Sausages are a great addition to the breakfast, lunch, or dinner table.
But what do you do if you find yourself with a few leftover?
The goal when reheating sausages is to keep their insides moist and flavorful while ensuring they’re warmed evenly.
If you’re grappling with this problem, you’re in luck.
I’m happy to report that by trying out four different reheating techniques, I’ve figured out the best ways to retain the taste of sausages without drying them out.
Proper storage practices are also important, so I’ve included some guidelines for refrigerating and freezing sausages.
A note on my experiment
I made a whole batch of sausages for dinner last night and then saved the leftovers to serve up with brunch the next day.
Wanting to present my sausages tasting as good as new, I experimented with no less than four different reheating methods before settling on the one that works best.
The warming methods I tried included:
- Reheating sausages in a pan (best method overall for consistently good results)
- Reheating sausages in the microwave (most disappointing results)
- Reheating sausages in the oven (even heating and good flavor)
- Reheating sausages in the air fryer (also an excellent method and adds a nice crisp)
The sausages I heated in a pan tasted delicious. They were moist and kept all their flavor.
The results from the microwave were a bit disappointing. My sausages ended up with chewy, tough skins and a slightly muted taste.
In the oven, they came out a little dry but evenly heated and still tasting great.
The air fryer method was quick and convenient, and the skin crisped up nicely.
Related: Can You Reheat Sausage Rolls?
Reheating sausages in a pan
Cover the base of a pan with water and set it on medium-low heat on your stove. Place your sausages in the pan and cover them with a lid. Heat them for about 5 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated, turning them regularly. After this, you can add some oil to brown the sausages.
Alternatively, you can cut your sausages lengthways or slice them into disks and then pan-fry them in oil over medium-high heat.
How to reheat sausages in a pan:
- Add a layer of water to a frying pan.
- Set your stove to medium-low heat.
- Place your sausages in the pan and cover them with a lid.
- As the water evaporates, turn the sausages regularly until heated all the way through.
- Optional: Once all the water is gone, uncover the pan and add a drop or two of oil.
- Optional: Brown your sausages for a minute or two by frying them.
- Serve immediately.
Alternatively:
- Slice your sausages lengthways or chop them into disks.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a pan on medium-high heat.
- Fry the sausages until warm to your satisfaction, moving them around in the pan as you go.
- Once warm and crispy, serve immediately.
The water in the first method creates steam, which helps ensure that your sausages heat evenly and stay nice and juicy.
But don’t add too much water to the pan.
You don’t want to recook your sausages. You just want to warm them gently.
A low heat ensures the middle of the sausage heats up before the outsides start to burn.
If you go the oil route, the sausages will be slightly drier but will have more of a crisp to them.
My verdict
I used the water method when trying this reheating technique, and I was really pleased with the result.
My sausages were moist and kept all of their delicious flavors.
I was a bit worried the skin would seem soggy, but this wasn’t the case.
Top tip: don’t leave the sausages unattended (as I did) because once the water disappears, the sausages will start to brown very quickly.
Reheating sausages in the microwave
Place 1-3 sausages on a microwave-safe plate. Cover the dish with a piece of damp paper towel and heat your sausages in 30-second intervals until they’re piping hot all the way through. Leave the sausages to rest for 60 seconds before serving.
Top tip: Pierce some holes in your sausages if there isn’t already some. This reduces the risk of them bursting or exploding in the microwave.
How to reheat sausages in the microwave:
- Place your sausages on a microwave-safe plate.
- If there are no holes in the skin, pierce the sausages a few times with a fork.
- Cover the sausages with a piece of damp paper towel.
- Microwave the sausages in 30-second intervals until piping hot.
- Uncover the sausages and let them rest for 60 seconds before serving.
Covering the sausages with a damp paper towel seals in moisture and keeps them tender on the inside.
I suggest reheating a maximum of 3 sausages at a time in the microwave. Any more and the heating can become uneven and leave you with cold spots.
If you’re in a hurry, cut your sausages in half lengthways before reheating them.
My verdict
This method is quick and convenient, but it didn’t deliver the best results.
The microwave made the skin of my sausages a bit chewy and dulled the flavors in the meat.
