- For oven cooking, put the sausages on a tray lined with parchment paper and cook them at 400 °F (204 °C) for 15 minutes.
- For cooking sausage on a stovetop, heat a skillet with about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of oil on medium heat. Add the sausages and cook for five minutes on each side.
- To boil sausages, cover and boil them for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C).[1]
Baking Sausage in an Oven
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Let your oven warm up fully before putting in the sausages, or they’ll dry out. Check the packaging the sausage came in for temperature recommendations, since different sausages may have different requirements. Oven cooking is a simple way to warm large, uncut sausages indoors.
Spread the sausages evenly on a tray lined with parchment paper. Cover a tray with parchment paper or tin foil sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray to prevent the sausages from sticking to the pan. Space the sausages ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) apart in a single layer to allow them to cook on all sides. If you’re cooking a lot of sausages, bake them in multiple batches or on multiple sheets. Most sausages, both raw and smoked, don’t require any preparation to be oven-roasted. The big difference between the two is that raw sausages are roasted whole and cut after, whereas smoked sausages can be cut ahead of time and roasted in pieces.
Bake the sausages for 15 minutes, or until they reach 165 °F (74 °C). Check the internal temperature of the sausages with a meat thermometer after about 12 minutes. Stab the thickest part of the sausage with the thermometer, then wait until the temperature reading is stable. Once they’re 165 °F (74 °C), they’re done. If the sausage is shriveled or blackened, take it out of the oven. If you want your sausage to be extra browned/crispy, flip them once after about 8 minutes, or put them under a broiler for a few minutes. Watch the sausages the entire time—broilers can burn them quickly. You can also check for doneness through the color of the juice. If you cut open a sausage and the juices run clear, they’re done. The only drawback is that this method can dry out your sausages.
Cooking Sausage in a Pan
Heat around 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of oil on a skillet over medium heat. Add enough vegetable oil to barely cover the bottom of a pan or dutch oven, then turn on your burner to medium heat. The oil helps keep the sausage from burning or sticking to the pan. Wait a few minutes for the pan to heat up. Use medium or medium-high heat only. If the pan is too hot, the sausage may crack or shrivel. If you’re using the sausage as an ingredient in another dish (a pasta or soup, for example) cut them into ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) rounds, or slice them in half lengthwise.
Add the sausages and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Cook the sausage for 10 minutes, or until they turn brown and the juice coming out of them runs clear. After 5 minutes, flip them over. Once they’re all a similar, uniform color, remove the pan from the heat. If you cut your sausages, cook them for three minutes on one side and two on the other.
Drain the pan and serve the sausage, or add it to another dish. Hold the sausages/slices in place with a spatula and pour out any liquid left in the pan. Now they’re ready to eat or be stirred into another stovetop recipe. For example, you might use the sausages while making a gumbo or pasta sauce.
Boiling Sausage on a Stove
Boil water, beer, or tomato sauce in a large stockpot. Fill a large stockpot (big enough to hold all your sausages) with a liquid of your choosing and bring it to a boil. The liquid in the pot flavors the sausage, so get creative! Usually, 6 US qt (5.7 L) is enough to submerge the sausages, although it depends on the size of your pot. If you have a lot of sausage to boil, do it in separate batches or use multiple pots. For extra flavor, add seasonings like lemon, bay leaves, sage, salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes. This is especially good if you’re boiling other ingredients in the pot, as well. Cover the pot to make the water boil faster. When you can stir it without disrupting the bubbles, the water is ready.
Fully submerge the sausages in the water. Use a spoon to carefully place the sausage in the pot to avoid splashing hot water on yourself. Push the sausage down with a spoon or tongs so they’re covered by the water, then wait for the water to return to a boil.
Boil the sausage for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover the pot again to speed up the process, then let them boil. Check them after ten minutes by removing one from the pot and inserting a meat thermometer into the middle and checking if it’s 165 °F (74 °C), or by cutting one open and checking if the juice is clear. Drain the water by pouring the pot’s contents into a large colander or tip the pot over while holding the lid over it.
Grilling Sausage
Preheat your grill to medium heat (~350 °F (177 °C)). If you’re using a gas grill, set the temperature to 350 °F (177 °C). If you’re using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal, then check the temperature by holding your hand above it. When it’s medium-high, you should only be able to comfortably have your hand over it for 6 seconds. Preheating usually takes about 10 minutes.
Space the sausages evenly on the grill. Arrange the sausages near the center of the grill, but not directly in the middle. Instead, space them out a little closer to the sides. Leave at least ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) of space between each sausage. That way the heat can reach them more indirectly, which makes them less likely to burst. You can cut the sausages in half lengthwise first to give them a slightly different flavor and texture.
Grill the sausages for 9 minutes or until they are uniformly brown. Flip the sausages regularly to get them crispy on all sides and watch for them to turn an even brown color.. If the skin cracks or burns, immediately take the sausages off the heat. If the casing splits, turn the temperature down (for charcoal grills, close the vents) and watch the sausages very carefully. They may have been left on the grill for too long. Dark grill marks on the sausages are okay, just make sure the outer casing is a uniform golden brown color.
Remove the sausages and cool them for 2 minutes. Take the sausages off the grill immediately to prevent overcooking. Place them on a plate, then let them rest so the juices stay inside the meat. Once they’ve cooled a little, you’re ready to dig in! When sausages are on the grill too long, they may burst or appear wrinkled after they cool.
Heating Sausages in an Air Fryer
Preheat an air fryer to 375 °F (191 °C), then add the sausage. One of the best (and easiest) ways to heat up fully cooked smoked sausage is in an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 375 °F (191 °C) and put your sausages in the basket once it heats up. You can cook the sausages whole, halved, or in pieces.
Cook the sausage for 8-10 minutes, and flip them once. If you’re worried about the sausages sticking, spray them with a little bit of cooking oil. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, then take out the basket and give it a shake. If you have full sausages, flip them over. Cook them for another 3-5 minutes, then serve!
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