My new way of cooking link breakfast sausage

[spidey07]

Who doesn't love breakfast sausage links with some yummy egg yolk to sop them up in? They've been difficult for me to get them absolutely perfect = nice browning on the casing without busting it but still have a snap, yet super moist and delicious on the inside. Cooking on the stove skillet, even on medium low heat gives burnt/cracked casing, no longer exploding with juice before they are done.

I've tried putting them in bit of water, like a 1/4 inch in a skillet covered to start and that works well (a mini-poach), once the water dries up they are mostly steamed and you're just browning the the casings. So that would be my second choice. But you have to watch constantly and move the pan.

But now I've reached perfection. Start them in the oven at 375 for about 14 minutes, to the point they are close to being done but are still soft to a finger/squeeze test, they're around medium rare at this point. You'll have to move/shake them once or twice to not burn on one side. Then toss into heated cast iron skillet with some bacon grease on below medium heat, enough heat that they sizzle but not violently. Move them constantly to get good browning of the casing, doesn't bust it.

Browning them in the pan like this when mostly done from the oven produces incredible results. They're only in the pan maybe 2-3 minutes, but again constantly moving them to keep from busting casings. Even better, the pan is at a good temp for eggs when you take the sausage out.

I try to get Johnsonville breakfast sausage links, they rock. Get them on sale 2 for 4 dollars.

[zanejohnson]

i fucking LOVE those little sausages, i'll be using this, thank you sir.

[DnetMHZ]

Thats too much effort. Frozen precooked links + 1 minute in microwave.

[xSauronx]

Originally Posted by DnetMHZ

Thats too much effort. Frozen precooked links + 1 minute in microwave.

microwaved sausage from the freezer, huh? impressive...really impressive

[DnetMHZ]

Originally Posted by xSauronx

microwaved sausage from the freezer, huh? impressive...really impressive

We get these http://www.jonesdairyfarm.com/All-Na...z-P258C12.aspx they are actually very good. All natural as well.

[spidey07]

Originally Posted by DnetMHZ

Thats too much effort. Frozen precooked links + 1 minute in microwave.

Note even close to the same, a whole nutter world of not the same.

We cook up a pack for Sunday Breakfast, and have plenty left to munch on during the week. Cooking GOOD cased sausage whatever kind, takes skill and practice, there is something to be said about perfection, I think I have achieved it doing this.

[spidey07]

Originally Posted by DnetMHZ

We get these http://www.jonesdairyfarm.com/All-Na...z-P258C12.aspx they are actually very good. All natural as well.

If you like rubber and no flavor, no snappy casing, then sure.

[DnetMHZ]

Originally Posted by spidey07

If you like rubber and no flavor, no snappy casing, then sure.

I don't care for the snap myself. Not on hotdogs either.

[silverpig]

Standard way of cooking most meats is to brown first in a skillet and then transfer to the oven after.

Try the bacon grease skillet first, then transfer to the oven. You can add a little herbed butter to the pan as it goes into the oven to up the awesomeness. Try it and report back.

[DnetMHZ]

Originally Posted by spidey07

Note even close to the same, a whole nutter world of not the same.

We cook up a pack for Sunday Breakfast, and have plenty left to munch on during the week. Cooking GOOD cased sausage whatever kind, takes skill and practice, there is something to be said about perfection, I think I have achieved it doing this.

I agree on the perfection thing, just sometimes my toddler wants to eat NOW!

[OutHouse]

i actually like bacon cooked in the oven more than pan fried.

375 for 25 min normally creates the perfect crunchy tasty bacon strips.

PS I make my own country sausage, so much leaner and tastier. I need a real meat grinder though, my wifes kitchen aid mixer screams for mercy and its a 1000 watt one. i buy the pork butt from costco and 15 pounds of pork butt make a shit load of links.

i have not got into the hanging sausage yet, the fear of doing it wrong and getting botulism keeps me from going down that road. i would love to try it but i would feel better if somebody with lots of experience held my hand.

www.sausagemaker.com << my fav website.

[zanejohnson]

i def don't want my hot dogs to snap, that's for sure..

seriously, i hate snappy dogs.

[spidey07]

Originally Posted by silverpig

Standard way of cooking most meats is to brown first in a skillet and then transfer to the oven after.

