It can be daunting to cook meat, especially if you’re inexperienced in the kitchen.
But as you grow older, you need to stop depending on your mom’s delicious food and put your own cooking skills to the test.
Try it, test it, fail, start over.
I personally can’t go a day without having a proper breakfast. When I’m running out of time, I know just what will make an easy and hearty meal for myself.
I pan-fry some breakfast sausages and pair them up with cheesy scrambled eggs and a glass of orange juice, and I’m ready to get to work.
There are a lot of ways you can cook sausages, but I’ve narrowed it down to the following three.
1. Pan-Frying
What You Will Need:
- A non-stick skillet
- 12 breakfast sausage links
Instructions:
- Place a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat for about 1 to 2 minutes to preheat. There’s no need to add any oil or fat as the sausage has enough fat inside that will provide the grease needed for it to cook through.
- Add the links as a single layer so they don’t overlap. Each needs contact with the pan.
- Sausage links may take 12 to 16 minutes total to cook through, depending on their thickness. For frozen sausages, you may have to add 2 more minutes to the cooking time. Turn once or twice during cooking.
- Most people probably aren’t using a meat thermometer for breakfast sausages, but if you have one handy, stab a sausage after it’s been cooking for 16 minutes: does it read 160F? If so, they’re done, and you can safely eat them.
- Line a plate with paper towels, and using tongs with rubber tips, grab each sausage carefully place the sausages on top. Don’t use metal utensils on non-stick cookware because it will flake off the non-stick coating, eventually ruining the pan.
- Wait for about 2 minutes for the grease to drain off, and come to a safe eating temperature.
2. Baking
What You Will Need:
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- 12 breakfast sausage links
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Line a baking sheet or a shallow baking pan with parchment paper to keep the sausages from sticking to the bottom.
- Arrange the sausages carefully on the baking sheet and leave at least an inch between them.
- Bake for up to 20 to 25 minutes until they’re fully cooked through. Flip them over when they’re halfway through the process to make sure they’re brown on all sides.
- Their internal temperature should be at least 160F. See above instructions for using a meat thermometer to test for doneness.
- Take them out of the oven and serve them while they’re hot.
3. Broiling
What You Will Need:
- A broiler
- 12 breakfast sausage links
Instructions:
- Preheat the broiler and let it warm up for 3 to 5 minutes. If your broiler has ‘low’ and ‘high’ settings, then preheat it on ‘low’.
- Place the sausages in the broiler pan and put the pan inside the broiler. Make sure it’s at least 4 inches away from the top.
- Let them broil for about 6 minutes and turn them over when you’re 3 minutes in.
- After they’ve turned a beautiful brown, remove the pan from the broiler and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
How Long Does It Last in the Fridge?
Cooked Breakfast Sausage
Cooked breakfast sausages can last up to four days in the refrigerator if they’re stored properly. Don’t let them sit out for longer than two hours after they’ve been cooked and put them in an airtight container.
Pan-fried sausages or sausages cooked in marinade can also be stored in the refrigerator. This also applies to Bratwurst or Cumberland sausages.
Spanish chorizo, however, can be stored for up to six weeks because they’re cured.
If you store cooked sausages in the freezer, then they’ll be safe to consume for up to three months. Just remember to thaw anything overnight in the refrigerator rather than out on the counter.
Uncooked Breakfast Sausage
After purchasing uncooked sausages from the store, you should store them in the coldest compartment of your refrigerator right away.
Don’t wait longer than two days to cook them.
If they can’t be consumed within the first two days of purchasing, then store them in the freezer and use them within two months.
How To Cook Breakfast Sausage 🍳
This is how we cook breakfast sausage in the oven.
Ingredients
- 12 breakfast sausage links
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 400F.
2. Line a baking sheet or a shallow baking pan with parchment paper to keep the sausages from sticking to the bottom.
3. Arrange the sausages carefully on the baking sheet and leave at least an inch between them.
4. Bake for up to 20 to 25 minutes until they’re fully cooked through. Flip them over when they’re halfway through the process to make sure they’re brown on all sides.
5. Their internal temperature should be at least 160F. See above instructions for using a meat thermometer to test for doneness.
6. Take them out of the oven and serve them while they’re hot.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to cook breakfast sausage, you’ll be a lot fuller in the mornings and start your day off right.
The best part about them is that there isn’t much you need other than a pan and a pack of sausage links.
When you’re cooking breakfast sausage rolls (also called chubs), cut them into half inch slices and cook each slice the same way you would cook a pre-formed sausage patty.
If you’re feeling a little adventurous and have some time on your hands, you can prepare delicious creations like Breakfast Mac and Cheese, Sausage and Egg Cups, and even Biscuits and Gravy with breakfast sausages bought from the nearest grocery store.
Make a little bit more, stick it in the freezer, and enjoy for up to a month.
NiceAds
Friday 29th of September 2023
I'm purely here to say how annoying it is to navigate this website. Terribly done.
Andi Reis
Friday 29th of September 2023
Okay, thanks for stopping by. Yes, they can be annoying. Ads are an imperfect part of the search experience but it's how we earn a living so we can keep working on recipes and meal inspiration for our readers.
Danielle
Wednesday 26th of May 2021
Your post gives three ways to cook breakfast sausage links. I know it's a stock photo, but your photo is sausage patties.
Shannon
Monday 24th of June 2024
@Andi Reis,
I was looking for patties I was wondering about how to tell without a meat Thermometer And would the same time if you are making the patties
I bought a roll of sausage
Andi Reis
Friday 2nd of July 2021
Hm that one fell through the cracks. Thanks for helping us out, Danielle!