Elk sausage is a type of venison sausage. Enclosing elk meat in a casing with fat and seasonings disguises much of the gamy flavor and tough texture of elk. Cooking elk sausage is no different than cooking other varieties. It requires relatively low heat to avoid bursting the casing. Fat escapes through holes in the casing during cooking, sapping sausage of moisture and flavor. Should your sausage casing burst, apply extra cooking oil or melted butter to the sausages after cooking. Cooking times vary according to a number of factors, so an internal-temperature reading is the only way to know that elk sausage is safely cooked.

Fill a medium-sized saucepan with enough cold water to completely cover the elk sausages with 1 inch of water. Add a dash or two of salt to the water and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Drop the elk sausages carefully into the pot. Arrange them with a cooking spoon or other implement to make sure they are all entirely submerged. Avoid handling the sausages with any implement that might puncture their casings.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Poach the elk sausages in simmering water for 30 minutes.

Remove the elk sausages from the water and test their internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Set them on paper towels to drain if they've reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or poach them a bit longer as needed first.

Coat a medium skillet with a nonstick cooking spray or 1 tbsp. of cooking oil. Preheat the pan for one minute over high heat.

Cut the heat to medium. Lay the elk sausages down in the pan.

Fry the elk sausages for five minutes. Turn them over carefully with a spatula or plastic-tipped tongs that won't puncture their casings. Cook the other side for an additional five minutes.

Take the internal temperature of the elk sausages. Transfer them to paper towels to drain if they've reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or fry them for more time as necessary. Cook both sides for equal amounts of time.

Preheat the oven fully to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cover a baking tray with aluminum foil.

Brush the elk sausages with melted butter or cooking oil and line them up on the baking tray. Space them evenly and don't let them touch each other or the sides of the tray.

Bake the elk sausages for 15 minutes. Flip them over and apply another coating of melted butter or cooking oil. Bake them for an additional 15 minutes. Check their internal temperature and take them out of the oven once they reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit at their centers.