Blanching is an excellent way to pre-cook fresh sausages before using a cooking method like pan-frying or grilling to impart flavor. Blanching also remedies problems like undercooking and excessive charring associated with those cooking preparations. Briefly blanch your sausages before you finish cooking in the pan or on the grill and you'll wind up with moist, perfectly cooked meat every time.
Blanched Sausages
Before you grill or pan-fry, first blanch your fresh sausages. Fill a pot or skillet with enough water to completely cover your sausages. Alternatively, you can blanch your sausages in beer. You can also add onions or seasonings like fresh herbs to season your sausages while they blanch. Bring the sausages to a boil and cook until they turn grey, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the sausages from the water and transfer to the grill or pan to finish cooking.
References
- The Joy of Cooking; Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker
- National Hot Dog and Sausage Council: Tips for Cooking Linked Sausages
Writer Bio
Christina Kalinowski is a writer from the Twin Cities who began her career in 2011. She contributes food and drink related articles to The Daily Meal. She holds a Master of Arts in sociology from Purdue University.
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