How to Cook Sausage

Learning how to cook sausage incorporates many different types of dishes. We typically think of sausage as a breakfast food. First, plain bulk pork sausage and plain pork sausage links are both so versatile when cooking. Just by adding even a small amount to recipes along with or without other meats, great flavor is added. Besides all the wonderful ways of serving sausage for breakfast like sausage gravy and biscuits, I have to have sausage on my pizzas.


Have you ever noticed how many different kinds of sausage and sausage links are available in the grocery stores? It is so much more than the basic bulk pork sausage. I use more of this than any other one type but I do love the flavors of most of the different sausages. Even the basic pork sausage is different depending on what spices have been added. Pork sausage is probably the most common but it is also made beef, lamb and turkey has become very popular. Many hunters love to make sausage out of a variety of wild game.


If you are learning how to cook sausage you will want to experiment cooking with all kinds of sausage. Chorizo sausages are popular throughout Central and South America. They are made with pork and stuffed into natural casings. I love the spicy flavor of these sausages and you will find many ways to serve them. I also enjoy the great flavors of the many Italian sausages. For years my whole family has eaten and cooked with the wonderfully flavored Polish sausages. Probably the greatest numbers (types) of sausages come out of Germany like the bratwurst and braunsheweiger. I have found each with different flavors but very delicious. 


So many of all these recipes from all over the world are readily available in our better supermarkets. Besides these, we have so many of our own sausage types. Summer sausage is very popular because it requires no refrigeration. It is dried or smoked and makes a great snack at home, on camping trips or when traveling. Pepperoni is a necessity when making pizza for most Americans. There are some names like bologna and goetta which I never considered to be “sausage” and much less American. 


As much as we all learned how to cook sausage, none of us ever called bologna and goetta “sausage”. We had a roll of bologna in our refrigerator most years of my life. We only called it “German bologna” and we considered it to be a specialty meat or “lunch meat”. Many times when Mom and Dad were still living, I would stop and buy them a ten pound roll which they loved. Sister Lillian lived in Cincinnati and made goetta all the time. It is a meat and grain loaf and very flavorful but different from the sausage I have eaten. It is very popular in Cincinnati and I always thought the recipe was 

German since Cincinnati has a strong German influence. 

I never thought about learning how to cook sausage in any recipes besides breakfast and there are many sausage breakfast recipes.  When I thought about cooking sausage I realized that I was already using sausage in all kinds of my recipes. I always use some type of sausage as a topping when I make pizza, in calzones and other Italian recipes. Sausage makes a great combination added to pasta, rice, grits, hominy and potatoes. The flavor increases when adding sausage to soups, casseroles and tossed in different salad recipes. What about the sausage cake? Have you ever tried it?

HOW TO COOK SAUSAGE BURGERS

How to Cook Sausage BurgersHow to Cook Sausage Burgers

Learn how to cook sausage making a great sandwich.

  • 1 ½ Pounds pork bulk sausage
  • ¾ Cup tomato juice
  • 2/3 Cup rolled oats (Not cooked)
  • 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 Teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • Sliced tomatoes
  • 6 Toasted buns
  • OPTIONAL: Wasabi mayonnaise sauce (recipe below) 

Combine sausage, juice and oats; blend well.

Shape mixture into 6 patties; heat oil in large skillet.

Brown patties on both sides turning one time.

Add the water; cover and cook 5 minutes or until done.

Place patties on buns; top with tomato slices.

WASABI MAYONNAISE SAUCE: Combine 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise with two teaspoons of wasabi paste; blend well. 

Wasabi Mayonnaise SauceWasabi Mayonnaise Sauce

GRILLED ITALIAN SAUSAGE KABOBS

Grilled Italian Sausage KabobsGrilled Italian Sausage Kabobs

Learn how to cook sausage on the grill.

  • ¼ Cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • ¾ Cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon steak sauce
  • Salt/ pepper to taste
  • Water
  • 8 Italian sausage links (3 to 4 ounces each; 5 to 6 inches each)
  • 1 Pound small white onions (or chunks)
  • 8 Medium fresh mushrooms caps
  • 8 Cherry tomatoes
  • 8 Skewers

Melt butter in a small saucepan.

