Well, as I’m sure you’re already aware, this Easter weekend promises to be a scorcher.
So I thought it would be a good idea to write a useful blog post on how to cook sausages on the BBQ without giving yourself food poisoning or eating charcoal for your outdoor treat, or having sausages break up and drop into your coals.
So here goes:
- Find a nice local butcher that supplies home-made sausages and get him/her to prepare you 10 bangers with your favourite ingredients. I personally like a Thai chilli or a traditional Cumberland with added rosemary.
- Keep chilled along with a 4 pack of St Miguel (my fave), or a bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (my Wife’s fave).
- When you’re ready, get the coals lit.
- Whilst they take light and start to really heat up, put the sausages into a pan and pour on some hot (not boiling) water to blanch them for about five minutes.
- Alternatively, give them a gentle fry in a pan of hot oil.
- Or bake them in the oven for 6-7 minutes.
- The reason for all of these is to seal the sausages. You could do it on the BBQ but unless the grill is supremely clean, the skin will stick to the grill and you’ll end up with split sausage everywhere.
- Take them to the BBQ and place over the direct heat at about 15cm above the heat. There should not be flames by this stage, just gentle heat from the coals.
- If there are flames, the BBQ is not ready to use yet.
- If you’ve got a Weber, simply place on the half of the grill that’s not over the coals (indirect cooking), shut the lid and return in 12 minutes.
- If you’ve got a traditional BBQ, just keep the bangers turning as much as possible (direct cooking), especially if the fat from the sausages drips into the coals and flames shoot up.
- The idea here is to get the heat to all of the sausage and at the same time to not burn the surface. This should take about 15 minutes (a little longer than the Webber method).
- To check if they are done, cut into one and make sure there is no pinkness in the centre.
- If you have a thermometer, anything over 160 degrees F should be good to go.
- Break open the tinnies and enjoy…
Have a great Easter!!
