What is a full Irish breakfast without sausages?
They are a staple in many dishes, but none more important than a fry up, which is why it's so important to cook them properly.
Luckily for anyone who struggles to get it right, an award-winning Michelin-starred chef has lifted the lid on how to cook sausages the 'right' way - and shared some common mistakes we all make.
Jeff Baker, a top chef who has cooked for the Queen, revealed his five-step tutorial for making the perfect sausages, reports the Daily Star.
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Here’s the pro advice Jeff offered to get the staple of the Irish breakfast right:
Remove the sausages from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking
This helps the sausage to cook evenly and prevents the skin from splitting when it's confronted with heat.
Pop them into the pan
Use a heavy based non-stick frying pan, place on a low to medium heat.
Add a teaspoon of duck or goose fat to the pan
Then swirl around until the base is fully coated then tip away any excess fat.
Place the sausages in the pan, making sure they’re not touching each other and keep on a constant heat
Turning them regularly ensures the bangers get a rich golden colour.
Jeff recommends 10 to 12 minutes for a traditional thick sausage.
Rest the sausages before serving
Once cooked the sausage will be firm to touch, with an internal temperature of 70°C.
The secret now is to let the sausages rest for a few minutes, just like you would a steak allowing the meat to relax, giving you a tender, juicy sausage.
Changing your cooking methods can be tricky, especially if you think your way of making sausages is best.
If you don't want to follow Jeff's tutorial to the letter, we're sure it won't be the end of the world.
Despite this, Jeff does urge home cooks to avoid making simple errors.
Common mistakes when cooking sausages
Pricking the skins when cooking quality sausages with high meat content and natural skins
This can cause juices will run out and you'll end up with a dry tasteless sausage
Never deep fry
Doing so can make the skin tough and the sausage dry.
Don't bake your sausages
While this seems like the healthy option, it doesn't provide the fry-up experience that pan cooking does.
Baking prevents the exterior from developing that lovely umami taste we all crave.
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