Hands down, our favourite way to cook Lepp’s delicious fresh sausages is on our barbeque’s Island Grill Stone. There’s never a fat flare-up or loss of a link in between the grills. They become golden brown and stay deliciously juicy. However, as I don’t like to bother with uncovering the BBQ and standing out in the rain, it was time to research how best to cook them indoors through the winter.
Long ago, I abandoned cooking them in a frying pan on the stovetop as there was too much splatter and mess. I usually would coat them with a bit of olive oil and roast them in my oven. But if I’m not cooking anything else in the oven, it seems wasteful to heat it for just a few sausages. So back to the world wide web I went, and I’m happy to report there’s a much simpler, cleaner and tastier way!
It does involve two steps, but you won’t be disappointed by the results. Farmer Rob said the sausages cooked this way were some of the best he’d ever had!
Simply place the uncooked sausages in a pot and cover with cold water; there should be about an inch of water above them. Turn your stove onto medium heat and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Don’t pierce the sausages or cook them at a rapid boil, as you’ll lose all those tasty juices. Once you’ve reached a simmer, continue cooking for only 2 or 3 more minutes. Please trust me and trust your meat thermometer. This short cooking time is enough to bring the internal temperature to a safe 160 degrees.
Drain the sausages and discard the water. Now you can slice them as-is for a casserole or pasta dish; they are fully cooked and ready to eat. Yes, they are a rather unappetizing colour, but you can quickly remedy that if you want. Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and saute the slices or whole sausages just long enough until they’re golden brown.
That’s it! Add them to the pasta sauce or soup once the dish is fully cooked to not overcook the sausages.
