How to Cook Frozen Sausages

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Learn how to cook frozen sausages. You can cook them in the oven; you can pan-fry or grill them. All three methods are fast, easy, and thoroughly delicious!

plate with sausages, roasted potatoes and parsley.

Cooking sausages from frozen could not be easier! And it’s definitely much faster than you might think.

Did you ever buy too many sausages for a grill party? It always happens to me; I always buy too many of them, just in case… So, what to do with them afterward? You can keep them in the fridge if you plan to eat them within the “sell-by” date on the package, but most of the time, after having grilled sausages at the weekend, you don’t really feel like having them again during the following week.

The best way to store them is to freeze them. Then, they will be perfectly okay (when it comes to taste and texture) for about 2-4 months. But you can keep them frozen even longer than that, and they will be safe and good to eat.

Are you interested in cooking frozen meat more often? Check out Cooking Frozen Chicken Breast - The Ultimate Guide, Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot, or learn How to Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs.

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What kind of sausages can be frozen?
How to cook pre-cooked frozen sausages?
How to cook raw frozen sausages?
Cook frozen sausages in the oven
Cook frozen sausages in a pan
Cook frozen sausages in a grill pan
Safe internal temperature for cooked sausages
Recipe FAQs
How to store?
What to do with leftovers?
How to serve?
Recipe
How to Cook Frozen Sausages

What kind of sausages can be frozen?

Most types. You might want to check the package just to be sure that you can freeze them. If you can’t, then it will most likely be indicated on the package.

You should never freeze sausages that have already been frozen and then defrosted. Just the way it is with all kinds of food. You should NEVER freeze food that was already defrosted!

The kind of sausages I freeze most of the time are bratwurst or brats; they are the typical German ones, and I live in Germany. And if you like bratwurst, learn how to cook Brats in the Oven or Brats on the Stove. Or make some Brats in the Air Fryer.

You can freeze Italian sausages, smoked ones (like Cabanossi or kielbasa), semi-cured or pre-cooked ones like Wiener, Frankfurters, and hot dog sausages.

How to cook pre-cooked frozen sausages?

They are the easiest to cook. Place hot dogs, Wieners, Frankfurters, etc., in a pot, cover with water (boiled from a kettle to make it even faster), and heat through. They should be piping hot inside.
You can also place small/thin Wiener or Frankfurters directly in the hot soup and heat them there when making German Lentil Soup, for instance.
When it comes to smoked ones (which are also cooked), I usually leave them on the counter until soft enough to slice (about 30 minutes), slice them, and add them to soups or stews. Try this Polish Bean Stew or this Pumpkin Potato and Sausage Bake made with smoked Cabanossi.
If I want to fry or grill them, I do that at a low temperature, turning very often. Keeping the temperature low is vital; only this way can you ensure that the sausages will be thoroughly defrosted and hot on the inside without the skin burning completely before that happens.

small white plate with three brown sausages and a fork.

How to cook raw frozen sausages?

So, let’s get to the main part of this guide. How do you cook raw frozen sausages? How do you ensure that they are perfectly juicy and safely cooked on the inside while remaining golden brown and delicious on the outside?

There are three ways of cooking them: in the oven, pan, and grill pan (or on a grill). All methods are incredibly easy, and the results are always great!

Cook frozen sausages in the oven

Preheat the oven and line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Brush it very lightly with oil. It is sufficient to brush it in the middle, on the spot where you will place the frozen sausages.
Remove the sausage from the package. They will probably be frozen in a clump, and you cannot take them apart immediately. No problem. Just place them on the prepared baking tray as they are. (1)
Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven; you can now take the brats apart. Take them apart, brush them lightly with oil, and arrange them on the tray, leaving a bit of space between them. (2)
Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature is achieved. Don’t forget to flip them 1 or 2 times in between. Increase the temperature during the last 5 minutes of the cooking time to help them get the desired golden-brown color. (3)
The baking time depends on their thickness. It doesn’t matter too much if they are longer or shorter, but the thickness matters. Always ensure they are cooked through by checking with a meat thermometer or cutting one in the middle.
Don’t leave them longer than required in the oven just to ensure they are cooked through. If you cook them too long, they will dry out. Just check as instructed above and remove them from the oven as soon as they are cooked through.

Tip: If the sausages are done but are still too pale for you, you can place the tray under the hot grill for a couple of minutes, turning at least once in between. Keep a close eye on them; they can go from golden brown to burned very quickly. I rarely bother with broiling them under the grill, though I am usually satisfied with their color.

collage of three pictures of baking tray with raw and cooked brats.

Cook frozen sausages in a pan

Pre-cook:

I prefer to pre-boil them before cooking them in a pan or grill; it is the fastest, safest way I know.
Place them in a saucepan or pot.
Cover with water and slowly bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Check with a thermometer; they should be cooked through.
Theoretically, they will be safe to eat now. BUT! They don’t look good, not like sausages are supposed to look. And you also want to have those fry or grill flavors. To make them mouth-watering, you will have to pan-fry or grill them.

