Steam-Cooking Sausages: A Healthy, Tasty Option?

Sausages are a staple in diets around the world, and there are many ways to cook them. One of the easiest ways to cook them is to steam them. This ensures they are cooked thoroughly, as the steam provides heat all around. To steam sausages, place them in a pan with water, beer, or wine—just enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan. Then, place a lid on the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes. Sausages can also be steamed in an oven by filling a tray with water and preheating the oven to generate steam.

Steam cooking sausages ensures they are cooked thoroughly

Sausages are a staple food in many countries around the world. They are made from ground meat, such as beef, pork, or chicken, and packed into a casing made from intestine or other materials like collagen and cellulose.

Steaming sausages is one of the easiest ways to cook them thoroughly. The steam provides heat all around the sausage, ensuring that it is cooked evenly and thoroughly. Here is a step-by-step guide to steam cooking sausages:

Step 1: Prepare the Sausages

Before cooking, it is important to thaw frozen sausages properly. You can use one of two simple methods: low-temperature thawing or thawing under water. For low-temperature thawing, double-wrap the sausage pack in a plastic bag to prevent any leakage and place it in the fridge for about six hours. For thawing under water, double-wrap the sausage pack and place it in a bowl of ice water for about 40 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare the Cooking Equipment

To steam sausages, you will need a steamer pot or a frying pan with a lid. If using a steamer pot, fill the bottom with about 2 cm of water. If using a frying pan, place it on a stove burner and turn it to medium heat. Add a small amount of butter or oil to the frying pan and wait for it to start bubbling.

Step 3: Steam the Sausages

Place the sausages into the steamer pot or frying pan using tongs. If using a steamer pot, cover the pot and turn on the heat. Once the water boils, steam the sausages for about 15 minutes. If using a frying pan, cook the sausages until all sides are browned, then pour a small amount of water into the pan, just enough to cover the bottom. Place the lid on the frying pan and cook the sausages for five minutes. Then, open the lid, turn the sausages over, replace the lid, and cook for another five minutes.

Step 4: Check Doneness

Remove the lid and insert a meat thermometer into the center of one of the sausages to check if they are done. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), beef, pork, and lamb sausages must reach an internal temperature of 160°Fahrenheit, while turkey and chicken sausages must reach 165°Fahrenheit. If the sausages have not reached the desired temperature, continue cooking and checking the temperature at regular intervals to avoid overcooking.

Step 5: Serve the Sausages

Once the sausages have reached the correct internal temperature, remove them from the heat and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and ensures that they stay juicy and tender. Then, enjoy your delicious and thoroughly cooked sausages!

Steam cooking sausages is a simple and effective way to ensure even and thorough cooking. By following these steps, you can enjoy juicy and flavorful sausages while reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with undercooked meats.

You can use beer or wine instead of water when steaming sausages

Yes, you can steam cook sausages. In fact, steaming is one of the easiest ways to cook sausages, ensuring they are cooked thoroughly as the heat is distributed evenly.

You can also use beer or wine instead of water when steaming sausages. A recipe for beer-steamed sausages suggests pricking each sausage in several places with the tip of a small knife. Boil a bottle of beer in a pan fitted with a steaming rack or basket, ensuring the beer doesn't cover the rack. Place the sausages on the rack and steam them until they are firm to the touch and cooked through, which should take around 6-8 minutes.

You can also steam sausages in the oven. First, fill a tray with water and preheat the oven to around 180 °C. When the oven is full of steam, place oiled sausages on a baking sheet and put them in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Beer and wine are common replacements for water when steaming sausages, but you can also experiment with other liquids. For example, you can replace the water with broth, stock, or tomato sauce.

Sausages can be cooked in the oven

To cook sausages in the oven, preheat your oven to between 350 and 425 degrees Fahrenheit (around 180 degrees Celsius). Place your sausages on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or aluminium foil, making sure they are in a single layer and not touching. Cook for around 30 minutes, turning halfway through. The sausages are cooked when they are firm and the juices run clear, or when they reach an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your sausages are frozen, you can cook them from frozen but add an extra 15-20 minutes to the cooking time. You can also add vegetables to the baking tray to cook alongside the sausages.

Cooking sausages in the oven is a healthier option than frying or grilling, as it doesn't require any extra oil. It's also a good option if you want to cook a large batch of sausages at once, as you can cook an entire tray at the same time.

Sausages can be cooked on the stovetop

Another way to cook sausages on the stovetop is to pan-fry them. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. If the sausages are large, cut them in half lengthwise to reduce cooking time and add more flavour. Place the sausages in the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, turning them occasionally with tongs. Then, add half a cup of water and cook for another 7 to 15 minutes, covering the skillet to trap the steam. Remove the lid carefully and let the sausages rest for a few minutes before serving.

You can also steam sausages on the stovetop. Place the sausages in a pan with enough water to come about one-third of the way up their sides. Turn the heat to high and simmer the sausages without a lid, turning them halfway through. Cook for about 20 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 °F (71 °C). If you want to add some colour to the sausages, heat some oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the cooked sausages, searing them for a few minutes.

Sausages can be grilled

Grilling Sausages on a Gas Grill

If you're using a gas grill, you'll want to set it up for cooking with indirect high heat. To do this, turn on all the burners for 10-15 minutes, then clean the grates with a grill brush. After that, turn off two burners and place a foil pan under the grill grate on top of the unlit burners. Place the sausages on the grill grate over indirect heat and cook for 15 minutes with the lid closed. Then, flip the sausages and check their temperature—they should be 160°F in the middle. If they're not quite ready, cook for another five minutes. If you want to brown the sausages, move them over to direct heat and grill for about two minutes on each side.

Grilling Sausages on a Charcoal Grill

For a charcoal grill, light a chimney starter full of charcoal and wait for it to be covered with ash. Then, pour the charcoal into two equal piles on the sides of the charcoal grate and put a drip pan in between them. Place the sausages on the grill grate over indirect heat and cook with the lid closed for 15 minutes. Flip the sausages and check their temperature—they should be 160°F in the middle. If they need more time, cook for another five minutes. To brown the sausages, move them over to direct heat and grill for about two minutes on each side.

Two-Zone Grilling

Another method for grilling sausages is to use two zones of heat. First, cook the sausages over indirect heat, then transfer them to direct heat for a crispy, char-grilled finish. This method helps to prevent the casing from burning and breaking, resulting in dry and crumbly sausages. By using indirect heat, you can gently cook the sausages before giving them a charred finish over direct heat.

Steam-Then-Grill

Before grilling your sausages, you can steam them to preserve moisture and create juicier sausages. Fill a steamer pot with about 2cm of water, turn on the heat, and cover. Once the water boils, place the sausages in the steamer and steam for about 15 minutes. Then, preheat a griddle or frying pan with some oil and cook the sausages until they are browned.

Other Tips

• To prevent flare-ups from dripping fat, cook the sausages over indirect heat first, and then finish them over direct heat.
• If your grill is hot enough, you may be able to skip the browning step after cooking the sausages over indirect heat.
• To prevent the casing from splitting, handle the sausages gently and avoid cooking them over direct heat for too long.
• You can add wood smoke to your grilled sausages, especially if you're using a charcoal grill. Soak a chunk of hickory or other smoking wood in water for an hour, then drain and put it on the lit coals before adding the sausages.
• If you're grilling fully cooked sausages, such as cooked chicken sausages or hot dogs, simply place them over direct heat and grill until they are heated through or as charred as you like.

Frequently asked questions