How to Cook Breakfast Sausage Links in a Skillet

How to Cook Breakfast Sausage Links in a Skillet

It is the perfect accompaniment to any breakfast, and I will show you how to easily cook breakfast sausage in my favorite way which is in a skillet without any fuss!

I have tried a few different methods of cooking breakfast sausage, but this one is my favorite cooking method of all since I love the texture the best!

You see how perfectly my 5 Ingredient Keto Biscuits go with a hearty breakfast like an omelette and sausage?

I will go over my thoughts and experience with air fryer breakfast sausage links in my FAQ and Tips section.

We were blessed to have received some Black Bear Sausage Links from our friend Josh who hunted the bear they came from.

I tell you all about the hunt and also give you a wonderful recipe for Black Bear Stew too!

These links are a little shorter than other fresh sausage links made with pork, but they cook up the same.

It all has to do with the technique and timing to make the most delicious breakfast sausage no matter what type of sausage it is.

I have used this easy way of cooking sausages not only for breakfast sausage but also with grocery store turkey sausage, pork sausage, bratwurst, chicken sausages, and smoked sausages.

This is good news so you only learn one technique to apply to other meals with cooked sausage.

There are a variety of ways of cooking sausages, but this is the easiest way to cook them even if its your first time ever cooking sausages.

These simple steps show you that it is quicker than you might think.

Keep reading also for what the cooking time should be for larger and thicker sausages.

Let’s cook up some sausages in just a few easy steps!

What you will need for cooking breakfast sausage links

• a large cast iron skillet (any deep frying pan, or nonstick skillet will work that has a lid)
• tongs or a wooden spoon
• a plate lined with a paper towel
• 1/2 lb of breakfast sausages (approximately 6-10 small links)

Let’s get to cooking sausages!

Turn your stovetop to a medium-high heat and place your skillet on to warm up.

The best way to get the delicious sausage links we are after is to make sure your skillet is warmed on the stove top before dropping them in!

Dropping them in a hot pan helps to get a good sear and carmalization started on the outside.

Once the skillet is warmed enough that you can feel the heat when you place your hand over it, then swirl in a little oil.

Avocado oil is my favorite neutral oil but butter or olive oil work too!

Now place sausages in a single layer in the skillet and cover them with a lid.

Turn the heat down to medium.

Cook sausage for 2-3 minutes then use tongs to roll them to a different side.

You are slowly cooking the ground meat inside the casing AND also browning the casing to a lovely golden brown.

Using the lid will help to steam the sausages as well as reducing the oil splatter which means easier clean-up!

Depending on the thickness of your sausage will change the time a bit.

For thicker sausages like smoked sausage and brats, I increase the cook time to about 8-10 minutes per side at a medium low heat.

To avoid food poisoning, you want to make sure to check with a meat thermometer the internal temperature of the meat is at least 155-165 degrees Fahrenheit (68-74C) according to the United States Food Safety Department.

A great way to test and see is to cut one sausage through and if I see any pink raw meat, I put them back in the skillet a few extra minutes to finish cooking.

This couple of minutes extra needs to be monitored and not left to cook too long.

Over cooked sausages get tough and are not enjoyable!

Once the sausage is browned all over, remove them to a paper towel lined pan to soak up any excess oil and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Now enjoy them with a stack of my Low Carb Whisked Pancakes and a cup of coffee on one of those lazy weekend mornings!

If you happen to have any leftover sausages, store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.

When you warm them up, just place in a hot skillet like before, but this time at a medium heat and a small amount of water.

FAQ, Tips and Ideas for using your delicious sausages in new recipes

• After cooking your breakfast sausages, slice them up to go into some breakfast burritos. Scramble some eggs, top with cheese and chopped sausages and roll up!

• Need an easy meal for the weeknight? Slice up smoked sausages into coins and spread out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet after you toss them with some oil and your favorite vegetables. This creates the easiest dinner on a weeknight that is also a complete meal. My favorite veggies to use are cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and brussels sprouts. I spread it out onto the sheet pan and cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove foil and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes at 450F. Using parchment paper under the food reduces the exposure to the aluminum touching the food. Just make sure it is a shallow baking pan because the roasting at the higher temperature will release liquid you do not want to run out into your oven.

• Before you spread out the chopped ingredients onto your baking tray, add in a sprinkling of herbs like oregano and basil, you can turn this into an italian sausage bake. My family prefers smoked sausage with the herbs instead of Italian sausage as it tends to be too hot.

• You can cook sausages in the air fryer. There are a few air fryer recipes that work because they cook the sausages, but you do not get the browning. They will look a little grey and will not have the carmelized brown color, the best part in my opinion, that you get cooking them in the skillet. I believe this method would work best if you were going to use them in a breakfast burrito. It also may have to do with the type of air fryer you own. I own one that is also an oven so that may have been the difference versus an air fryer unit with an air fryer basket. Check out this Air Fryer Sausage Links Recipe that uses the basket type air fryer. It is an easy air fryer recipe that does a good job of explaining how to cook them correctly.

• The technique used in cooking sausages in a casing works with sausage patties too! You can actually take the raw sausages and cut the casing up the side. Then you will be left with the seasoned ground meat. You can form them into patties, or grind up for a hearty breakfast mixed with scrambled eggs and veggies. The only reason I would cut up links instead of eating them as they are is if I ran out of ground sausage, or if I find a deal on some at the store. Buying ground meat without the casing is usually a better price anyway so consider that.

• I would highly recommend using a cast iron skillet. It produces the best results everytime! I shy away from a non-stick skillet due to the high possibility it is covered in teflon. Cooking with teflon at high heats releases harmful gases so I just don’t have skillets like that anymore.

• If you prefer sausages to be more juicy rather than crispy on the outside, try cooking them with a cup of water in the skillet. You would heat up the skillet as normal, but add in some water before you put the lid on it. This will plump up your sausages a lot. Just be mindful that when the casing is pierced, wether with a fork or you biting into it, the juices will be extremely hot and sometimes squirt out unexpectedly. I have accidently squirted my shirt or a unsuspecting guest once or twice this way!

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If you love cast iron as much as I do, then you would absolutely LOVE my 2nd cookbook “Chaffles Cast Iron and The Crock” !!