Sausage is popular among meat-eaters for its versatility, unique flavor combinations, and heartiness. Amid warm summertime weather and spirited backyard barbecues, now is sausage's time to shine. But with so many different varieties of sausage , it can be challenging to know which cooking method offers the best results. So I took one for the team and decided to test cooking smoked sausage three ways: in the oven, on a grill, and in a pan on the stove. Here are the juicy results.
01
of 03
Cooking Sausage in the Oven
Since my smoked sausage was fully cooked as-is in the package, the purpose of cooking it is to thoroughly heat it through and add that desirable crispiness. I didn't have high hopes for this method, as it was the most hands-off.
While some meats are best left undisturbed while cooking, sausage requires a fair amount of tossing and turning to achieve consistent browning. Opening the oven every few minutes to check on the crispiness and sizzle would be counterproductive, as your oven loses 25 degrees of heat every time it's opened. This would mean a constantly fluctuating oven temperature and inconsistent cooking. I tried to let the sausage do its thing while cooking and held my breath for good results by the end.
Method
To cook sausage in the oven, here's what I did:
Results
Perhaps a higher temperature would have created a better outer crust, but I feared that too long in the oven at a high heat would dry out the entire rope of sausage. The resulting dish was moist, but was missing a few distinct qualities of this particular smoked sausage: intense smoky flavor and a crispy casing. The only thing this method is best for is easy clean-up (i.e., no oil splatters everywhere).
02
of 03
Cooking Sausage on the Grill
I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to grill sausage. I used a Weber propane grill, which put to rest my visions of getting charcoal everywhere, waiting half an hour for the coals to heat up, and attempting to properly extinguish the flames.
Method
Here's how I grilled a smoked sausage without the fuss of charcoal:
Results
Grilling the sausage definitely brought out the woodsy, smoky flavors of the smoked sausage. It was juicy, hot, and tasted like a campfire (in the best possible way). However, grilling did present a few issues, like the occasional flame flare up that caused the casing to split easily (and created inconsistent charring).
If you only own a tedious charcoal grill, don't have patience or experience with flare-ups, or don't own a grill at all, then this probably is not the right method for you. However, if you're a grill master attending a tailgate or making some delicious appetizers, then I highly recommend this method. Flavor- and texture-wise, grilled sausage aims to please.
03
of 03
Cooking Sausage in a Pan
Cooking sausage in a pan on a stovetop seemed like the most accessible method for everyday sausage meals. The sausage packaging recommended pan-frying it one of two ways—either by cutting the sausage into 1-inch medallions or cutting the rope in half for an even crisp.
Method
In order to have a fair, direct comparison to the other two methods, I pan-fried the full rope. Here's how it went:
However, I was curious to try the brand's recommended medallion method so I opened another package of rope smoked sausage and started cutting and frying.
Results
Overall, pan-frying was a low-maintenance and delicious method for cooking sausage. This is perfect for when you don't want to break out the grill but still want a moist, flavorful sausage. The smoky flavors were not as prominent as they were from the grill, however the sausage remained juicy, tender, and crispy. The mini medallions are a perfect bite-sized appetizer and would be even more delicious if served alongside a honey mustard dipping sauce.
Want more information on are sausage casings edible? Click the link below to contact us.