How Long to Cook Smoked Sausage?

Smoked sausages go from entrée to a deli platter real quick. The main difference is, in fact, the preparation process and chosen side dishes. Whether heavy, rich main course or finger foods, smoked sausages are an ideal segment of any feast, so they’re a constant part of my fridge supply. There are numerous ways to cook them, but each of them has its ideal cooking time. So the question is, how long does it take to cook smoked sausage?

Preparation time is anywhere from a few minutes to 4 hours. If you want real smoky flavor, grill them for 12 minutes, fry for 10, or air-fry for 8 minutes. Also, they will be ready in 2 minutes in the microwave, 15 minutes when boiled, and slow-cooked for 2 hours.

Sausages go from boring to fancy in a bit with a few tricks. The point is to pair them with the most suitable side dish. Whether you want them to be fried, boiled, grilled, or baked, keep reading to find out how to serve and cook them. Let’s dive in!

How to Cook Smoked Sausage?

Cooking smoked sausages is a piece of cake, so here are some insights to keep in mind for a delish meal!

In the Air Fryer

Cooking smoked sausages in the air fryer is a quick and simple preparation method. You don’t need any additions whatsoever, like oil or parchment paper. That means sausages contain enough grease to release while cooking.

You can fry them as a whole, sliced into finger-thick portions, or diagonally, by your preference. Keep in mind that keeping them whole, in their skin, will hold the juices in. Sliced ones will be a touch drier, while the skinned ones will be moist. 

I usually bake them sliced for 6 to 8 minutes at 360-400 °F, depending on their size. Sausages will be crispy with reddish-brown skin outside, with a soft and chewy middle. They are best when served with BBQ sauce, mustard, or some hot sauce. 

They also go well with fries or hash browns as the sides if you want to keep the fast-food-mood. One more plus thing for an air fryer is you can bake side dishes and bread with sausages simultaneously, which means you won’t need more than 10 minutes for everything to be ready!

Here’s another great way to do it in the air fryer!

In the Microwave

If you fancy some crunch to your sausages, skip the microwave all the way because sausages prepared like this will be rather soft and juicy. The trick is to wrap each one with a paper towel and microwave them on high. 

You’ll need about 45 seconds first, then check it and return for about 20 seconds. What’s more, you shouldn’t take them out immediately but leave them in for a minute, and the residual heat will ensure they are ready to eat without concern.

On the other note, if you have frozen sausages, defrost them first, as they won’t cook thoroughly. Those go well with some crispy side dishes, for example, garlic-baked potato wedges or chips. Yum!  

In the Pan

A pan is my go-to option for most, and there is a reason why. Pan-fried sausage has that nice crispy crust with an accented smoky flavor and moistness inside that I absolutely adore. Of course, you’ll need to oil the pan, plus the sausage grease makes a delish sauce.

Drizzle a few drops of that over mashed potatoes which pair perfectly with fried sausages. If you opt for frying full-rope sausages, you’ll need about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness. The best is to cook it at medium heat, as they tend to burn quickly. 

Fry them until crispy and brownish, turning them on each side. You can use butter, vegetable oil, cooking spray, or anything else. Just keep in mind not to exaggerate, as they will also release some grease. But don’t forget to cut the time in half if frying sliced sausages.

In the Oven

The oven is the simplest method if you have loads of sausages to cook. You can bake as many as it can fit on the baking sheet, but don’t overcrowd them, so they are ready sooner and crispier. Sausages prepared like this won’t have the crunch as fried ones, but significantly more than those from the microwave.

This method is some kind of the middle when it comes to crustiness whatsoever. You can cover the baking dish with some parchment paper or spray it with oil. 350 °F is an ideal temperature for nicely baked sausages, and you need about 10 minutes for that.

Turn them on the other side halfway through the cooking for optimal crispiness. Baked sausages will be tender inside but pretty mild as they lack smokiness and crunchiness. Additionally, my favorite sides fo this are mac and cheese or cold French salad. 

On the Stove

Surprisingly or not, you can boil sausages on the stove submerged in water, and you need a pot big enough to immerse whole sausage links. You can add some more spices to elevate the dish, as they won’t have that signature strong smoky flavor.

Lemon, bay leaves, or even vegetables like carrots, onion, garlic, or potatoes are tip-top alternatives for tasty one-pot lunch. Remember that veggies like those listed above require more cooking time than sausages alone. So, cook them halfway and then add the meat.

Make sure the water is boiling vigorously when placing sausages in the pot. They need about 10 to 15 minutes to be cooked thoroughly. It’s true that you need no fat whatsoever for this method of preparation, but hey, your sausages won’t have any crispiness at all. 

On the Grill

The grill is the chief option for making first-class smoked sausages at weekend BBQ parties. This method gives the most prominent smoky relish among all the others. It works well on any grill, though. Electric or wooden grills are fine options, but charcoal gives them that final touch you can’t find anywhere else.

Whether you’re using this or that grill, heat it for about five minutes at medium. High temperatures will cause burn spots as they go on the lowest rack for the best taste. You’ll need about 5-6 minutes on both sides to cook them.

Grilled sausages have crispy skin but are succulent inside. They pair amazingly with grilled veggies, like bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and corn. Also, don’t forget to toss some bread on the grill for even smokiness and eye-catching grill traces.

In the Crock Pot

Slow cooking smoked sausages alone is very rare and pretty unnecessary. Two hours on the high or four hours on the low temperature of cooking time is a waste of time, to be honest. But there is a catch, though.

This is a terrific option if you want to cook them in a sauce. My favorite is to submerge them in hot tomato sauce, sticky barbecue, or in grape jelly sauce. You’ll get luscious pieces of meat in a savory sauce that is best served with creamy polenta or baked beans.

Keep them whole if you want to cook them alone, but slice them in medallion-sized bites for the sauce option. This way, they will evenly absorb sauce spices and are easier to eat.  

How do you prepare your smoked sausages? Tell me all about it in the comments below!