Cooking sausages to perfection may not be easy. Getting a crunchy, golden crust on the outside and perfect cooking on the inside might seem too complicated a goal to achieve. Fortunately, however, there are several ways to achieve textbook cooking for a last-minute sausage dinner. Since it is not recommended to cook frozen sausages, take time to let them defrost.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Bake the Sausages in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 ° C
The ideal temperature may vary according to the type of oven. If you use a convection oven, 190 ° C is the recommended temperature. If you use a gas oven instead, start with a lower temperature (170 ° C).
Step 2. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of the pan
Add the sausages and grease them by rolling them briefly in the oil before putting them in the oven.
Line the pan with aluminum foil if you want to avoid getting it dirty
Step 3. Bake the sausages and cook them for 20-25 minutes, turning them 2-3 times
Turn them after 10 minutes to obtain a crust and an even internal cooking.
The sausages will brown more or less intensely and at different times
Step 4. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meat has reached a temperature of 71 ° C where the sausage is thickest
When you cut it with the knife, it should not be pink in the center and the juices released from the meat should be transparent.
If you are unsure whether the sausages are fully cooked, return the pan to the oven and let them cook for another 5 minutes before checking again
Method 2 of 3: Cook the Sausages on the Barbecue
Step 1. Let the gas barbecue heat up for 10-15 minutes
When it's hot enough, turn off two burners to create an indirect heat cooking area.
Step 2. Arrange the sausages on the barbecue grill
Place them in the area where the burners are off. If your barbecue has an upper and lower deck, you can avoid turning off the burners and placing the sausages on the upper deck.
If you don't have a suitable rack for cooking sausages, you can make a stand with foil. Crumple it to form a string, then fold it into an "S" shape and use it as a sausage stand
Step 3. Cook the sausages on the barbecue for 15 minutes with the lid closed
Flip the sausages when half of the expected cooking time has elapsed. In this way they will brown evenly on both sides and the temperature inside will be homogeneous.
Step 4. Use a meat thermometer to check that the temperature in the center has reached 71 ° C
Then move the sausages to the direct heat zone and let them brown on the outside for about 3 minutes. Turn them over and wait a couple of minutes so that an even crust forms on the other side as well.
- Moving the sausages to the warmer side of the barbecue to brown them on the outside is optional. If the temperature has reached 71 ° C where the sausage is thickest, the meat is ready and safe to eat.
- If the thermometer detects that the meat has not yet reached 71 ° C, replace the lid and let the sausages cook for another 5 minutes before checking again.
Method 3 of 3: Cook the Sausages on the Stove
Step 1. Place the sausages in a large pot and cover them with cold water
Heat the water over medium-high heat until it boils slowly, this will take about 6-8 minutes.
The water should simmer gently to ensure the sausages stay soft and are cooked evenly in the center as well
Step 2. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the sausages have reached a core temperature of 71 ° C
Externally they will retain a greyish color, but what matters is that inside they are no longer pink. Furthermore, the juices released from the meat must be transparent.
Step 3. Take another pan and grease the bottom with oil
Put it on the stove and heat it over high heat until the oil starts to sizzle.
Step 4. Brown the sausages in hot oil
Since they are already cooked, it will only take a few minutes. When they have reached the desired color, remove them from the pan to prevent them from drying out or being overcooked.
You can brown the sausages whole, cut in half (lengthwise or perpendicularly) or in several pieces
Advice
Read the directions on the packaging of the sausages to find out if they need to be defrosted before cooking. It may also include information on cooking
Warnings
- If the sausages contain red meat (for example beef, veal or lamb) and pork, make sure that the internal temperature is stable at 74 ° C.
- For other types of sausage, chicken or turkey based, check that the meat has reached a core temperature of 71 ° C to avoid harmful effects on health.