Add chopped onion and sauté until tender.

Stir in the red wine vinegar, honey, steak sauce.

Season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

REDUCE HEAT; simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Bring a pot of water to a boil in a large saucepan; add sausages.

REDUCE HEAT; cover and simmer 10 minutes; drain.

Drain sausages and cut crosswise each into 3 pieces; set aside.

Cook small onions in boiling water about 3 minutes; drain.

Thread the sausage pieces, onions and mushroom caps onto skewers.

Place over hot grill about 12 minutes brushing with sauce and turning often.

Garnish ends with cherry tomatoes.

Heat remaining sauce to a simmer and serve with kabobs.

Serves 8.

MEAT LOAF PATE RECIPE

Learn how to cook sausage to make this flavorful pate.

Filling

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons minced onion
  • 8 Coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms
  • 1 ½ Pounds ground beef
  • ½ Pound ground pork
  • ½ Pound bulk pork sausage
  • 1 ½ Cups fresh bread crumbs
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Teaspoons salt
  • ½ Teaspoon sage
  • 1 Teaspoon savory
  • ½ Teaspoon thyme
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ Teaspoon cumin
  • ½ Teaspoon black pepper

Phyllo Crust

  • 10 Sheets phyllo dough
  • ½ Cup melted butter
  • ¾ Cup fresh bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350f degrees.

FOR FILLING place oil, onion and mushrooms in skillet.

Sautee over medium until softened; set aside.

Combine and mix beef, pork, sausage and breadcrumbs.

Add eggs and remaining filling ingredients; mix and mash until very smooth.

Mound mixture in a round cake pan (8 Inches); bake 1 hour.

Drain off as much fat as possible; cool.

Remove any more fat if possible; leave in the pan.

INCREASE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 375F degrees.

FOR CRUST place one sheet of phyllo dough on buttered baking sheet.

NOTE: Place the corner of phyllo sheet toward you. (I often use a round pizza pan)

Brush melted butter over sheet; dust with bread crumbs.

Place another phyllo sheet overlapping the first to shape a pin wheel.

Repeat sheet 2 with melted butter and bread crumbs.

Continue layering remaining phyllo sheets to form a pin wheel.

Repeat each sheet with melted butter and breadcrumbs.

Carefully lift meat loaf from pan; place in center of phyllo pin wheel.

Carefully pull up the phyllo ends forming a flower design on top

Brush ends and surface with melted butter.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes until crust is golden; cool and slice.

Serves 8 to 10.

PORK CHOPS AND SAUSAGES

Learn how to cook sausage adding more flavor to pork chops.

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 4 Pork chops
  • 4 Small pork sausage links
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • 1 Sprig fresh sage
  • 1 Large ripe tomato (peel, seed, chop)
  • Salt to taste

Melt butter in large skillet over medium; add sage to skillet.

Coat pork chops with flour; brown in skillet on both sides.

Scatter tomato on top of chops; season with salt.

Cover pan; REDUCE HEAT and cook slowly 30 minutes.

Add the sausages to the skillet; cook 15 minutes or until done.

Serves 4 (1 pork chop with 1 sausage).

MINI MEAT LOAVES RECIPE

  • 2 Pounds ground beef
  • 1 Pound pork sausage
  • 1 Medium finely chopped onion
  • 4 Beaten eggs
  • 1 Can chicken rice soup (Not diluted)
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons poultry seasoning
  • 4 Cups cornflake crumbs (Divided)
  • 1 Can mushroom soup (Not diluted)

Preheat oven to 325F degrees; lightly grease 9X13 inch pan.

Combine beef and sausage in a large mixing bowl.

Add the onion, eggs, soup, salt, seasoning and 2 CUPS of the crumbs.

Mix thoroughly; shape into 18 rolls (1/3 cup each; 4 inches long; 1 ½ inches thick).

Cover rolls with remaining cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan slightly separated.

Spread mushroom soup over the rolls; bake for 1 hour until browned.

