Cooking Tips

How to Grill Plump & Juicy Sausages

Plump & Juicy Grilled Sausages

Summer is the time to fire up the barbecue and start grilling. But how many times have you purchased some thick , plump sausages only to have them shrivel up on the grill resembling something more like jerky.

The problem with grilling thicker sausages is that they need to be cooked completely through, especially pork sausages, to kill any bacteria (and prevent any possibility of trichinosis). So the longer you grill the sausages, the more they will dry out. The easiest way keep your sausages juicy is to cook the inside first, then grill them to get the outside nice and crispy. But how do you cook the inside of a sausage without drying it out?

NO YOU DO NOT MICROWAVE IT!!

The technique you will use is called parboiling. Parboiling is a technique of partially cooking a protein in boiling water, then completing the cooking process at a later time.

For 2 lbs of pork sausages (spicy or mild it really doesn’t matter), bring ~6qts of water to a boil. Add the sausages, return to boil, reduce heat and simmer for ~20 minutes. Remove the sausages from the simmering water, then grill until the outsides are browned and crisp. You can also parboil the sausages ahead of time, set the sausages in a bowl, then transfer to the grill when ready.

Not only will parboiling reduce your grilling time, but the sausage won’t dry out, remaining plump and juicy, like they should. If this tip works for you, get more at Home Chef Cooking Tips.