How to Cook Sausage-Cooking Sausage to Juicy Perfection Every Time
Whatever method you choose, all sausages must be cooked to an internal temperature of 175 degrees.
| Sausage Type | Example | Typical Cooking Methods | Pros/Cons | Recommendation |
| Encased | Encased links, a finger-length long or shorter; like Lil’ Smokies | 1.Microwave
2.Bake 3.Brown in pan |
1. Fast/dries out, no color.
2. Good color/ cook too fast. 3. Must keep an eye on/good color. |
Brown in pan; will get color and flavor w/o firing up oven. |
| Encased (medium) | Encased 1/5 to ¼ pound lengths; like the Italian sausages from your butcher or grocer | 1.Grill
2.Braise 3.Deep Fry |
1.Excellent flavor/may splatter.
2.Easy/may lose flavor. 3.Great texture/dangerous. |
Grill. Best flavor without messiness of frying. |
| Encased(large) | 2+ inches in diameter; like salami or bologna | 1.Hot Smoke
2.Bake |
1.Good flavor/difficult.
2.Simple/must be watched. |
Bake if you’re a beginner. If you’re comfortable with smoking, go with either. |
| Uncased (bulk) | No skin, packaged loose and ready for cooking or shaping; like the 1 lb. tubes of Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans | 1. Bake (ex. in a meatloaf)
2. Brown in pan |
N/A
N/A |
Either, depending on the recipe. |
| Uncased (links) | No skin, pre-shaped into links; like some pre-cooked breakfast sausages | Microwave
Bake Brown in pan |
No color/dries out.
Cook too fast/good color. Must keep an eye on/good color. |
Brown in pan; will get color and flavor w/o firing up oven. |
| Uncased (patties) | No skin, pre- shaped into patties: like some pre-cooked breakfast sausages | Microwave
Bake Brown in pan |
No color/dries out.
Cook too fast/good color. Must keep an eye on/good color. |
Brown in pan; will get color and flavor w/o firing up oven. |
Description of Cooking Methods
Bake-
No messy sausage-splatter clean-up!
Baking encased sausage is not recommended. There are better ways to cook it. If you must have baked sausage or if this is the only cooking method available to you, follow these instructions. Split sausages in half lengthwise (this is easier if sausages are partially frozen), pierce each half twice, and cook on each side in a pan until browned. For Italian, place sausages cut side up in a ceramic dish and cover with your favorite marinara sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 20 min or until cheese is golden brown and sausage is cooked. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and with salad and breadsticks. Other sausages may be topped with onions, par-cooked potatoes, or most anything else before going to the oven.
Braise-
Even heat distribution for the best braise
Braising is the workhorse of sausage cooking method. Most sausage is cooked by braising or some variation thereof. You get good color and flavor without too much mess or an impossibly long cooking time. Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet to Dutch oven with olive oil and sear sausages for 2 minutes on each side. Add 1 sliced onion and one bulb of fennel sliced 1 bay leave. Deglaze pan with ½ cup red wine and ½ cup chicken broth. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until sausages are cooked through.
Brown in pan-
Department-store cookware; thrift-store prices!
This method will likely need to be combined with another cooking method to ensure doneness. Saute sausages in a pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side and proceed to another method to cook through.
A REAL deep fryer, because you deserve one! 
At last, a cooking method for the adventurous. If you’ve got a deep enough vessel, enough oil, and clearance from your doctor, deep frying is a great way to go. You will need a deep fryer, dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed stock pot and anywhere from one quart to one gallon’s worth of a light oil such as peanut, canola or vegetable. The amount of oil will depend on the size of your vessel. There should be enough oil to cover the sausages by two inches at least. Prick sausages once or twice (important). Make sure your sausages are at room temperature and gently lower them into the hot oil. Things could get messy. Use a splatter shield and maintain a safe distance from the pot. If you don’t have a splatter shield, hold a pan lid between yourself and the pot and hope for the best. Jostle the sausages around occasionally with a long-handled spoon to ensure even frying. It should take 5 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. ALLOW THEM TO REST AT LEAST 3 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING! Or you may end up with an eyeful of hot fat/juice. Frying is serious business; be careful..
Grill-
Did you know Jack Daniel’s makes charcoal? GET THAT and other bbq gear here!
This has to be my favorite application for sausage. It’s perfect for brats or Italian. Throw one pound (4-5) sausage links into a cold pot and add 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp chicken bouillon granules (or 1 cube), 1 cup of your favorite beer or wine and enough water to cover. Turn the heat to medium-high, then cut it off as soon as the liquid starts to simmer. This process renders off some of the fat to avoid splatters during grilling, and cuts down on cooking time. However, be sure not to let it simmer more than a few seconds, otherwise all that great sausage flavor end up in the water and you’ll be left with something very bland.
Grill the parboiled sausages first over high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side. You can baste the sausages with the simmering liquid as they grill (be careful to avoid flare-ups if you used alcohol) then over medium to medium high heat until cooked through. Place in steamed or grilled buns and top with your favorite hot dog fixins’!
Hot Smoke-
This guy can explain smoking better than I can. He’ll teach you to smoke bacon, fish,…even whole hams!
Microwave-
Place sausages in a shallow, microwave-safe dish. Add enough water to barely cover the bottom. Place sausages in a single layer and prick each of them three times with a fork to prevent explosions. Cover the dish with a sheet of plastic wrap. Puncture the plastic with a knife or fork to create air vents. Microwave on high for 5 to 10 minutes (refer to your owner’s manual for exact cooking times). Allow to cool at least 2 minutes before serving.