Most people think the best – no, the only way – to cook a sausage is on the barbeque ’til it’s char-grilled (read: burnt) to perfection. And by most people, I mean the entire population of Australia.
But apparently, we’ve all been doing it wrong. This whole time.
You shouldn’t be scorching your snags over hot flames or coal. Nor should you grill them in the oven. Not according to The Why Chef.
Listen: Matt Moran shares his favourite recipe for roast chicken.
So what is the perfect way to cook sausages, I hear you ask. Well, it involves a frying pan, low heat and butter. Butter!
The author of the popular UK cooking blog, Martin King, explains that his method ensures you get the most flavour-filled sausages possible.
The Why Chef’s sausage method.
1. Place a frying pan over a low heat.
2. Add a knob of unsalted butter.
3. Add sausages.
4. Fry for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
5. Serve.
According to King, the sausages are cooked for a long time over a low heat to render the fat in the sausages and ensures they won’t become tough, unless they’re burnt, that is.
“So cooking them for a long time at a low heat is going to cook them through sufficiently, allow for the fat to render and caramelise in the pan, and with no worry that they’re going to turn into boot leather,” the home cook explains.
King says traditional barbeque cooking is the "prime route to a bad sausage" explaining that cooking sausages over a high heat means that the fat renders less and the skin burns quicker. So, you end up with burnt sausages with a tough outside to ensure the middle is cooked through. Yep, that sounds about right.
The foodie said his tried-and-tested method includes butter because it "compliments" the sausage fat, but says oil would also work to lubricate the pan.
"Salted butter adds salt crystals to the pan and sausage which isn’t really welcome, so do try and use unsalted," he adds.
He says it may not be the healthiest recipe, but "if you’re looking for delicious, then this is a winner".
Somehow we don't think this revelation is going to put an end to the beloved sausage sizzle, but it's nice to know the wet-weather option we should be reverting to.
Top Comments
Has anyone tried food in the UK? Any run of the mill cafe in Sydney would serve food better than some of their top restaurants, not saying there aren't any good ones but I didn't enjoy much of the food there (I did like Yorkshire puddings though).
What I'm trying to say is, I don't need an English guy to tell me how I should be cooking my sausages. As Kimbo has said, it's bbq all the way down here in Oz!
Mine are cooked in the oven, yes it takes 20-30 mins but it is time I have for other things. Plus can cook veggies at same time the oven in a different pan.