So, you want to know how to cook sausage on a griddle. And I am sure you are having problems while doing that or you are not quite sure how to go about that.
Well, cooking sausages is a tricky business. Cooking sausages on a griddle was indeed a difficult proposition until we learnt how to do it the right way.
Before we found this method, every time I made sausages, they ended up getting charred. Yes, they got burnt on the exteriors while remaining raw on the inside. Or sometimes the casings would break. It has also happened that after I cooked them, they became completely dry.
Does that story sound familiar to you? If the answer is yes, read this post carefully. For one thing, I think your culinary exploit does not need to end in a tragedy!
Cooking sausage on a griddle
There is a problem with cooking sausage over direct heat in a frying pan or on a grill or griddle. This one mistake most people generally make.
More often, you end up dripping them, hoping that everything will be all right. And and you end up with a dry and dismal meat. So, you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation. You start looking at the cut-off piece of sausage and wonder whether you are going to poison all the guests.
This is not fair. For this reason, I use a two-step technique where I cook the limbs first gently in water. Then I make them in a hot pan just before serving. And I swear it will never let you down. This is how I do it my way.
First, place your sausages in a large pot or saucepan and fill it with enough cold water to cover the sausages. Place the pot on the stove, turn the heat to medium and cook until the water boils slightly.
This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Then turn off the stove and remove the sausages from the pot. These little ones are now cooked, tender and absolutely ready for the second stage.
At this stage, the sausages are cooked and intact. But you will notice that they look quite grey. The next step is to give them some color and make them crispy and spicy.
You can cut the sausages in half lengthwise to get a crispy interior. This is ideal for sausage sandwiches. You must leave them intact and crisp the casings or cut them into pieces or chunks. It does not matter.
When you cut the sausages, you should grease a pan with a little oil and then shimmer it at high heat. After that, you should carefully put your sausages in it. Since the sausages are already cooked, you don’t need to leave them on the griddle (or on the grill) for long. After searing them, remove them from the pan before they dry out.
You can then throw them in a sandwich, put them on toast. Or you may cut them to place them into rice or pasta, or just eat them straightway. What you will do with them is up to you. So, are you now getting the hang of how to cook a sausage on a griddle properly? That’s the way to do it.
You should take note that our traditional sausage, along with the pepper and onion sandwich, does not need tomato paste. But I often like to caramelize the mixture a little to give it a sweet, spicy and yummy flavor.
Ingredients
4 red and/or yellow peppers
1 poblano pepper
3 small onions
6 cloves of garlic
3 soft Italian sandwich rolls
2 pounds of sweet Italian sausage
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, split
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
⅓ cup of red wine vinegar
Method
First, cut 4 peppers and one poblano chili in half lengthwise. Then you will have to remove the stalks and ribs with your fingers and then remove the seeds. After that, cut lengthwise into strips of ¼.
Peel 3 onions and halve them through the root. Cut a V-shaped notch in the root to remove the seeds. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 wedges.
Next, peel 6 garlic cloves and cut them into thin slices.
Cut 3 rolls lengthwise without cutting them all the way through so that both sides are connected.
Place 2 pounds of sausages in a large straight-walled pan or griddle. Fill the pan with cold water until the sausages are submerged. Heat over medium heat and cook uncovered for 6-8 minutes until the water boils slightly. Next, it is time to remove from the stove. Now place the sausages (they are fully cooked by now) on a plate with tongs and set them aside. Next, drain the water from the skillet and then put it away.
While the sausages are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are soft.
Add the peppers, chili and another tablespoon of oil to the pot Then season it liberally with salt and pepper. Keep stirring constantly, keeping the heat over medium-high. Cover and cook, uncovering occasionally and stirring until peppers are tender. This will take 10-15 minutes.
Clear the middle of the pan and add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir the tomato paste until it darkens and sticks to the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes.
Add 1/3 cup of vinegar and stir to dissolve the paste. Then stir in the peppers and onions. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally. You will have to do it until the peppers and onions are very tender, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Now it is time to season with more salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, you should cut the sausages in half lengthwise.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a spare griddle over medium-high heat. Add half of the sausages, cut side down. And now cook them for about 3 minutes in full contact with the pan until the cut sides are golden brown. Return to the plate and repeat with the remaining sausages.
Spread half of the peppers and onion mixture over the rolls. Then spread the fried sausage halves over them.
You may top them with remaining peppers and onion mixture. Finally, it is time to cut the sandwiches in half crosswise and serve to you guests waiting eagerly.
Wrapping up
How to cook sausage on a griddle
Hope this post will set you in the right direction. Now that you know how to cook sausages on a griddle, you should not waste any more time. Start cooking and show your culinary skills to others and impress them. I am sure you would master many more such recipes and continue this personal journey quite with great success!
Before we found this method, every time I made sausages, they ended up getting charred. Yes, they got burnt on the exteriors while remaining raw on the inside. Or sometimes the casings would break. It has also happened that after I cooked them, they became completely dry.
