Recipes Meat and Poultry Sausage How to Cook Sausage 5.0 (7) 5 Reviews 4 Photos Wondering how to cook sausage? Fresh sausage is easy to cook - you can grill them, bake them in the oven, or cook them in a skillet on the stove top. We describe each method in detail so your sausages will turn out perfectly no matter which way you choose. By Julia Levy Julia Levy Julia Levy is an experienced cook with a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry. She is skilled in catering, food & beverage, event planning, and menu development. She tests and develops recipes in the DotDash Meredith Test Kitchen for Southern Living. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on January 18, 2024 Tested by Melissa Gray Tested by Melissa Gray Melissa Gray is a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith. She began working in food publishing in 2015 and joined the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens in 2019. She has developed over 1,500 original recipes and styled in over 300 photoshoots during that time. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 4 4 4 Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 4 sausages Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Learn how to cook sausage three test kitchen-approved ways: on the grill, in the oven, or in a skillet. No matter which method you use, you’ll have plump, juicy, and flavorful sausages ready in no time! Test Kitchen Tips These sausage cooking methods were perfected in our test kitchen. Here are some tips and tricks from the experts: Opt for the “reverse sear” method when cooking sausage in any way: Cooking something slowly and gently until the desired temperature is reached, then flash-browning the skin at the end. Lining your baking sheet with foil makes cleanup a breeze!Indirect heat on the grill is a great way to gently cook foods without too much heat to risk burning the outside before the inside is doneInsert the temperature probe horizontally instead of vertically. This way, you’ll be much more likely to hit the center of the meat and get a more accurate reading.It is not necessary to pierce sausages. In fact, it is not recommended, since all the juices will spill out and cause a shriveled sausage. The cheaper the sausage, the more likely this is to occur. How to Serve Cooked Sausage Need serving inspiration? Try one of these ideas: Sauté peppers and onions with tomato sauce and serve with Italian sausage on a hoagie rollServe grilled sausages with mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut, and/or relish on a bun.Throw your cooked sausage into soups. Storage and Make-Ahead Tips For the skillet method, the sausages can be steamed/poached up to two days ahead and then finished with a sear when ready to eat. Cooked sausage can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings 1 pound fresh sausage links (such as bratwurst, Italian sausage, or kielbasa) Directions Grill Prep 5 min. Cook 15 min. Total 20 min. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high (400 degrees F to 450 degrees F (200 degrees C to 230 degrees C)) on 1 side, or push hot coals to 1 side of a charcoal grill. Place sausage links on the oiled grates over the unlit side of grill. Cover and grill until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of sausage registers 150 degrees F (66 degrees C), 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through cook time. Move sausage to the lit side of grill; grill, uncovered, turning once halfway through, until browned and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of sausage registers 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), 1 to 2 minutes. Serve as desired. Oven Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Arrange sausage links in an even layer, with at least 1-inch in between each link, on prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), about 20 minutes. Serve as desired. Skillet Place sausage links in an even layer, with at least 1-inch in between each link in a medium, high-sided skillet with about 1/4-inch water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high, about 5 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Reduce heat to medium to maintain a simmer; cover and cook, undisturbed, until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of sausage registers about 130 degrees F (54 degrees C), 6 to 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, uncover and cook, turning occasionally, until water is evaporated, sausages are brown, and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of sausage registers 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), about 8 minutes. Serve as desired. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 369 Calories 31g Fat 2g Carbs 21g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 369 % Daily Value * Total Fat 31g 40% Saturated Fat 10g 50% Cholesterol 98mg 33% Sodium 923mg 40% Total Carbohydrate 2g 1% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Total Sugars 1g Protein 21g 42% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 10mg 1% Iron 1mg 8% Potassium 388mg 8% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.