Is Oven-Baking Sausages Better Than Frying? - Tasting Table

"Compared to pan frying, oven baking sausages certainly has some advantages. The main one is that the sausages cook evenly throughout, ensuring a fully cooked interior without burning the exterior. It's also a hands-off method and great for cooking a whole lot of sausages in one go. Add some chopped vegetables to the tray before cooking and you have the basis of a sheet pan meal, like this mustardy sausage and apples recipe."

"On the downside, it's not an efficient use of the oven if you're only making a couple of links at a time. And while oven baking uses less oil, which is great for fatty pork sausages, this makes it less suitable for lean options like chicken or turkey sausages, which can easily dry out. Where pan frying has the edge is developing that nice sear and a crispy skin."

"It's also a quicker method than baking. And if you're already frying up a plate of bacon and eggs, it makes sense to add your breakfast sausage alongside it rather than cooking it separately in the oven. Pan frying is also the best option for smoked or precooked sausages such as andouille or kielbasa, or plant-based sausages. These only need warming through before serving."

Oven baking produces evenly cooked sausages with fully cooked interiors without burning exteriors. It uses less oil, is hands-off, and suits batch cooking and sheet-pan meals with added vegetables. Oven baking is less appropriate for lean chicken or turkey sausages because reduced oil can dry them out. Pan frying creates a nice sear and crispy skin, is faster, and suits smoked or precooked sausages and plant-based options that only need warming. Pan frying also pairs well when cooking other items like bacon and eggs. Sausages should sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.

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