To prevent sausages from bursting and losing moisture, blanch them in boiling water before frying or baking. This simple step ensures juicy, crispy results every time, according to sausage-making specialists William J. Walter.
Why Sausages Burst and Become Dry
Sausages are a staple in many households, but cooking them can be tricky. A frequent error many people make is cooking sausages on high heat, which generates steam inside the meat and causes it to split. This leads to the loss of precious juices and flavour, leaving you with unappetising, soggy sausages. Sausages contain significant moisture, making them prone to bursting if not handled properly.
The Simple Blanching Solution
Rather than placing sausages straight into a scorching frying pan or preheated oven, the professionals at William J. Walter recommend blanching them first. They said: "We suggest blanching the sausages before frying or baking them so that they remain tender and juicier."
The initial step is to bring water to a boil in a saucepan, then add your sausages and reduce the heat. Simmer for five minutes for smoked sausages and 10 minutes for fresh regular sausages. Then prepare your sausages however you prefer: in a pan, in the oven, or on the barbecue. They should only require 10 minutes to cook in the oven, and three to five minutes in the frying pan and barbecue.
How Blanching Improves Texture and Flavor
It might appear odd, but blanching sausages enables them to cook gradually, guaranteeing that both the casing and the interior are cooked uniformly at the same time. By blanching sausages in advance, the skin contracts, stopping them from splitting during cooking, and it substantially reduces the chance of charring. Consequently, you'll have sausages that are not only ideally crispy but also far more flavoursome, as all the juices and fat stay locked inside the skin.
Many people boost the flavour of the water by incorporating seasonings such as a chicken stock cube, which considerably enhances the taste and produces sausages that are much more intense.