APPLE BEAN BAKE RECIPE

  • 1 Pound bulk pork sausage
  • 1 Can (20 Ounces) molasses baked beans
  • ½ Can (10 ¾ Ounces size) condensed tomato soup (Not diluted)
  • ¼ Teaspoon pepper
  • 1 Large apple (Sliced thinly)
  • ¼ Cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 450F degrees.

Brown the sausage and drain off the fat; stir in beans, soup and pepper.

Pour into ungreased 1 ½ quart casserole; arrange apples on top.

Sprinkle top with brown sugar; bake uncovered 25 minutes.

Let stand 5 to 10 minutes; serves 6.

TURKEY SAUSAGE AND POTATO SAUTE RECIPE

Learn how to cook sausage using Italian turkey sausage.

  • 3 Medium red potatoes (Cut into quarters)
  • 1 Pound green beans (Trim stems)
  • 2 Large onions (Slice thinly)
  • 1 Pound Italian turkey sausage
  • ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Medium tomatoes (Cut in wedges)
  • Salt/ pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (Divided)
  • ¼ Cup water

In a large saucepan cover potatoes with hot water; bring to a boil.

REDUCE HEAT to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir the green beans into the pot; INCREASE HEAT and bring to boil.

REDUCE HEAT to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes longer.

Drain vegetables and set aside; remove pot and discard liquid.

Place 1 TABLESPOON oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Add sausages and cook until browned; add sliced onions.

Cook until onions are browned; stir in water.

REDUCE HEAT to low, cover and cook until sausages are done.

Remove sausage mixture to a bowl; add 1 TABLESPOON oil to skillet.

Add potatoes and green beans to the skillet; season with salt and pepper.

Cook until potatoes are golden brown stirring frequently.

Return sausage onion mixture to the skillet; add tomato wedges.

Cook until thoroughly heated; serves 4.

SAUSAGE CORNBREAD STUFFING RECIPE

Learn how to cook sausage by making this delicious stuffing recipe.

  • ½ Pound bulk pork sausage 
  • ½ Cup butter
  • 2 Medium chopped onions
  • 3 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Teaspoons sage
  • 1 Teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 Package (16 Ounces) dry cornbread crumbs
  • ¾ to 1 ½ Cups chicken broth

Place sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat.

Cook and stir until no longer pink; drain on paper towels and set aside.

Melt butter in the skillet over medium high heat until foamy.

Add onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes until tender.

Stir in sage and poultry seasoning; cook for 1 minute.

In a large bowl combine the sausage with onion mixture.

IF STUFFING TURKEY add ¾ CUP of the broth; toss to moisten.

IF BAKING SEPARATELY add 1 ¼ CUPS of broth; toss to moisten.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F degrees.

Place mixture in greased casserole dish; bake 45 minutes.

SPICY CHILAQUILES RECIPE

Learn how to cook sausage using spicy chorizo sausage.

  • ¼ Pound chorizo sausages
  • 3 Tablespoons cooking oil
  • 8 Corn tortillas (6 Inch size) (Cut into ½ inch strips)
  • 1 Cup green pepper strips (Thinly cut)
  • ½ Pound Velveeta Mexican cheese spread with jalapeno pepper (Cubed)
  • 1 Medium chopped tomato

Remove sausage from the casings; brown sausage and drain.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium; add tortilla strips.

Cook and stir tortilla strips 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown.

Add pepper strips cooking and stirring until tender crisp.

REDUCE HEAT to low; add sausage, cheese spread and tomatoes.

Stir until cheese melts; serve with sour cream.

SAUSAGE STRATA

Learn how to cook sausage using creamy Velveeta cheese.

  • ½ Pound bulk pork sausage
  • ¾ Cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • ½ Cup sliced green onion
  • ½ Pound Velveeta cheese (Cut in cubes)
  • 4 Cups sour dough bread cubes (Crusts removed)
  • 1 Cup milk
  •  4 Beaten eggs

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease 8 inch baking dish.

Brown sausage and drain; add mushrooms and onions.

Continue cooking 5 minutes longer; drain and cool 10 minutes.

Stir in cheese spread and bread cubes; spoon into prepared dish.

Beat the milk and eggs together; pour over sausage mixture.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown; serves 6.