How to Cook Fully Cooked Smoked Sausage

Last Updated: November 26, 2022 References

Sausages like andouille and kielbasa are cooked in a smokehouse before packaging. Although you can eat fully-cooked sausage right away, you can also cook it using a stove, oven, or grill. Cooking the sausage reheats it and gives you an opportunity to add different flavors. You can then incorporate it into a number of different recipes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Boiling Sausage on a Stove

1
Fill a large stockpot with water. Choose a stockpot big enough to hold all of the sausage you wish to boil. You will typically need about 6 US qt (5,700 mL) of water to submerge the sausages, although this can vary depending on the size of the pot you choose.^{[1]
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- If you have a lot of sausage to boil, you can do it in separate batches or use multiple pots.
- You can also boil sausage in beer, tomato sauce, or other liquids to give it more flavor.^{[2]
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2
Add seasonings to the pot. Boiling, besides being easy to do, gives you an opportunity to add extra flavoring to the sausage. For example, you can add lemon, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the water. This is useful if you plan on boiling onions, potatoes, or other food with the sausage.^{[3]
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- Check your recipe if you are using one, since it may have you add ingredients to the pot over time.
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3
Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Seal the pot to speed up the boiling time. Wait for the water to boil vigorously with lots of bubbles rising to the surface. This is called a rolling boil.^{[4]
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- If you need to test the water, stir it with a wooden spoon. The bubbles shouldn’t stop forming.
4
Add the sausage to the pot. Carefully drop the sausage into the pot to avoid splashing hot water on yourself. Push the sausage down with a spoon or tongs so that it is covered by the water. Wait for the water to return to a boil.
5
Boil the sausage for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover the pot again to speed up the process, then set your timer. After enough time has passed, carefully drain the water in the sink. Your sausage should be fully heated and ready to be eaten.^{[5]
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- You can easily drain the water by pouring the pot’s contents into a large colander. Otherwise, tip the pot over while holding the lid over it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Grilling Sausage

1
Preheat your grill for 10 minutes. Whether you have a gas or coal grill, let it cool down to a safe temperature after you first light it. A medium heat is perfect for warming the sausages without breaking the casing. Hold your hand over the grill to test the temperature. When it reaches a medium heat, you will be able to hold your hand above the heat for about 6 seconds before it feels too hot.^{[6]
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- A medium temperature is between 325 to 375 °F (163 to 191 °C)
- Depending on your grill, it may need more time to cool to the proper temperature.
2
Place the sausages on the grill. Arrange the sausages near the center of the grill. Instead of placing them directly in the center where the most heat is, space them out a little closer to the grill’s sides. Leave at least ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) of space between each sausage. This way, the heat reaches them more indirectly, making them less likely to burst.^{[7]
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- Since the sausages are pre-cooked, you don’t need to scorch them at a high temperature to cook the insides.
- You can cut the sausages in half lengthwise first to give them a slightly different flavor and texture.
3
Grill the sausages for 9 minutes until they are uniformly brown. Watch for the skin to turn an even brown color. Move the sausages right away if the skin begins to crack. Turn the sausages with tongs as needed during this time to brown all sides.^{[8]
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- If the casing splits, make sure your grill isn’t too hot. You may also be leaving the sausages on the grill for too long.
- Dark grill marks on the sausages are okay, but make sure the outer casing is a uniform golden brown color.
4
Remove the sausages and cool them for 2 minutes. Take the sausages off the grill immediately to prevent overcooking. Place them on a plate, then let them rest before biting into them so the juices stay inside the meat.
- When sausages are on the grill too long, they may burst or appear wrinkled after they cool.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Cooking Sausage in a Pan

1
Slice the sausage into ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) pieces. With a sharp knife, cut the sausage from side to side. The slices don’t have to be exact, but try to keep them all the same size so they brown at the same rate.^{[9]
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- You can cut the sausage into smaller slices or cubes if you prefer.
- Another way to do this is to cut the sausage in half lengthwise, then lay the halves in the pan.
2
Heat a skillet over medium heat. The sausage can be heated directly in the pan. You may want to add about 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of vegetable oil, water, or use a cooking spray so the sausage browns evenly without sticking to the pan.^{[10]
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- Use medium or medium-high heat only. If the pan is too hot, the sausage may crack or shrivel.
- You can also heat the sausage in a Dutch oven.
3
Cook the sausage for 5 minutes until they turn brown. Sauté the sausage slices, turning them as needed with tongs or a spatula. The heat from the pan will begin to turn the meat a light shade of brown. Once the slices are all a similar, uniform color, remove the pan from the heat.^{[11]
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4
Drain the pan and mix the sausage into other ingredients as desired. Hold the slices in place with a spatula or spoon as you pour out any liquid left in the pan. Then, you can eat the sausage as is or stir it into a stovetop recipe.
- For example, you might season and cook rice or potatoes and serve the sausage over it.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Baking Sausage in an Oven

1
Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C). You may want to check the packaging or your recipe, if you are using one, for temperature recommendations first. Either of these may instruct you to use a different temperature, which affects how quickly your sausage and any other ingredients cook.^{[12]
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- The temperature settings and cooking time can also change depending on your oven.
- Oven cooking is a simple way to warm large, uncut sausages indoors.
2
Spread foil over a baking sheet. Non-stick tin foil prevents the sausage from sticking to your baking sheet. It also protects it from any fat or juices that may drip from the meat. You may also use parchment paper or a non-stick cooking spray.^{[13]
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3
Space the sausage out on the baking tray. Keep the sausages in a single layer on the sheet. Try to leave about ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) of space between each sausage. This way, the heat reaches all sides evenly and the sausages won’t stick to each other when you remove them later.
- You can also slice up the sausages. This may cause them to cook faster.
- If you are baking a lot of sausage, do multiple batches or use multiple sheets.
- Most sausages, both raw and smoked, don’t require any preparation in order to be oven roasted. The big difference between the two is that, for raw sausages, you’re going to roast them whole and cut them after, whereas for smoked sausage you can cut them ahead of time and roast them in pieces to shorten your cooking time.
4
Bake the sausages for about 12 minutes. This should be enough time to warm up the sausage. You may also see the sausage turn brown or have crisp edges. Once you notice this, remove the sausages right away to prevent cracked casing or shriveled meat.^{[14]
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- You may wish to flip the sausage and continue to cook it a little longer to brown it more. This usually isn’t necessary, though.