When it comes to cooking sausage, there are a surprising number of ways to do it. Some are better than others, but it all really comes down to your personal preference.
I'm going to take a look at some of the most common ways to cook sausage, and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Are you wondering how to cook Beyond Sausage? This plant based sausage alternative can be cooked exactly the same way as meat based sausage, so read on!
In This Guide
What to Know About Sausage Before You Cook It
When we talk about sausage, we most often mean pork sausage. Pork sausage is made of a combination of ground pork and seasonings. Most often, a fatty ground pork is used, which is why it tastes so good!
Because of the composition of sausage, sausage tends to release a lot of grease while you cook it.
It is important to know this so you can take the proper precautions to avoid flare ups with your chosen cooking method.
Always cook your sausage to at least 160 F for pork based sausage, and 165 F for turkey, chicken, and Beyond Sausage.
Ways to Cook Sausage
Now, lets take a closer look at the different ways to cook sausage. Some of the most popular methods are:
- Grilling
- Cooking on a Griddle
- Frying
- Cooking Sausage in the Oven
We will talk about the benefits and drawbacks of each sausage cooking method, and how you can choose the best one for your tastes.
How to Grill Sausage
Grilling sausage is a great way to make it! Grilling automatically adds another dimension of flavor. It is a great way to make sausage, because the grease drips off of the sausage, instead of the sausage sitting in it.
This means the grill is very prone to flare ups while grilling sausage. In fact, they are almost unavoidable.
The good news is there are a couple of ways to get around this.
First is to make sure to grill over low heat. While there will still be some flare ups, your sausage will have a great color and flavor for being grilled.
Next is to grill them over indirect heat. This means you turn the burner off that you place the sausage over, and the others on high or medium.
There will be no flare ups here, since your sausage is not over any flame.
Cooking Sausage on a Griddle
Cooking sausage on a flat top griddle is another great way to prepare it! It is a direct heat surface that will give your sausage a great color.
This is especially good for sausage patties.
If you are cooking sausage links on a griddle, you may want to consider splitting them down the middle so that there is a nice flat side that can get crunchy.
Along with the sausage, it is easy to make peppers and onions on a griddle too for an Italian classic.
Be sure to check out our favorite electric griddles, many of which will help drain the fat away as you cook!
Cooking Sausage in a Frying Pan
Another popular way to cook sausage is in a frying pan. You don't need to add anything to the pan to get started, since the sausage will release fat as it cooks.
You may even want to drain fat while you are cooking it a few times.
The only downside to cooking sausage links in a frying pan is that it can be kind of tedious. The good thing is there is a way around this.
Make sure you use a frying pan with a lid.
Add about an inch of water, and add your sausage links to the pan. Allow them to simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes or so.
Then, increase the heat, and remove the lid. If you really want to speed things up, you can drain the water.
Otherwise, let the water evaporate, and then you can brown your sausage, which of course requires lots of turning.
You can skip some of the hard work this way though, and still have a delicious meal.
You can also add peppers and onions or other vegetables to the pan after you remove the lid.
For sausage patties, you can skip the water. They are a bit easier to cook in a pan.
Cooking Sausage in the Oven
Baking or roasting sausage is of course a great way to cook it.
It is also very low maintenance, although you may want to turn your sausage so it looks golden brown and delicious!
Simply place your sausage on a pan, (a broiler pan is a great choice because the fat drains off), place it in your preheated oven, and you are good to go.
For a detailed look on how to cook sausage in the oven, and a ton of great one pan meals be sure to check out our detailed guide on cooking Italian sausage in the oven.
How to Cook Beyond Sausage
If you are looking for that delicious sausage flavor, or want to make some classic Italian or German dishes but do not want to eat meat, Beyond Sausage is a great alternative.
The good news is that you can cook it just like you would regular sausage, so all of these methods work.
Unlike traditional meat sausage, you do not need to worry about cooking it as much. Beyond Sausage really only takes 7-10 minutes to cook, so you can focus on giving it a great color.
While the texture is so similar to meat based sausage, its composition is completely different which leads to a reduced cooking time.
It is also a little less greasy than meat based sausage, which makes it easier to grill.
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