A professional cook has shared a simple trick for making the perfect sausages before they even hit the pan
Cooking sausages might seem straightforward, but they can end up dry, undercooked in the middle, or too pale if you simply fry them. Many people toss their bangers into a sizzling pan with oil, which can lead to uneven cooking and browning.
Natasha, founder of The Cherry Plum Kitchen, has explained how she achieves perfectly crispy and juicy sausages for breakfast or dinner. She shared: “My preferred method is to first poach my sausage. Set a pan of water over a high heat and bring it to a boil.”
This technique may raise eyebrows, but pre-poaching sausages ensures even cooking by using steam to seal in moisture and fat.
Frying sausages straight from the fridge can cause the casings to burst or char on one side before the centre is properly cooked, resulting in a dry and unappealing meal.
Conversely, poaching gently heats the sausages through, keeping the insides succulent and flavoursome, and preventing them from splitting, reports the Express.
The poaching process typically lasts 10 minutes and is a breeze to execute, guaranteeing that your sausages come out crispier, bursting with flavour, and evenly cooked all around.
How to make sausages taste better
One optional step is to infuse extra flavour into their sausages by adding stock, herbs, or even beer to the poaching liquid instead of plain water.
Once the water reaches a gentle simmer, carefully lower your sausages into the pan, then allow them to cook in the liquid for 10 minutes.
After this time has elapsed, remove the sausages from the water and transfer them onto kitchen paper, then dab them dry.
Complete the sausages by pan-frying them with oil to achieve colour and crispness. This should require just a minute or two.
“What you are doing now is browning the outside,” Natasha explained.
“There’s no risk of the outside being done before the inside is cooked so this method allows you to turn the heat up. I fry mine over a medium to high heat.”
The poaching technique helps lock in the juices, ensuring your sausages remain succulent, moist and packed with flavour whilst maintaining a crispy exterior.