Sausages are tastier, crispier and juicier if you stop frying them – do this instead
A food expert has shared a simple alternative that makes sausages come out brown, crisp and juicy every time.
Sausages are one of the UK’s favourite foods, and it’s hard to picture a full English breakfast without them. They’re also a regular part of easy weeknight dinners such as bangers and mash or hot dogs. But cooking them in a frying pan often causes problems.
Many people find it difficult to get sausages cooked evenly. The outside can burn before the inside is fully done, and the fat splatters across the kitchen. It also takes constant attention to stop them sticking or rolling around the pan. Because of this, home cooks have been looking for a method that is cleaner, quicker and more reliable.
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Luckily for them, one food expert has shared a simple alternative that makes sausages come out brown, crisp and juicy every time.
The method comes from Christine Pittman, a professional cook with more than 30 years’ experience and the creator of the Cook the Story food blog.
Her advice is to cook sausages in an air fryer instead of frying them in a pan.
Christine says the air fryer cooks sausages evenly on all sides without needing to flip them.
She sets the temperature to 200C (400F) so they brown properly. Thinner breakfast sausages usually take 8-10 minutes, while thicker sausages such as Italian or bratwurst take 9-12 minutes.
She explains that one optional step is to poke the sausages a few times with a knife before cooking.
This helps stop them bursting and allows some fat to escape, although some people prefer not to do this to keep more moisture inside. Christine says both options work well.
One of the main advantages of using an air fryer, she says, is that the fat drains away instead of collecting in the pan.
Most air fryers have a rack or basket, so excess grease drips down into the tray below, leaving the sausages less oily and helping them brown more evenly.
The method also works for frozen sausages. Thicker frozen sausages will take around 12-18 minutes at 200C, while frozen breakfast sausages take 12-15 minutes.
Christine recommends flipping them halfway through if they are stuck together so they cook evenly.
She adds that sausages are done when they are no longer pink inside and reach the correct internal temperature.
According to the USDA, that is 71C for pork, lamb or veal sausages and 74C for sausages made from turkey or chicken.
Christine says she uses this method for almost every type, from Italian sausages to bratwurst and even fully cooked sausages such as kielbasa.
For more air fryer tips and recipes, click here.
