onions

BBQ Kielbasa

A sweet sauce with 7-Up, BBQ sauce and onions make the perfect topping for BBQ Kielbasa sandwiches. Our BBQ Kielbasa recipe is one of our favorite super easy ways to dress up smoked sausage.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ Kielbasa, Kielbasa Sandwiches
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 500kcal
Author: Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Kielbasa Sausage cut into serving size
  • 1 Sweet Onion cut into wedges
  • 1/2 cup 7-Up
  • 3/4 cup BBQ Sauce

Instructions

  • Generously coat a crock pot with non-stick cooking spray or use a liner.
  • Add serving size pieces of Kielbasa in a single layer.
  • Layer onions on top of meat.
  • Pour 7-Up into the crock. Drizzle BBQ sauce over the top.
  • Cover and cook on low for 2 – 3 hours.

Notes

  • We prefer to use Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce in this recipe
  • Can easily be prepared in a skillet in 10 – 15 minutes
  • To make a bigger batch I like to cook on high in the slow cooker
 

Equipment

Slow Cooker

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Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1555mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Follow me@PlowingThroughLife and mention #PlowingThroughLife!

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Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Kielbasa, Main Dish, Recipes, Slow Cooker

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Hi I’m Jennifer

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