Pan-fry:

Heat a cast-iron skillet or a non-stick pan (the Amazon links open in new tabs) on high heat. Brush it lightly with oil. (Amazon affiliate links)
Remove the sausages from the water and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
Place them in the hot pan and turn the heat down to medium.
Fry them for about 5 minutes, turning them often using tongs. Make sure that all sides make contact with the pan at one point or another. Turn down the heat slightly if they color too fast.
Remove them from the pan and serve when they have achieved the desired color.

frying bratwurst in a pan before and after cooking.

Cook frozen sausages in a grill pan

Pre-cook them as instructed above. Remove from the pan and dry well with kitchen paper.
Heat a grill pan (the Amazon link opens in a new tab) on high heat. Brush with oil and reduce the heat to medium.
Place the pre-cooked brats in the pan and grill on all sides, turning often, for about 5 minutes or until the desired color is achieved. If they color too fast, turn down the heat slightly. Make sure that all sides make contact with the pan at one point or another.

Bonus:

If you have an air fryer, you can use it as well.
Cook them in the preheated air fryer for 6 minutes. If they were clumped together, take them apart now. Brush lightly with oil.
Flip with tongs, increase the temperature, and cook them through.
Check the internal temperature or cut one in the middle to make sure that they are cooked through.

Safe internal temperature for cooked sausages

The internal temperature should be 160°F/ 71°C. The best way to check is with a meat thermometer (Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). If you don’t have one, check by cutting one in the middle; the meat should not be pink anymore.

How to check the internal temperature with a thermometer?

Insert the thermometer tip into the sausage, stopping in the middle and not going all the way through.

The temperature should be shown quite quickly. My thermometer goes up quickly at first and slows down once it approaches the temperature it should show.

If the number shown is below the temperature you are aiming for, continue cooking the sausages for a few more minutes, then check again.

When possible, try to stick the tip of the thermometer into the same hole as before to reduce the amount of juice escaping the brat.

Are there other ways of checking the internal temperature?

Of course. Although a meat thermometer is always my first choice, there are other ways to check as well.

The most obvious and safest one is to cut a bratwurst in the middle. It should no longer be pink but grey and hot inside.

Use a metal cake tester or a metal skewer. Insert it into the sausage, hold it there for 10 seconds, and press it against your lip. If it feels hot, the brat should be cooked through. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes and check again. I often used this method to check if a large whole salmon was cooked through before I got myself a thermometer.

Check how firm the sausages are. They should be firm to the touch and bounce back slightly when you press them. However, this method requires a bit of experience; you will probably have to try it a few times before you learn how exactly a cooked sausage should feel.

Recipe FAQs

How can I freeze sausages?

Make sure that they can be frozen; most can. If not, the package should indicate that you cannot do it.
You can leave them in their original package and freeze them as they are. I do that often when only 5 to 8 smaller ones are in one package.
However, if the package is larger or I have an open package, I freeze them in smaller portions and always consider how many are necessary for one family meal.
Place the portions into good-quality, thick freezer bags. Close them, squeezing out as much air as possible. Freeze.

Can I freeze defrosted raw sausages again?

Never do that. When it comes to sausages or any other food, including plain vegetables.

Can I freeze defrosted and cooked sausages again?

If you’ve defrosted and cooked them, you can freeze the cooked ones again. But only once. Don’t defrost them, and then freeze them again, even if they are cooked.

How to tell if defrosted sausages are bad?

It could happen if you waited too long to freeze them. Look at them and smell them. If they smell sour, have a weird color, or are slimy, throw them away.

Can I cook frozen sausages on a BBQ?

Yes. Pre-cook them as instructed above and brown them on the BBQ, flipping them often until the desired color is achieved.

How to store?

As you cannot refreeze already defrosted food, cook all the sausages in the package.

Leftovers keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

What to do with leftovers?

You can reheat them in the microwave or in the oven and serve them as you did the previous day.

Chop the cold sausages and add them to soups, stews, casseroles, potato or noodle salad, risotto, or other rice dishes.

close up golden potato slices and sliced sausage.

How to serve?

The easiest way of serving them: stuff them in a bun and add mustard and/or ketchup. You can add cooked sauerkraut, roasted or raw onions, sliced sour cucumbers, and so on.

Serve with any kind of potatoes: fries, German potato salad, smashed potatoes, oven potatoes with Brussels sprouts, garlic parmesan mashed potatoes, and so on. You could also serve them with Barbecue Rice, Jollof Rice, or any other simple rice dish you like; I prefer something spicy. Try them with frozen corn, sweetheart cabbage, or buttered leeks.

Make a sauce, like caramelized onion sauce, sauteed mushroom sauce for steak, or curry sauce. You could try the famous German Currywurst sauce (the link opens in a new tab); it’s simply perfect for bratwurst.

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