This is a low carb version of the classic party appetizer that vanishes faster than you can take them out of the oven. Traditionally these are done with a sharp cheddar and that is what I have calculated in the nutritional info for this recipe. But other cheeses could be substituted for a different twist. I formerly made these with Carbquick. But in an effort to eliminate modern wheat from my diet, I am now making them with another combination of ingredients that a friend on LowCarbFriends (Ouizoid) is developing into a bake mix called Better Than Flour. These are not suitable for Atkins Induction phase. They are suitable for Keto diets, but not for Primal-Paleo. If you have no problems eating wheat and are well into your weight loss journey, you could substitute 1 c. Carbquick, or if gluten-free, 1 c. Jennifer Eloff’s Gluten-Free Bake Mix in lieu of all the listed dry ingredients. Also, I have since created and Einkorn flour version here: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/2014/07/05/einkorn-sausage-cheese-balls/.
INGREDIENTS:
1½ c. grated cheddar cheese
16 oz. ground pork, mixed with 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning and pinch cayenne pepper
½ tsp. onion powder (optional)
¼c + 2 T. oat fiber
¼ c. + 2 T. coconut flour
3 T. plain whey protein powder
3 T. egg white protein powder (or more whey protein powder if unavailable)
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. glucomannan powder (optional)
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. In a medium bowl, mix the ground pork well with the poultry seasoning and cayenne pepper. This is best done with your hands to blend well. Next add the grated cheddar and all dry ingredients. Work it all together with your hands until it will hold together and can be formed into balls. Roll into sixteen 1-1¼” balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes. You don’t have to turn them during baking, but they will brown more evenly if you do. Remove carefully with metal spatula, trying not to tear up, and drain off grease on paper towel. Serve warm.
NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 28 sausage balls. Each contains:
83 cals, 6.37g fat, 2.61g carbs, 1.67g fiber, 0.94 g NET CARBS, 5g protein, 120 mg sodium
Buttoni's Low-Carb Recipes 
Peggy, I was wondering if they freeze well? And would you freeze before or after baking? And if they’ve already been baked, then frozen, can they be microwaved?
Well, I haven’t tried freezing them myself, but they are nice and moist, so I would think they would freeze quite nicely, for up to a month (as long as ANY bread product should ever be frozen). On the reheating, I would be either warm them in your regular oven for 10 minutes on 300º or in the microwave on a DEFROST setting as little time as possibly to just get them warm, so they won’t go to “rubber”.
I made these and cooked on a parchment lined pan . . . no sticking, perfect browning and easy to turn. Pretty darned yummy.
I’m so glad you liked them, Jo. I haven’t made them in quite awhile and after posting the recipe on the LCAF cookbook page today, I WANT SOME! 🙂 Maybe for a snack later on. 🙂
My mom used to make these but only used sausage if I remember correctly. She would wrap the sausage meat around a green pimento stuffed olive. Seems to me the sausage always stuck and she fried rather than baked them. Hadn’t thought of them in years, but another tasty low carb snack.
Hey, that sounds good. I assume she also put cheese inside?
I just made these, but as I’m trying to avoid wheat, I substituted the Carbalose with 2 tablespoons coconut flour and 2 eggs (for just over a pound of meat). I used Italian sausage and a mixture of grated cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. I threw in a teaspoon each of dried basil and italian seasonings (I really like basil). Also added about a teaspoon of French’s mustard, because I love the mixture of any kind of sausage and mustard. Wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but my goodness, they are reeeeeally good!! Thank you for this recipe, Peggy!
Well aren’t you a clever girl! Your changes sound quite tasty! Thanks for sharing with my readers and me! Delighted you like these. Simple, aren’t they?
If I use maybe grated parmesan instead of Carbquik will it lower the net carb count? Or even using pork rinds? I will not be able to stop at 4, I would eat the whole batch. 🙂
Karen, Rose below in comments reports she used all pork rinds and she liked them done this way. RE: flavor change, I don’t think I’d like them that way, personally, as rinds are definitely “stronger” tasting than Carbquick. That said, I have to confess, I’ve made even waffles with rinds and been satisfied with the result, so this substitution might surprise even me….I just haven’t tried it yet. You could TRY a batch that way and see how you like the change. The carb count of 2 NC with 1/3 c. Carbquick drops to 0 using 1 oz. pork rinds, and 1.3 NC using 1/3c. Parmesan. But the calories jump from 42 (CQ), to 311 (rinds), to 142 using Parmesan. And you get the added benefit of the 14g fiber with CQ. a good thing IMO. 🙂
Your call really. Not much carb savings in changing. But a little Parm or rinds might reduce any CQ taste you dislike. I didn’t find the CQ taste came through on these, as it was dominated by the sausage & cheese. 🙂