Try the bacon grease skillet first, then transfer to the oven. You can add a little herbed butter to the pan as it goes into the oven to up the awesomeness. Try it and report back.

Done it, works much better this way because of their small size. For larger things you brown and finish cooking the inside in the oven. Since these are so small, cooking them in the oven and then browning works best because of the casing.

[Kaido]

I wish they sold bacon grease in a bottle

[spidey07]

Originally Posted by OutHouse

i actually like bacon cooked in the oven more than pan fried.

375 for 25 min normally creates the perfect crunchy tasty bacon strips.

PS I make my own country sausage, so much leaner and tastier. I need a real meat grinder though, my wifes kitchen aid mixer screams for mercy and its a 1000 watt one. i buy the pork butt from costco and 15 pounds of pork butt make a shit load of links.

i have not got into the hanging sausage yet, the fear of doing it wrong and getting botulism keeps me from going down that road. i would love to try it but i would feel better if somebody with lots of experience held my hand.

www.sausagemaker.com << my fav website.

Yeah, I've wanted to make my own sausage for a while now after learning what REAL german bratwurst is...has veal.

[spidey07]

Originally Posted by Kaido

I wish they sold bacon grease in a bottle

You don't have a jar of it sitting on your counter at all times? For shame. Right next to the olive oil, salt and pepper, is a big jar of bacon grease.

[zinfamous]

Originally Posted by DnetMHZ

Thats too much effort. Frozen precooked links + 1 minute in microwave.

those are the most disgusting form of "food" that I can ever imagine. I remember being subjected to them once. Hotel "breakfast sausages"

absolutely vile. They are bad, and you should feel bad.

[zinfamous]

Originally Posted by spidey07

You don't have a jar of it sitting on your counter at all times? For shame. Right next to the olive oil, salt and pepper, is a big jar of bacon grease.

I keep mine next to the bed...

[zinfamous]

Originally Posted by silverpig

Standard way of cooking most meats is to brown first in a skillet and then transfer to the oven after.

IIRC, America's Test Kitchen performed a test on this, and found that there is no convincing evidence that the "sear to trap moisture" method has any more validity than starting low and finishing hot.

[spidey07]

Originally Posted by zinfamous

I keep mine next to the bed...

I shit you not, we went to the bacon grease container Sunday only to find there was only a few tablespoons left. Food emergency would be an understatement and my wife bought a 8 pounds of bacon for us to cook and eat this week.

[mmntech]

Originally Posted by OutHouse

i actually like bacon cooked in the oven more than pan fried.

375 for 25 min normally creates the perfect crunchy tasty bacon strips.

Same. I'm much more of a bacon fan and I'll usually cook in on the BBQ or in the microwave. Less greasy that way. I find pan fried too greasy.

That's probably the same reason I'm not a fan of breakfast sausage. It's like eating a hunk of lard with about the same taste. If I do cook em, it's also on the BBQ to cut the fat down.

[sjwaste]

Originally Posted by mmntech

Same. I'm much more of a bacon fan and I'll usually cook in on the BBQ or in the microwave. Less greasy that way. I find pan fried too greasy.

That's probably the same reason I'm not a fan of breakfast sausage. It's like eating a hunk of lard with about the same taste. If I do cook em, it's also on the BBQ to cut the fat down.

Make your own. Coarsely ground pork shoulder with some fat back thrown into the grind (if you want). Season the ground mix with sage, allspice, salt, pepper. That's a basic breakfast sausage. No need to stuff it into casings. Use a scoop to make uniform patties, flatten, layer in waxed paper, put into a bag and freeze.

[spidey07]

Not the same. I want that snap and super moist inside. Like a mini bratwurst.

[HeXen]

If you love to cook, sounds great. I don't. I just nuke a frozen breakfast and be done with it. Seems some people who have to be satisfied with how their meal tastes..etc all the time are also overweight.

[spidey07]

Originally Posted by HeXen

If you love to cook, sounds great. I don't. I just nuke a frozen breakfast and be done with it. Seems some people who have to be satisfied with how their meal tastes..etc all the time are also overweight.

Meh, I enjoy the finer things in life. Good eats are part of that. But when it comes to our weekend dinners and sunday breakfast, we are going to have seriously eye-ball rolling into the back of your head good eats.

Find you a wife that loves to cook, you'll get on board.