How to Cook Frozen Sausages

4.80 from 5 votes

Cook frozen sausages without thawing them first. Bake them in the oven or precook them before browning them in a pan or on the grill.

Prep Time2

Cook Time30

Total Time32

Course: Sausages and Bratwurst

Cuisine: American, German

Servings: servings

Calories: 453kcal

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush it lightly with oil.
Pre-bake: Place the frozen sausages on the prepared baking sheet. If they are stuck together, bake them as they are for 10 minutes (Note 2).
6 raw frozen sausages
Separate: Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Separate the sausages, brush them lightly with oil, and arrange them in a single layer with some space between them.
1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Finish baking: Bake for another 15–20 minutes, turning once or twice, until cooked through. Increase the temperature to 430°F/220°C during the final 5 minutes if you want the sausages more deeply browned (Notes 3,4,5)

Pre-cook: Place the frozen sausages in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water slowly to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Dry: Remove the sausages from the water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Brown: Heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan and brush it lightly with oil. Fry the sausages over medium heat for about 5 minutes, turning often until browned on all sides.

Pre-cook: Simmer the frozen sausages for about 15 minutes as instructed above, then pat them dry.
Grill: Place them on a hot, lightly oiled grill or grill pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning frequently until evenly browned.

Type of sausage: These instructions are for raw frozen sausages such as bratwurst or Italian sausages. Precooked sausages only need to be heated through.
If the sausages are frozen together, don’t force them apart. They will separate easily after about 10 minutes in the oven or a few minutes in simmering water.
Cooking time depends on the thickness of the sausages. Check the internal temperature before serving.
Internal temperature: Pork and beef sausages should reach 160°F/71°C. Chicken and turkey sausages should reach 165°F/74°C.
You can broil the sausages briefly at the end if they are cooked but still pale. Watch them closely because they can darken quickly.