People love to ask, “How long do I cook it?” The answer is always “until it’s done,” which is the most frustrating answer in the universe.
Seriously, cooking times are lies. One brand of sausage cooks in 10 minutes. Another takes 18 because it’s thicker than your uncle’s fist. Time doesn’t matter; temperature and texture do.
Forget the clock. Use your senses. If it smells like a cozy diner, feels firm but not rock-hard, and the inside is white or pale tan, you’ve won the sausage game.
The “Oops, I Cut It Open” Method
When all else fails, do the thing your grandmother told you never to do: cut one open.
Yes, you’ll lose some juice. Yes, it’s a little bit ugly. But you’ll see the truth. If the center looks like a raw hamburger, back in the pan it goes.
If it looks like a cooked meatloaf—uniform, slightly crumbly, no shininess—it’s ready. You’ve just sacrificed one sausage to save the rest of them. Heroic.
