For months, I've been making great tasting sausage, but not cooking them optimally. I don't have a grill, so I've been trying to pan sear them, but I've not been able to get good browning on both sides without breaking the casing on pre-cooked sausage (fresh works fine with usual technique, but gets more browning with this technique).
I also like to use Fine-T smoked casings because they are easier to stuff and more tender than natural hog casings. The downside is it's slightly easier to split them, so I tried lots of approaches to solve this.
In the past few days, I've found a new technique that is not only simpler, but gives better results: use a cast iron bacon press. Somehow this simultaneously prevents splitting and facilitates browning at the same time. If I cooked at the same temp without the press, they wouldn't brown and/or eventually the casing would tear.
Steps are as follows:
(These are my hot links. Sorry about the picture. I absent-mindedly started eating them before I snapped a picture).
As you can see, decent browning/maillard reaction without splitting the casing. This approach also works for grill pans if you prefer that appearance, but this approach tastes just as good. Lastly, this approach achieves superior browning on fresh casings as well. Also, since they don't split when you cook them longer, you can just cook them this way as long as needed -- no pre-boiling step needed to get to IT without splitting casing.
Just thought I'd share here if there are folks like me, who want to cook great-tasting sausage without the use of a grill.
I also like to use Fine-T smoked casings because they are easier to stuff and more tender than natural hog casings. The downside is it's slightly easier to split them, so I tried lots of approaches to solve this.
In the past few days, I've found a new technique that is not only simpler, but gives better results: use a cast iron bacon press. Somehow this simultaneously prevents splitting and facilitates browning at the same time. If I cooked at the same temp without the press, they wouldn't brown and/or eventually the casing would tear.
Steps are as follows:
- Add a little oil to the pan (I use cast iron)
- Put two sausages on the pan
- Rest bacon press on top
- Temp to medium-low, let sizzle 3-5 mins or so.
- Flip, let sizzle 3-5 mins or so.
(These are my hot links. Sorry about the picture. I absent-mindedly started eating them before I snapped a picture).
As you can see, decent browning/maillard reaction without splitting the casing. This approach also works for grill pans if you prefer that appearance, but this approach tastes just as good. Lastly, this approach achieves superior browning on fresh casings as well. Also, since they don't split when you cook them longer, you can just cook them this way as long as needed -- no pre-boiling step needed to get to IT without splitting casing.
Just thought I'd share here if there are folks like me, who want to cook great-tasting sausage without the use of a grill.
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