For Perfectly Grilled Sausages, Follow A Simple Temperature Rule

When you need a break from basic all-American cheeseburgers at your barbecue, a perfectly grilled sausage will always hit the spot. However, achieving the perfect snappy-on-the-outside-yet-tender-on-the-inside bite requires mastery over the temperature of your grill –  not to mention knowing just how to cook your sausages in the right conditions. To learn how to get the best sear every time, Food Republic spoke to Daniel Henderson, head of product development in the U.S. and Canada at Wild Fork Foods. With over 35 sausage choices, including basics to specialties like Bison Jalapeño and Cheddar Cheese, Bison Hickory Smoked Wild Boar & Cranberry, and Rabbit & Pork with White Wine Sausage, we know they have the answers.

Controlling temperature is one of many key tips when cooking sausages. According to Henderson, "To keep sausages from splitting during cooking, I recommend grilling them at a lower temperature and not over stuffing the casing so that they are more likely to remain intact." The casing is what helps you get that nice crunch and sear on the outer layer of your sausage, and successfully casing the meat is key to mastering homemade sausage.

But the most important takeaway? Temperature. By starting at a lower temperature, the inner meat has time to fully cook through without burning the casing. Note that this will be true whether you're cooking a small batch of brats or a long link of andouille sausage — it's all about even cooking and monitoring your casing.

While temperature and timing play a huge role in grilling sausages, experts like Daniel Henderson know it's also about where the meat is in relation to the heat. Henderson said, "To ensure your sausages cook evenly and slowly (not overcooking, drying out)[,] the best way to grill them is to start with indirect heat for even cooking and then finish them on direct heat for browning and a nice char." This means you don't have to prick your sausages for them to cook all the way through, as you start the meat off slowly, so the outside doesn't burn while the middle is still raw. Henderson added, "this enables the sausage to cook through fully but still stay juicy, flavorful and prevents splitting."

Successful cooking under indirect heat simply means keeping the sausages out of the path of any flames in the grill — similar to heating a s'more over the coals instead of lighting it on fire. For those using a charcoal grill, the best way to create indirect heat is by moving the flaming coals to one side and placing the food on the other. It's all about balance, and this low-and-slow process will be the key to that tenderness we all love from grilled meat, so long as you have patience. So, once you've paid careful attention to your overall grill temperature and how you orient your sausages, you're sure to have a tasty barbecue dinner in no time.