How to cook sausages just perfectly

Sausages are an all-time favourite, kids love them, Dads love them – Mums too because you serve them up and they disappear.

Butchers are making their mark with some fantastic flavoured beef and lamb sausages. Using both the traditional plumper style sausages and the popular thinner ones they’re coming up with flavour combos that will keep everyone happy. Tomato, herbs, garlic even chillies and cheese are used. The result? Delicious!

Cooking the perfect sausage

Sausages can be barbecued, char-grilled, grilled, pan-fried or oven roasted.

• It’s true sausages contain fat – this gives them some of their flavour and keeps them moist. If you want to remove some of the fat you can simmer or poach sausages for about 20 minutes before cooking.
• Cut the links before cooking.
• Don’t pierce them. If you prick good quality sausages you let all the moisture and flavour out.
• Simmer sausages before barbecuing them to keep them moist and to help them cook right through on the high heat of the barbecue.
• Cook sausages over moderate heat, if you cook them at too high a temperature their skins will burst.
• Turn the sausages regularly to ensure that they cook evenly and don’t burn.
• Remember sausages must always be cooked right through to the centre.

Smart cooking…less mess

One of the easiest ways to cook sausages is in the oven (it also makes less mess).

• Preheat the oven to 180^oC.
• Place a sheet of baking paper on oven tray.
• Cut the links and place the sausages over the baking paper, use a large enough oven tray so that it allows some room around each of the sausages.
• Place sausages in oven and roast for 15 minutes or until cooked.
• Shake the oven tray from time to time to turn the sausages so they brown evenly.

Kids love little sausages. Make longer beef sausages more manageable by twisting and turning the sausage in the middle to make two smaller ones. Snip in the middle with scissors, then grill, barbecue or pan-fry.

Enjoy these delicious sausage recipes

Beef sausages with honey and mustard dipping sauce





Gourmet sausage sandwich with mushrooms and onion jam





Beef sausages with pasta

Also, read more on:

• How to cook beef or lamb roast in a covered barbecue
• How to cook the perfect steak
• How to grill and char-grill 
• How to keep meat fresh and foods safe when barbecuing, picknicking and camping
• How to make the best burgers
• How to make the best kebabs and satay
• How to marinate meat 
• How to match red meat cuts with best cooking methods
• How to tell when meat is ready or 'done'
• How to barbecue