Sausage casings are designed to keep the juicy juices inside and prevent them from leaking out. When cooked over high heat, they contract dramatically in proportion to how much pressure is applied to them.
If you’re accustomed to grilling hamburgers and steak, this might seem like an odd trick to pull off, but it works beautifully with sausage.
Preparing Your Sausage
You may be used to piercing burgers with a fork or spatula, but when it comes to sausage you’ll want to exercise caution. If you poke too many holes in the casings, steam will escape, causing the sausage to lose moisture and flavor. You also run the risk of accidentally puncturing the casing, releasing all those delicious juices that make grilling sausage so tasty.
To avoid these issues, it’s often best to pre-cook your sausage before grilling. This can be done by boiling or simmering. Some emulsified sausages, such as hot dogs or German-style weisswurst and knockwurst, come precooked, but for most sausage you’ll need to cook it until almost completely cooked before adding it to the grill.
Parboiling is one popular way to do this. Drop your sausages into a pot of boiling water until the skin tightens, then allow them to cool down before placing them on the grill to finish cooking. This method keeps your sausages juicy and is a great alternative to roasting or baking.
Another option is to use zone grilling to first cook your sausages with gentle, consistent indirect heat and then finish them over strong direct heat for a perfect, charred crust. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to monitor your sausages’ internal temperature, as this is the only surefire way to ensure they are cooked all the way through.
Getting Started on the Grill
Achieving mouthwatering sausage on the grill is not difficult, but it does require a bit of advance preparation. You will need a pair of long-handled grill tongs, a grill lighter (if using charcoal), and insulated grill gloves for added protection from the heat. Set your gas or charcoal grill to medium heat.
If you place your sausage directly on the grill, you risk burning the casing & overcooking the meat before the inside is cooked. This can cause the sausage to break & crumble, resulting in dry & flavorless sausage.
Another issue is that the high temperatures of direct grilling can cause the sausage skin & outer layers to contract much more than the sausage meat itself. This can result in a sausage that has large, ragged holes in its casing.
Instead of placing your sausages directly on the grill, try boiling them first. By simmering them in boiling water, you will be able to easily check for when they are fully cooked & avoid overcooking the outside while waiting for the inside to cook through. This method can also be a lifesaver in case your grill is out of commission or you are cooking for a crowd. Just make sure to keep the water temperature low, as a boil may rupture the sausage casings. If you have to, use a long-handled spatula or grilling fork to gently flip the sausages without breaking through the casings.
Maintaining a Consistent Temperature
Unlike a steak or a hamburger, sausage has a delicate casing that should be handled with care. If you put the sausage on a hot pan and then move it around, the casing can tear. This can lead to a loss of fat and juices, leaving you with dry, flavorless meat. You can avoid this problem by using a spatula or even your fingers to gently lift the sausages onto a plate when they are done cooking.
Another thing that you will need to be careful about when grilling sausage is allowing the heat to get too high. Sausages contract in proportion to how hot they are, so if you cook them at too high of a temperature the outer layers and casing will become very tight while the inside remains mostly raw.
You can avoid this by cooking your sausages over a moderate temperature. A good way to tell if they are ready is by inserting a probe thermometer into the center of the sausage. You should be able to get a reading within a few seconds. When the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, you should remove the sausages from the grill. It is also a good idea to let the sausages rest in a warm spot for 10 minutes, as this will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the cooked meat.
Flipping Sausage
In addition to burning and rupturing the casing, the high heat of direct grilling can also cause your sausages to overcook on the inside. This can result in a dry, unsatisfactory end product that lacks flavor and snap.
Poaching and indirect grilling are two methods that can help prevent this. By first putting your sausages in boiling water, they are fully cooked on the inside without being exposed to the intense heat of the grill. This allows the outside to crisp up and develop delicious char while ensuring the meat is thoroughly cooked and ready to be enjoyed.
Once your sausages have reached their target internal temperature, remove them from the grill and let them rest. This gives the proteins a chance to redistribute and absorb all of the juices, leading to a more flavorful and moist end product.
During the flipping process, it’s important to be careful not to break through your sausage’s casing. To do this, try to use a pair of tongs so that you can carefully grasp and turn your sausage over without ripping or breaking through the skin. If this isn’t an option, you can also use a spatula or grilling fork to transfer your sausages and avoid disturbing their delicate casings. Once your sausages are rested, you can finish them with a little bit of direct grilling to add some color and give them that nice crispy char.
