3 easy ways to cook delicious Franks and irresistible Pork Sausages.

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August 30, 2022

We know you love all the delicious flavors of One Straw Ranch sausage links. Everyone has their favorite! Bratwurst, breakfast, ginger pear, Italian, chorizo…

No matter which you choose, these artisan sausage links can benefit from a little extra care while cooking.

Today I’ll walk you through a few easy methods to turn out luscious, savory links every time.

But first, what makes our sausages special?

These sausages are a high quality eating experience!

Of course, it starts with the exceptional meat that you expect from our farm. You know you can trust how we raise our animals, because the care we take shines through in the flavor and quality of the meat.

Next, all of the sausage varieties are free from fillers and other junk. No MSG. No nitrates. No GMO ingredients. Just delicious One Straw pork and beef, complimented with the right amount of salt and spices.

And these tasty sausages have a lower fat content than their commercial counterparts. This is not just odd bits of discarded trim – this is high quality muscle meat ground specifically to make decadent sausages.

And instead of maximizing yield by throwing in lots of extra fat, we ask the butcher shop to trim more heavily. This makes the sausage leaner so it doesn’t all cook away into fat left in the pan.

However, because of the lower fat content, you need to be more careful cooking these beauties than you would with, say, a Ballpark hot dog :)

Here are a few tips for cooking the perfect One Straw sausage, no matter which cooking method you choose.

Use a lower, more gentle heat.
Don’t rush them – it’s worth taking extra time.
Don’t prick or break the casing. Low heat and frequent turning helps.
Oil the pan or the grill to keep them from sticking.
Sausages should be cooked to 160 degrees F. If you’re going to use a thermometer to test the temperature, I suggest choosing one sausage as the sacrifice link so you don’t poke holes in all of them.

All of these tips are designed to prevent the sausages from over cooking and drying out. Since there is less fat, you want to keep it all in!

Much of the flavor and juiciness is in the fat and you don’t want to render it all away. Gone are the days of worrying about eating animal fats – the health benefits are once again being accepted.

And pork fat is a great source of Vitamin D! We all need more of the sunshine vitamin and eating pork is a tasty way to get it.

Now to the cooking!

First, my favorite lazy (smart) must-try momma trick that you’re probably going to need for your next campout or grill party:

The Cook Ahead Method or Campfire Rescue Technique.

It’s an absolute must if the kids want to cook their sausage on a stick over a campfire. And who doesn’t want to do this at least once a summer!?

Basically, you’re going to very simply precook the sausages, which can save you time and bother in several situations.

It’s the perfect way to turn our real-food Beef & Pork Franks and Pork Sausages into fabulous campfire fare that you actually want your kids (or grandkids) to eat.

Because, unlike the hot dogs from the grocery store (those ones with the suspiciously long ingredient list), our sausages are completely raw and must be cooked to 160F.

Cooking to safe temp is not easy with a short stick, a smoky campfire, and a hungry kiddo!

Ask me how I know this…it’s not a pretty story…

Once the sausages are pre-cooked, the only jobs the campfire stick needs to do are warm it through and give it a nice browned finish.

I know I’ve said over and over not to puncture the casing, and of course you have to do that when cooking on a stick over a campfire. But honestly, when we’re talking kids and the campfire, that’s probably the least of our concerns.

We know it’s going to come out lukewarm and either white with ash or on fire. Or both! hahahaha.

Either way, it will still be delicious, the important life experience has been accomplished, and you’re happy with the food they put into their bodies.

Makes up a bit for the marshmallows they’re going to toast next :)

Precooking is also a lifesaver if you want to grill up a bunch of sausages for a crowd and can’t, or don’t want to, spare the space on the grill or the time it takes to treat them carefully. After all, those zucchinis need grilling, too!

#1 Cook Ahead Method or Campfire Rescue Technique

Place sausages in a sauce pan.
Cover with water and a lid.
Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
Adjust temperature to keep at a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160F.
Then cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to finish cooking.
They’re going to be an unappealing color (like the hot dogs your grandma boiled for lunch when you were little), but that’s what the next step is for!
To serve, either grill until heated through and browned (over a lower heat, oiling the grill, being careful not to rupture the skins).
Or, skewer and have fun at the campfire – temperature and degree of brownness up to the little (or big) camper’s preference and patience!

#2 On The Grill

Preheat the grill to medium.
Brush the grill with oil to keep the sausages from sticking.
Don’t cook directly over the flame.
Use tongs, rather than a fork, so as not to puncture the casing. Turn often.
Cook until nicely browned, with an internal temp of 160F.

#3 In The Pan – Fried or Steamed

Preheat a heavy bottomed pan to medium low.
Swirl in oil to coat the pan. You want enough so the sausages don’t stick and then tear the casing when you flip them.
Add sausages to pan, being sure not to crowd the pan.
When browned on the first side, flip over to brown on the second side.
If they stick to the pan, you can put a lid on for a few minutes and/or add a bit of water. The steam/water will loosen them from the pan.

Steaming - Cooking them in the pan with a lid is a sub-method of the pan method. You can brown them first and then add the lid to finish cooking.

Or, you can start with a bit of water in the pan and a lid to steam them until nearly cooked through. Then remove the lid to allow the sausages to brown. Once the water has cooked away, you may need to pour in a little oil to keep them from sticking.