Knowing how to cook sausage from frozen is a handy kitchen hack everyone should have up their sleeve!
We’ll show you how to cook frozen sausage safely, so you can save time in the kitchen.
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If you’re a sausage lover who looks forward to having this flavorful protein for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you probably cook fresh sausages fairly often.
But if you’ve stowed some sausages away in the freezer, you might want to know if you can cook frozen sausage, or if it needs to be thawed first.
Many people place sausage in the freezer because they don’t want it to go bad before they can use it. Freezing sausage is a great way to keep it fresh until they’re ready to make it.
If you’re planning a big holiday breakfast or brunch, but forgot to thaw out the sausage beforehand, don’t despair!
Can You Cook Sausages Straight from the Freezer?
You’ll be glad to know that you can cook sausage from frozen instead of waiting on it to thaw. We’ll show you how!
The two main types of sausages are patties and links, so we’ll share the methods for both!
Note: It’s always wise to check the package of sausage to make sure it doesn’t need to be thawed first, but most types of sausages can be cooked from frozen.
How to Cook Frozen Sausage Patties
When you have frozen sausage patties, the first thing you can do is place a saucepan (such as a non-stick pan) on the stove and add a tablespoon or two of water to it.
Set the stove to medium-high heat and place the frozen sausage patties into the saucepan and lower the heat.
You can cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil if you’d like, or leave it uncovered.
Allow the patties to cook for about four to five minutes on one side before flipping them over and cooking for an additional four to five minutes on the opposite side.
You can continue cooking the sausage until it becomes brown and is as dark as you like it, with some people liking it crispier than others.
Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature and make sure they’ve cooked through–for pork sausage, a temperature of 160F is the target for optimum food safety.
It’s important to make sure all potentially harmful bacteria have been killed to avoid food poisoning.
How to Cook Frozen Sausage Links
Cooking frozen sausage links is similar to cooking frozen sausage patties, but you’ll likely have more space in the frying pan that you’re placing on the stove.
Once again, you can add about two tablespoons of water to the pan and then place your links into the pan, spreading them evenly enough apart so that each link can cook all the way through.
You’ll need to let the links cook for a few minutes per side and continue cooking on medium-high heat until the sausage links become brown. The amount of cook time needed will depend on the size of the links.
If you’re not sure if they’re cooked all the way through, you may remove one, slice it in half, and check the center for doneness.
As mentioned above, it’s always a good idea to use an instant read thermometer to be sure the core temperature reaches 160F!
How to Cook Frozen Sausage in the Air Fryer
The air fryer provides another simple stress-free way to cook frozen sausage.
You can spray the basket of the air fryer with a small amount of cooking spray and then place your frozen sausage into it.
Make sure that the sausage links or patties are not overlapping one another in the air fryer basket, because they might not cook evenly if they aren’t in a single layer.
Next, you can set the air fryer to 350 degrees and put it on for a cooking time of about 10 minutes, flipping your sausage at the halfway mark.
Check the sausage after 10 minutes and continue to cook for up to five more minutes if you feel like the sausage needs to be cooked a bit longer.
You might find that preparing air fryer sausages is the best way if you’re cooking a small amount.
Again, aim for an internal temperature of 160F.
How to Cook Frozen Sausage in the Oven
Grab a baking sheet, line it with foil, and then give it a light spray of your favorite cooking spray.
Spread your frozen sausage out on the baking tray, giving each piece of sausage some space to cook evenly. Next, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
You’ll need to set the oven to 350F and wait for it to get hot.
Once it’s hot, you can put the baking sheet in the oven and allow the sausage to cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark and checking your sausage while it bakes to make sure you’re not overcooking it.
After the internal temperature reads 160F, you’re set!
How to Boil Frozen Sausages
Fill a pot with water, place it on the stove, and bring it to a boil.
Once it starts to boil, toss in your sausage, lower the flame to medium-high heat, and allow it to cook for around 15 minutes.
After the 15-minute mark, check on the sausage and make sure the internal temperature has reached 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s still not cooked all the way, you can always continue boiling it for a few more minutes.
Can You Cook Frozen Sausage on a Grill?
Yes, you can place frozen sausage on the grill, but it will take longer to cook. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the sausage before you remove it and serve it.
Cooking Sausage from Frozen
No matter which cooking method you choose, it’s easier to cook raw sausage when it’s frozen instead of waiting for it to thaw out.
Best of all, there are different ways to cook the various kinds of sausages, including the oven, air fryer, and stove–so you can choose the cooking process you prefer!
Enjoy your delicious meals in less time with this kitchen hack!
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