How to Cook Sausages
Heat a pan on the stove., Add a little oil., Lay the sausages on the hot surface., Cook until brown on both sides., Flatten or butterfly the sausages to reduce cooking time., If needed, finish off by steaming.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Heat a pan on the stove.
Light a burner on the stove and set it to medium or medium-high heat.
Set a sturdy pan or skillet over the heat.
Let it sit for a minute or two to get hot.
When the pan is ever-so-lightly smoking or a drop of water immediately starts sizzling when it touches it, you're ready to cook. -
Step 2: Add a little oil.
Sausages are fairly fatty, so you don't need to add a lot of extra fat to the pan.
However, this fat will be trapped inside the casing at first, meaning there is a window of several minutes where the sausages can stick to the pan and burn.
A tablespoon of cooking oil (canola, etc.) spread around the pan can keep it slick until the fats inside the sausages make their way into the pan.
Use caution with olive oil.
It has a lower smoke point than many cooking, which means that it will start to smoke at lower temperatures.
This isn't dangerous, but it can set off your smoke alarm and may have a minor effect on the taste of the sausages., Carefully put the sausages in the pan one-by-one.
Leave enough space so that none of the sausages are touching.
This helps them cook evenly on all sides.
If you're cooking many sausages, this may mean that you need to cook them in batches.
If the sausage casings are connected, cut them apart before putting them on the pan. , Let the sausages cook without disturbing them at first.
After about two minutes, flip them over.
Continue turning the sausages every few minutes until they are brown on all sides.
Depending on the size of the sausages, this should take between about 10 and 15 minutes.
When the sausages are well-browned, cut into one at its mid point.
The meat should by firm and cooked all the way through.
There should be no pink remaining and any juices should run clear.
If not, continue cooking.A long set of tongs can help protect your hands from sputtering grease. , Waiting for sausages to cook all the way through can be frustrating.
Luckily, there are a few ways to cut down on the time you need to spend in front of the stove:
One way is to butterfly the sausages.
Take a sharp knife and slit the sausage down one side from end to end.
Open the sausage up (like a "butterfly") and lay the exposed filling face down on the pan.
Cook this way until well-browned.
You can also flatten the sausages to spread them thinner so that they cook faster.
To do this, press down on them with the bottom of a heavy pan or skillet before you start cooking them. , Some sausages (especially large ones) take forever to cook all the way through.
If you'd like to keep cooking your sausages but are worried about burning them, try using this technique.
You'll need a lid that fits snugly over your pan.
Cook the sausages as normal until well-browned but still raw on the inside.
Pour a half cup of water into the hot pan.
Cover the pan with a lid.
The steam from the water will get trapped underneath and start heating the sausage from all sides.
Reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook for five to ten minutes, then carefully remove the lid so as to avoid steam burns.
Cook the sausage for another few minutes to restore some of the "crispness" to the casings. -
Step 3: Lay the sausages on the hot surface.
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Step 4: Cook until brown on both sides.
-
Step 5: Flatten or butterfly the sausages to reduce cooking time.
-
Step 6: If needed
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Step 7: finish off by steaming.
Detailed Guide
Light a burner on the stove and set it to medium or medium-high heat.
Set a sturdy pan or skillet over the heat.
Let it sit for a minute or two to get hot.
When the pan is ever-so-lightly smoking or a drop of water immediately starts sizzling when it touches it, you're ready to cook.
Sausages are fairly fatty, so you don't need to add a lot of extra fat to the pan.
However, this fat will be trapped inside the casing at first, meaning there is a window of several minutes where the sausages can stick to the pan and burn.
A tablespoon of cooking oil (canola, etc.) spread around the pan can keep it slick until the fats inside the sausages make their way into the pan.
Use caution with olive oil.
It has a lower smoke point than many cooking, which means that it will start to smoke at lower temperatures.
This isn't dangerous, but it can set off your smoke alarm and may have a minor effect on the taste of the sausages., Carefully put the sausages in the pan one-by-one.
Leave enough space so that none of the sausages are touching.
This helps them cook evenly on all sides.
If you're cooking many sausages, this may mean that you need to cook them in batches.
If the sausage casings are connected, cut them apart before putting them on the pan. , Let the sausages cook without disturbing them at first.
After about two minutes, flip them over.
Continue turning the sausages every few minutes until they are brown on all sides.
Depending on the size of the sausages, this should take between about 10 and 15 minutes.
When the sausages are well-browned, cut into one at its mid point.
The meat should by firm and cooked all the way through.
There should be no pink remaining and any juices should run clear.
If not, continue cooking.A long set of tongs can help protect your hands from sputtering grease. , Waiting for sausages to cook all the way through can be frustrating.
Luckily, there are a few ways to cut down on the time you need to spend in front of the stove:
One way is to butterfly the sausages.
Take a sharp knife and slit the sausage down one side from end to end.
Open the sausage up (like a "butterfly") and lay the exposed filling face down on the pan.
Cook this way until well-browned.
You can also flatten the sausages to spread them thinner so that they cook faster.
To do this, press down on them with the bottom of a heavy pan or skillet before you start cooking them. , Some sausages (especially large ones) take forever to cook all the way through.
If you'd like to keep cooking your sausages but are worried about burning them, try using this technique.
You'll need a lid that fits snugly over your pan.
Cook the sausages as normal until well-browned but still raw on the inside.
Pour a half cup of water into the hot pan.
Cover the pan with a lid.
The steam from the water will get trapped underneath and start heating the sausage from all sides.
Reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook for five to ten minutes, then carefully remove the lid so as to avoid steam burns.
Cook the sausage for another few minutes to restore some of the "crispness" to the casings.
About the Author
Justin West
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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