# How to properly cook sausages



## Easton

Cooking meats is something I still haven't caught on since I started cooking, and sausages are usually a hit or miss. I'm aware that pork has to be cooked thoroughly so I do cook them for some time, and end up coming out dry or tough. 

What I usually do is cook up a couple of links of sausage in a pan with olive oil, just to get a little browned. Then I put them on a plate and slice them into pepperoni-like pieces and return them to the pan to cook them until all the red or raw meat is gone.

At what point should I stop? Is a little redness OK?

Are there other, more efficient methods such as cooking sausages in the oven?

Thanks for your help.


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## Andy M.

The usual method for cooking sausages on the stove top is this:

Place 1/4" of water into a covered pan with the sausages and heat to get the water simmering.  As the water cooks off, the sausages will brown and continue to cook through.

Cook them slowly so the interior will cook.  Slicing them and cooking is what causes the problem of dryness.  

Another option is to steam them in the mirowave then brown them in a pan.


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## EccentricChef

A little blush of red isn't a bad thing.

160 degrees on a calibrated meat therometer will let you know when they are done without cutting them open.

I perfer on a baking sheet in the oven or on my grill outside over stove top cooking methods.


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## jpinmaryland

thanks for the tip Andy; I'm sure that will help me..


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## Bilby

I either put a splash (and I really mean a splash) of olive oil in a fry pan or sometimes a splash of water.  This is only to stop the sausages sticking to the pan, not to really cook them in.  Medium heat, turning sausages frequently, usually just by shaking pan.  When they are looking like they are beginning to colour evenly, I turn pan down to low, leaving to cook for several minutes, shaking the pan every so often. I usually tell by smell and feel, and I guess experience.  As I always cook more than I need for the meal, I sacrifice one sausage and cut it in half to check that it is well cooked. I never leave any pink in a sausage.  Usually I am pretty close to the right time.  Some of the additions they put into sausages these days can make the guessing time a bit out as the colour varies with the ingredients.  Sausages are never dried out. 

I also usually choose lean beef sausages so they don't ooze a lot of fat into the pan.  The pan is pretty dry at the end of the cooking process.


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## jpinmaryland

I guess my problem is that I Cant get them to cook evenly I am always trying to turn them and they wont stay in one place to get the even color. I am thinking the use of the water and a cover will help to cook evenly. Thoughts??


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## YT2095

Sub the Water for Beer and I`m with the other posters here


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## pacanis

YT2095 said:


> Sub the Water for Beer and I`m with the other posters here


 
If I recall (uh-oh).... you never need to cut yours into slices to get the "insides" to cook either.


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## QSis

This is an excellent question, and a great thread!

Sausage is a category at many New England grilling competitions, and since I've judged one or two of those contests every year, I've had a LOT of poorly grilled sausages!

Too many people cook sausages way too long, no matter what the heat source is.  And they PRICK them!  Sheesh! Dry, tough, tasteless.

Cookly sausages slowly over medium heat, until just cooked through, is the way to cook the inside to 160 while getting a nice brown on the outside.  And the sausages will not split.

Lee


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## buckytom

OMG!!!!

steaming or boiling sausages? that is exactly what will toughen them, unless you then cook them forever.

slicing and re-cooking???? another no-no. never pierce the skin, if at all possible. 

medium to low heat, timing it so the skin is brown as they're cooked through.

i was taught that you should never cover the pan as the sausages are browning because that creates steam, which will cause the casing to initially get tough. if you must, you can cover the pan with a splatter screen. and the amount of fat and juices let out from cutting or piercing is equivalent to the amount of flavor and juiciness lost.


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## Andy M.

BT:  You steam the sausages in a covered pan then take off the lid and brown them.


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## buckytom

oh no, i understand what was meant, andy, but my point was that they should not be covered at any time. if you want them cooked through, just take more time and control the heat.


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## jpinmaryland

Right, so put them in water and dont cover them and cook them through...uhh


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## SpiritWolf

BT,  I kinda know what your saying, but you can simmer snags,with or without the lid and they will turn out fine, No toughness in my snags when I do it this way.  It is my Nans and Mums Curried Sausage recipe, and this is how we do it, we put the snags in the water,bring to a boil,then turn down to a simmer straight away,let simmer until the skin on the snag comes away,turn off the heat,take snags out of water and let cool.  While they are cooling,make your curried sauce with all the vegies in it,and anything else you may want to put in there,Cook your rice,once done drain and your sauce should be ready,then I add the snags,skinned and sliced to the size you want,normally bite size,then I also add bananas,sultanas,diced apples if you want, or any other fruit, or leave it out altogether,add coconut cream if you want,just a touch though,stir to combine gently,then plate up your rice and pour your curried sauce with snags over the top, it is sooooo delish if you love curried snags that is, You may have to heat the rice up in the wave, if it is too cool, but hey, that doesn't take long, and you can adapt the recipe to your own liking.  Sausages are not at all tough or hard or dry, tender and moist as anything.  Just dont boil the heck out of it, slow and steady always wins.


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## Andy M.

BT:

The method I described is standard instructions on many sausage packages.  When I use this method, I don't have a problem with the end product.


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## YT2095

for Me it depends on the Sausage and what I want it for in a dish or recipe.
I agree with BT entirely for some sausages, there really is no better to do then, but for Others, in Beer is best I find.

if I want a sausage sammich I`ll do it BT`s way for instance, if I`m making a Creole or Hotdogs I`ll do the beer and Liquid smoke thing.

it`s a Versatile food, a bit like Potato, there`s no Right or Wrong way to cook it (well, there IS a wrong way if it`s Bratwurst and you`re Me).


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## Easton

Just wanted to update you on how my experience went.

I started out with water in the pan but then I decided to drain it and replace it with oil instead. I cooked the sausage for a good 15-20 minutes before I turned up the heat at the end for a couple of minutes. I was wondering, do you boil the water/oil before inserting the sausages?

I was much more satisfied with the result than the previous occasions I cooked sausages, but maybe a few more adjustments here and there and maybe I'll get it just right.

Thanks for your suggestions.


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## Bilby

When I use the water method, because I only use a splash, I put the water in the cold pan and then the sausages straight in. I'm not steaming them or boiling them, just providing a barrier between the metal base and the sausage until the skin starts to cook and so doesn't stick. If I was boiling or steaming sausages, such as frankfurters, I would get the water hot first and then add the sausages.


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## bigjimbray

I think the on ly way to cook sausages is just after the pancakes and before the eggs.


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## Jeekinz

I just cook them in a frying pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. I use tongs to keep turning them and lean them against eachother to keep them in place. Once you get a little color on them, turn the heat down and finish cooking. Always juicy.

Same method on the grill, just keep them from getting too hot at first so you dont burn the skin.

Or, for brats, I'll sear them in a pan, then pour in 2 beers and add a handfull of kraut. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

OR...have you ever had a smoked brat? YUM!

It's not rocket science. As long as you keep them over med to med-low heat, when the 'look' done they will be...without burning the skin.

Oh, and if I need to slice them for a certain recipe, I make sure they rest on a board for at least 10 minutes.  Always juicy and tender with no pink.


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## jpinmaryland

Bilby said:


> When I use the water method, because I only use a splash, I put the water in the cold pan and then the sausages straight in. I'm not steaming them or boiling them, just providing a barrier between the metal base and the sausage until the skin starts to cook and so doesn't stick. If I was boiling or steaming sausages, such as frankfurters, I would get the water hot first and then add the sausages.


 
This explains a lot. Thank you.


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