Who wouldn’t love an Italian sausage sandwich smeared with some mustard and tomato ketchup? Yummy on the go snack it is! Italian sausage in America often refers to a type of pork sausage that is seasoned with fennel or anise. There are dozens of recipe variations when it comes to Italian sausage. Even its country of origin has a different way of preparing this popular snack.
There are three popular flavors of Italian sausage in America these are hot, mild, and sweet. Sweet flavors are filled with basil, while mild has the absence of chili but has some peppercorns that release mild heat, and lastly, the hot flavor it includes chili which gives you a hit of heat. Italian sausage is consists of 234 calories, 19 grams of fats, 2.9 grams of carbohydrates, and 13 grams of protein. Craving now for a yummy sausage? Start learning the ways to cook Italian sausage now.
Ways to cook Italian Sausage
There are different ways to cook sausage, however, unlike smoked sausages, it needs to be cooked as if you’re cooking raw meat. Otherwise, the meat may end up burned and not cooked in the inside. You will need to cook the sausages slowly until it browned. You can cook it pan-seared, cook in a griddle, and cook it in an oven.
Pan-Seared Italian Sausage
Pan-searing Italian` sausage is the easiest way to cook it. It can crisp the outside skin and cook the inside very well.
Directions
- You may want to prick the sausage all around with a fork.
- Place your sausages in a cast iron and fill it up with water. Don’t completely submerge the sausages in the water.
- In medium heat, cover your cast iron and simmer the sausages within 10 to 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes uncover the lid.
- Continue to cook the sausage by turning it every now and then. Around 3 to 4 minutes you will have a golden brown, juicy, and crispy sausage.
- Serve it as a sandwich or with cheese.
Cook Italian Sausage on Griddle
Though pan-seared Italian sausage gives out crispy skin, some people prefer to cook sausage in the griddle. It is said to give the smokey taste to the sausage.
Directions
- Heat your griddle
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Heat the oil.
- Once the oil is hot, place in your Italian sausages.
- After a couple of minutes start to turn it to the other side. Keep turning the sausage every 3 to 4 minutes to avoid burning the skin.
- Keep the heat at medium-low heat until the sausages turned brown and cooked.
The healthiest way to cook Italian Sausages
Cooking Italian sausages in the oven is said to be the healthiest way to cook sausages as it withdraws the excessive oil from it. Though pan searing and cooking on the griddle are healthy too, as long as a healthy oil is used in the process.
Directions
- In a pot, put in some water and submerged your sausages.
- Boil the water for 10 minutes. Poke the sausages with a fork while bringing the water to boil so that the sausages secretes some of that oil.
- After 10 minutes, transfer your sausages and let it completely drain the water from boiling.
- While letting the sausage dry out the water, pre-heat your oven at 350 for 5 minutes.
- Prepare your baking pan, place a baking rack on top of it so that the oil will drip once the sausages start to bake.
- Place your sausage to the baking sheet and baking rack. Bake your sausages for 8 minutes.
- Remove your sausages from the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes to 5 minutes before eating as it continues to drip some of the remaining oil.
- Serve it with buns and peppers.
Italian Sausage Recipes
One of the most popular and easy peasy dish loved by college students who have a busy schedule from school is Italian Sausage for Spaghetti.
- In a large pot, sautee garlic and onion together with some oregano or Italian herbs. Add in your sliced Italian sausage and stir them.
- Once the sausage looks a little browned, add in your tomato, tomato paste, water, sugar, and salt. Let it simmer in 5 minutes.
- Bring your pasta and let it cook with the sauce while boiling.
- Stir the noodles every now and then to avoid burning.
- Within 5 to 10 minutes your Italian Sausage Spaghetti is ready!
Enjoy it while warm. You may cook this meal during your examination week at the University. Serve it as your comfort food at times you miss your parents. Lastly, impress your date with it. If you think that Italian sausage goes with a beer, well then you may try this leveled up recipe called beer braised sausages:
- Heat olive oil.
- Add the sausages and let it brown.
- Add in your coarsely chopped white onion and garlic. Stir them all until the onion and garlic become translucent.
- Pour in the beer, cover, and bring to boil.
- Simmer within 10-15 minutes. Open the cover partially and let the beer reduce to a sauce. Now you have the beer-braised sausages.
Conclusion
Italian sausages are made of ground pork seasoned with fennel or anise. In America, there are three available flavors such as sweet, mild, and spicy. Sweet is seasoned with the basil to bring out the sweetness. While mild is with peppercorns that arises mild heat on the flavor. Lastly, the hot flavor includes chili that brings out the heaty spice flavor.
There are different ways to cook Italian sausages which include pan-seared, cooking in the griddle, and cooking in the oven. Cooking Italian sausage in the oven is the healthiest way to cook it as it removes the excessive oil from the sausage.
A yummy Italian sausage spaghetti is a cozy and easy peasy meal to prepare. You may also level up your sausage and beer into a beer-braised sausage. Will you try these recipes? Let us know!
