How To Cook Sausage Perfectly, 3 Ways

If you're whipping up a meal for breakfast, adding a protein like sausage or bacon is great to include. Some like to keep their sausage savory, and others like to make it sweet by dipping it in syrup. But no matter how you like your sausage, here are three ways you can make sure your sausage is cooked perfectly.

Stovetop

Cooking your sausage on the stovetop will give you a brown crispiness on the outside. To cook on the stovetop, warm up a pan on medium heat. Use a fat, whether oil or butter, to grease the pan. Then add the sausage and cook until there is no longer pink in the sausage. Remove from the stovetop and place on a paper towel to drain off any excess grease.

• Warm up a pan on the stove over medium heat.
• Add oil or butter to the pan.
• Add sausage to the pan.
• Flip and cook until the sausages are no longer pink.

Air Fryer

If you want to cook your sausage in the air fryer, place your sausage links or patties on the tray or in the basket. Then, set it to 375 degrees and cook for five minutes. Flip the sausages and cook for an additional five minutes. Once completed, you shouldn't see any pink. Or, if you want to make sure they're fully cooked, use a thermometer to ensure they are 160 degrees.

• Place sausages on the tray or basket of the air fryer.
• Set the air fryer to 375 and cook for 5 minutes.
• Flip sausages and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Cook until sausages are no longer pink.

Microwave

If you're cooking sausage in the microwave, there are two different ways to do so. If you're warming up frozen sausage, this sausage is already fully cooked and just needs to be defrosted. Cooking raw sausage in the microwave will require that you make sure they are fully cooked.

If you're defrosting a fully cooked frozen sausage in the microwave, it should only take about 30 seconds. Place them on a microwave-safe dish and cover them with a paper towel. Then heat for 30 seconds, and allow to cool for one minute before serving.

• Place on a microwave-safe dish.
• Cover with a paper towel.
• Cook for 30 seconds.
• Allow to cool for 1 minute.

If you're cooking raw sausage in the microwave, it will just take a little more cooking time. Place them on a microwave-safe dish and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on the first side for one and a half minutes, then flip and cook for an additional one and a half minutes. If your sausage has skin, you'll notice the skin will have peeled away. You can remove these if you'd like. It's important to note that when you cook raw sausages in a microwave, they will not turn that dark brown color that you might be used to seeing. But you can check their temperature, and if they're 160 degrees, they are ready.

• Place on a microwave-safe dish.
• Cover with a paper towel.
• Microwave for 1.5 minutes.
• Flip and cook for an additional 1.5 minutes.
• Peel off the skin if desired.

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