2 Ways to Tell If Sausage Is Cooked (Plus Sausage Recipes)

Avoid eating undercooked sausage with this simple guide

Co-authored by Marrow Private Chefs and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 30, 2023

With a Thermometer

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Without a Thermometer

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Boiling

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Grilling

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Pan-frying

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Baking

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Expert Q&A

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Warnings

Mmmm… making sausage for dinner? This versatile food is great for adding into pastas, grilling up with veggies, or even eating plain on a bun! Making sure that your sausage is fully cooked will let you enjoy your meal without the threat of getting sick looming over you. That’s why we’re giving you 2 ways to tell if your sausage is cooked, both with a meat thermometer and without one. We’ll also share some of the best ways to cook your sausage so you can enjoy a tasty meal with friends and family.

Things You Should Know

Use a meat thermometer to make sure your sausage is between 160 and 165 °F (71 and 74 °C).
If you don’t have a meat thermometer, check that the sausage is firm and has clear, runny juices. Cut it open and make sure the inside is brown, not pink.
Before cooking sausages, boil or poach them first to ensure that they’re done. Then, you can grill or fry them.
Or, bake sausages in the oven for an easy way to cook them.

Section 1 of 6:

With a Thermometer

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Poke the end of the thermometer into the end of the sausage. Using the thermometer in the end of the sausage ensures that you won’t pierce the sausage casing (and let all of those delicious juices out). Try to stick your thermometer directly into the end of the sausage to leave the majority of the sausage intact.^{[1]
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Check for an internal temp between 160 and 165 °F (71 and 74 °C). In general, all sausages should be in this range. If your sausage is not, it needs more cook time.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 6:

Without a Thermometer

1
Check that the sausage is firm with clear juices. Pick up the sausage with tongs and hold it in the air. Is it firm and mostly stands up straight? Then it’s likely done. Check the juices in the pan or baking sheet as well: if they are clear, then the sausage is probably ready to eat.^{[3]
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- If the sausage is floppy like a noodle or if the juices are pink in color, your sausage needs more time.
2
Slice the sausage open and check for a brown or taupe color. To be extra sure your sausage is done, use a knife to cut it in half and check the inside. A done sausage will be brown or taupe all the way through, while an underdone sausage might be pink or red inside.^{[4]
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- In general, you can eat a sausage if it’s still slightly pink on the inside (since eating underdone beef and pork is usually fine). However, the sausage should be mostly brown or taupe inside.

Section 3 of 6:

Boiling

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Boil a pot of water on high heat. Boiling sausages is a great way to make sure that they’re done before you fry or grill them. Grab a pot that’s large enough to hold your sausages, fill it with water, then let it get to a rolling boil on high heat.^{[5]
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Place the sausages in the water and cook them for 30 minutes. Use tongs to carefully place the sausages in the water, then turn the heat down to medium. Most sausages will be done after boiling for about half an hour, so set a timer on your phone or oven so you don’t forget.^{[6]
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Fry the sausages in a pan for extra color and added flavor. When the sausages are done boiling, they’re technically safe to eat. However, if you’d like to give them some color on the outside, throw them in a frying pan or on the grill for about 5 minutes.^{[7]
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Section 4 of 6:

Grilling

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Poach the sausages on low heat. Poaching your sausages before grilling them ensures a more even cook (that way, they won’t be burnt on the outside and raw on the inside). To poach your sausages, place them in a saucepan and cover them with water. Turn the burner on low heat and poach the sausages until the internal temperature reaches 150 °F (66 °C).^{[8]
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- You can also poach your sausages in wine, chicken stock, or beer for added flavor.
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Transfer them to a grill on high heat for about 5 minutes. It’s time to grill up these bad boys! Since your sausages are pretty close to done, use tongs to put them on the grill for 5 to 10 minutes until they reach 160 to 165 °F (71 to 74 °C).^{[9]
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Section 5 of 6:

Pan-frying

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Warm a non-stick pan over medium heat, then add the sausages. Sausages have a tendency to get stuck to their cooking instruments, so pick a non-stick pan.^{[10]
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- The fat from the sausages will run out onto the pan as they cook, making the sausages even less likely to stick to the pan.
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Turn the sausages over regularly for an even color. Use tongs to flip the sausages and move them around in the pan. That way, every side of the sausage will get golden brown instead of just one side.^{[11]
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- Regularly turning the sausages also helps them cook thoroughly.
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Cook the sausages for 15 to 20 minutes. Frying sausages only takes about 20 minutes or so, so stay nearby as the sausages cook. The outside of the sausages will turn a light golden brown when they’re almost done.^{[12]
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Section 6 of 6:

Baking

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Heat the oven to 190 °C (374 °F). Sausages need a fairly mid-level heat to cook all the way. Preheat your oven while you get the sausages ready.^{[13]
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Pour 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil into a roasting pan. Olive oil will help give your sausages a nice brown color (and help them avoid sticking to the pan). Put down some foil, then drizzle the olive oil into the pan.^{[14]
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Coat the sausages in oil, then cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Use tongs to place your sausages onto the pan, then flip them over to cover them in oil. Place them in the oven and check the internal temperature after about 20 minutes.^{[15]
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Expert Q&A

Question

How do you prepare to cook sausages in the oven?

Marrow Private Chefs
Private Chefs
Marrow Private Chefs are based in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. It is a chefs’ collaborative comprised of an ever-growing number of chefs and culinary professionals. Though regionally influenced primarily by coastal, traditional southern, cajun, and creole styles and flavors, the chefs at Marrow have a solid background in all types of cuisine with over 75 years of combined cooking experience.

Marrow Private Chefs

Private Chefs

Expert Answer

Most sausages, both raw and smoked, don't require any preparation to be oven roasted. The big difference between the two is that raw sausages are cooked whole and cut afterwards, while smoked sausages can be cut ahead of time (which shortens your cook time overall).

Warnings

Eating undercooked sausage can make you very sick. Be sure to cook your sausage thoroughly before eating it.^{[16]
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Always cook your sausages thoroughly over medium heat. Don't try to turn the heat up too high to cook them faster because that will dry out your sausages.

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