Memphis-Style Cheese & Sausage Plate
Posted: 05/25/22
Updated: 10/23/23
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This BBQ cheese and sausage plate is a Memphis classic! Served at most of the BBQ restaurants in town, this platter is loaded with grilled smoked sausage, cubes of cheese dusted with dry rub, pepperoncinis, pickles, and plenty of barbecue sauce and ranch dressing for dipping. Perfect for a picnic or family barbecue, and it makes the best Father’s Day grazing board ever for dad. Don’t forget the saltines and the wet wipes, y’all!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Take it from someone who knows – this is one amazing BBQ dish. You probably know by now that I’m Memphis-based, and I’m surrounded by BBQ 24/7. So believe me when I say, BBQ sausage and cheese plates are kind of a thing around here. Most local Memphis BBQ places serve them, usually with slight differences in types of cheese and accompaniments. If you’ve never had one of these Southern grazing boards, you’re seriously missing out!
- Essentially, you’re taking all the deliciousness of a barbecue and turning it into an appetizer. Amazing, right? With a hearty amount of protein and fats, this is a great appetizer or main course for a cookout, a picnic, a Father’s Day lunch, or even just a delicious summer dinner.
- I love a versatile dish! This is one that really lets you get in there and customize it to all your favorites. A variety of cheeses, a combo of pork and turkey sausage, Club crackers rather than saltines, 2 or 3 different dipping sauces… Anything goes!
Check Out These Grazing Boards, Too
Chef’s Tips
- This grilling method is a little hands on, requiring you to flip and baste the smoked sausages regularly. Don’t skip it, though! This method gives you a deliciously thick, tangy BBQ sauce coating and really locks in that amazing grilled sausage flavor and texture. It’s really worth the extra work.
- Don’t want to fire up the grill? No problem. You can cook the sausage in a skillet on the stove instead! You’ll lose that rich smokiness from the grill, but it’ll still be delicious. Don’t skip the BBQ basting, though. It’s a must!
- Sprinkle the dry rub over everything. YES. EVERYTHING. I can’t even begin to try to explain how wonderful cheese coated in dry rub is. Savory and sweet and creamy and smoky and UGH. It’s amazing.
Other Delicious BBQ Recipes
- Honey Chipotle Salmon BBQ Nachos
- Fried Pickle Dip
- New Orleans BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy
- Keto BBQ Sauce
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- BBQ Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Coleslaw (Whole30)
- Vegan BBQ Sauce
Memphis-Style Cheese & Sausage Plate
This Memphis-style grazing board is totally loaded with grilled smoked sausage, dry rub dusted cheese, and plenty of Southern fixings.
servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound smoked sausage pork preferred but turkey is fine
- BBQ sauce store-bought or homemade, plus more for serving
- ranch dressing store-bought or homemade
- 12-16 ounces cubed cheese see Notes
- dill pickle spears
- whole pepperoncinis
- crackers
- BBQ dry rub store-bought or homemade, to taste
Equipment
- Grill
- Basting Brush
- Tongs
- serving tray
- ramekins for sauces
Instructions
For the Smoked Sausage
- Heat grill to medium-high, between 375° and 400° Fahrenheit.
- Place sausage directly on grill. Brush generously with BBQ sauce, then turn sausage over and brush other side with BBQ sauce. Repeat and cook 10 minutes, turning and basting constantly. When sausage casing splits (or just before), remove sausage from grill and slice 1-inch thick pieces.
For the Grazing Board
- Arrange all components of cheese and sausage plate on grazing board, starting with small ramekins or bowls of BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. Place smoked sausage around ramekins and fill in any remaining spaces with cheese cubes, pickles, pepperoncinis, and crackers.
- Once serving tray is arranged as desired, sprinkle BBQ dry rub over smoked sausage, cubed cheese, pickle spears, and pepperoncini, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Cheese: Cheddar, pepper jack, monterey jack, and gouda all work really well here! I like to use cheddar and pepper jack together, roughly 6-8 ounces of each.
- Make it Keto: Use a keto BBQ sauce and a keto dry rub. Skip the crackers or replace them with cheese chips or pork rinds. Make sure the cheese you use for cheese cubes doesn’t include any starches or fillers.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1serving, Calories: 529kcal, Protein: 18g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 87mg, Sodium: 1737mg, Potassium: 332mg, Total Carbs: 26g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 14g, Net Carbs: 24g, Vitamin A: 684IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 384mg, Iron: 2mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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