Sizzling Sausage Hot Pot: A Hearty Comfort Food

Sausage hot pot is a delicious, hearty meal that's perfect for warming up on a cold day. It's also a budget-friendly dish that's simple to make and can be adapted to suit your taste. The basic recipe includes sausages, vegetables, and a potato topping, baked in the oven. You can use any type of sausage, from plain pork to flavoured options like caramelised onion and Angus beef, chicken, feta, and spinach, or lamb, rosemary, and feta.

For the vegetables, you can use onions, garlic, carrots, red peppers, and mushrooms. Some recipes also include baked beans, butter beans, or cannellini beans. The sauce typically consists of chicken or beef stock, tomato puree or passata, and herbs like oregano, thyme, and smoked paprika. The potato topping can be thinly sliced white potatoes, brushed with olive oil or butter, and baked until tender and crispy.

Sausage hot pot is a one-pot meal that's easy to prepare and perfect for busy weeknights. It's a family-friendly dish that can be adapted to suit different tastes and dietary preferences. You can also add side dishes like roasted vegetables, cheesy leeks, or crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Choosing and preparing sausages

Choosing the right type of sausages is key to making a delicious sausage hot pot. You can use any type of sausage you like, but it's best to opt for those with a high meat content and lower fat, as these will have better flavour and texture. Some good options include Lincolnshire, Cumberland, or caramelised onion and Angus beef sausages. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even try chicken, lamb, rosemary, or feta sausages.

When it comes to preparing the sausages, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, it's a good idea to prick the sausages with a sharp knife a few times before cooking. This will help release some of the fat and prevent the skin from bursting as the sausages cook. You can choose to brown the sausages first, which will give them a nice colour and flavour. To do this, heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the sausages for 3-4 minutes until browned. Then, set them aside to cool before slicing them thinly.

If you're short on time or don't want to bother with browning, you can simply slice the sausages and add them directly to the hot pot. Just make sure they are cooked through before serving.

In terms of quantity, a good rule of thumb is to allow for 2-3 sausages per person, depending on their size and how hungry your guests are!

Preparing vegetables

Preparing the vegetables for a sausage hot pot is simple and you can adapt the ingredients to suit your taste.

First, peel and slice the onions and carrots. You can also add some crushed garlic. Chop the onions into small pieces. If you have kids who aren't keen on finding chunks of onion in their food, the smaller the pieces, the more they will break down when cooking.

Next, prepare the potatoes. Peel and slice the potatoes as thinly as you can. You want them to be almost see-through to ensure they cook through. You can use a food processor, mandolin, or cut them by hand.

Then, prepare any other vegetables you want to add. You can use red peppers, mushrooms, leeks, or even tinned vegetables like sweetcorn or baked beans. Chop the red peppers and mushrooms into chunks, and quarter the leeks lengthways.

Finally, heat some oil in a pan and add the vegetables. Cook on a medium heat for a few minutes until they start to soften. You can then add stock, herbs, and spices, and stir everything together.

Making the sauce

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

First, peel and chop the onions and garlic. Then, peel and slice or chop the carrots. If you are using red peppers, deseed and cut them into chunks. Wipe the mushrooms with a paper towel or soft brush instead of washing them, as they will absorb water, which can make the sauce runny.

Step 2: Prepare the Meat

Prick the sausages a few times with a sharp knife to avoid the skin splitting during cooking. Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the sausages for about 10 minutes, turning them regularly. Transfer the sausages to a plate and set aside.

Step 3: Cook the Vegetables

Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and red peppers to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. If using mushrooms, add them now.

Step 4: Add Spices and Stock

Add your choice of spices, such as smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir these into the vegetables. Then, pour in the stock. If using tomato puree or passata, add it now. Return the browned sausages to the pan.

Step 5: Simmer

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.

Step 6: Prepare the Potatoes

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. You want them to be almost see-through, ensuring they cook through during baking.

Step 7: Assemble and Bake

Layer the sliced potatoes over the sausage mixture. Brush the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Bake in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan/Gas 4/350°F) for 40-50 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and golden brown.

Tips:

• If you prefer a thicker sauce, add a tablespoon of flour to the vegetables before adding the stock.
• For a slow cooker version, cook on low for 6-8 hours.
• For a spicy kick, add a chopped red chilli with the onions.
• For a sausage and bean hotpot, add a tin of butter beans, cannellini beans, or baked beans.

Cooking methods

There are several ways to cook a sausage hot pot, depending on your preference and the equipment you have available. You can use a frying pan, a slow cooker, or an oven-proof dish.

Frying Pan Method:

• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Add sausages and cook until browned, then set aside.
• In the same pan, add onions, garlic, carrots, and any other vegetables you like. Cook until softened.
• Add flour, spices, and herbs to the vegetables and stir to combine.
• Pour in stock, tomato puree/passata, and return the sausages to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• If using potatoes, arrange thinly sliced potatoes on top of the sausage mixture. Brush the potatoes with olive oil.
• Bake in the oven at 180°C for 45-50 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through.

Slow Cooker Method:

• Cut sausages into quarters and add to the slow cooker.
• Add vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and peas.
• Combine soups, sauce, and pour over the sausages and vegetables.
• Gently mix and cook on high for 2 hours, then on low for 4 hours, or cook on low for 7-8 hours if you prefer a longer cooking time.

Oven-Proof Dish Method:

• Heat oil in an oven-proof dish over medium heat.
• Add sausages and cook until browned, then set aside.
• In the same dish, add onions and cook until softened.
• Add carrots, stock, baked beans, herbs, and spices. Return the sausages to the dish.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens.
• Layer sliced potatoes over the sausage mixture and dot with butter.
• Bake in the oven at 180°C for 40-50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and golden brown.

Serving suggestions

Sausage hot pot is a versatile dish that can be served with a variety of sides. Here are some suggestions:

Vegetables

Sausage hot pot is often served with vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, leeks, asparagus, and pan-fried Brussels sprouts. You could also add extra vegetables to the dish itself, such as grated zucchini, beans, or spinach.

Bread

Bread is a great side to mop up the sauce from the sausage hot pot. Try crusty bread, garlic bread, or even a garlic baguette. For an indulgent side, serve with cheesy leeks or cheesy duchess potatoes.

Potato

As the dish already contains potatoes, you may wish to serve extra potatoes on the side. Mashed potatoes, chips, or even potato wedges would all work well.

Other Sides

Other sides that would complement sausage hot pot include frozen vegetables, such as peas and corn, corn cobs baked in foil, or even a simple side salad.

Frequently asked questions