The microwave is fine if you have no other option, but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Reheating sausages in the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread your leftover sausages out on a baking tray and heat them for 10 to 15 minutes, turning halfway through. If you don’t want the sausages to brown, cover the tray with foil. Once the sausages are warmed through, serve them immediately.
If you want some browning but not loads, cover the sausages with foil at the beginning of the process and remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of heating.
How to reheat sausages in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spread the sausages out on a baking tray.
- Optional: Cover the baking tray with foil. This will prevent the sausages from browning.
- Warm the sausages in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Check your heating progress (with a food thermometer if you have one) at the halfway mark. You don’t want to over-warm your sausages, as this will dry them out.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use the fork trick.
Stick a fork into the sausage and feel it as you pull it out. If the metal is warm to the touch, the sausages are hot enough.
To avoid any mess and grease, line your baking tray with foil.
My verdict
This method was a bit slower than the other options, but I didn’t have to worry about the sausage not heating evenly.
The sausages tasted good and retained 100% of their flavor.
The only downside was that they were (very) slightly drier than the microwaved or pan-fried sausages. Not make or break, but something to consider.
The oven is a good method for reheating large quantities of sausages at once.
Reheating sausages in the air fryer
Set your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Place your sausages in the air fryer basket and heat them for 4-5 minutes, checking their progress at the halfway mark. Once warm, you can serve them immediately. For easier cleaning, line your fryer basket with foil.
How to reheat sausages in the air fryer:
- Set your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
- Place your sausages in the fryer basket, not touching.
- Heat them for 4-5 minutes, checking their progress at the 2-minute mark. The air fryer can overcook things quickly, so it’s good to do regular progress checks.
- Once warm all the way through, serve immediately.
Because of how the air fryer works, the outer skin of the sausage will heat up much faster than the inside.
It’s easy to be fooled into thinking the sausages are done because of a burning hot outside.
But you should always check the sausage is hot all the way through before taking it out of the air fryer.
You have three options here:
- use a thermometer.
- cut the sausage open and feel the inside.
- stick a fork into the sausage and feel how hot the teeth are when you pull it out.
My verdict
Sausages reheated in the air fryer are absolute winners. If you have access to one, I 100% recommend using an air fryer.
The skin develops delicious crispiness, while the inside stays moist and flavorful.
This method is also fast and convenient and requires minimal fuss. Just be careful not to overcook the sausages (they’ll end up very dry).
How to store sausages
To store leftover sausages, start by letting them cool down to room temperature. Then, wrap your sausages in plastic wrap and seal them in an airtight container. Place the container in the fridge. Correctly stored, sausages can keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Wrapping your sausages in plastic wrap prevents them from drying out by locking in the moisture.
If you’re not keen on using plastic wrap, parchment paper will do the trick. Or you can ditch it all together if you’re only keeping the sausages for 1-2 days.
Can you freeze sausages?
Yes, sausages freeze really well, just like most meats. Frozen sausages will retain best quality for up to six months but will remain safe to eat beyond that. The best way to freeze sausages is to flash freeze them before transferring them to a larger freezer bag.
How to freeze sausages:
- Cool your sausages to room temperature.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (this prevents sticking).
- Spread your sausages out on the sheet.
- Place them in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.
- Optional: Wrap the frozen sausages in plastic wrap.
- Transfer the sausages into a zip-lock freezer bag.
- Remove excess air.
- Store your sausages in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To remove the air from the freezer bag, use a vacuum sealer, suck the air out with a straw, or submerge the bag in water before sealing it.
You can also use your hands, but this won’t be very efficient.
The less air your sausages are exposed to, the less likely they are to develop freezer burn.
The plastic wrap provides a second layer of protection for the sausages, further lowering the chance of freezer burn.
Flash freezing your sausages before you bag them prevents them from sticking together and makes it easier for you to remove the portion you want to reheat.
How to reheat frozen sausages
It’s best to thaw frozen sausages before you reheat them, or else you run the risk of a frozen center and burnt outside. The best way to thaw sausages is overnight in the fridge. If you’re in a hurry, you can use the microwave. To reheat the sausages, fry them in a pan on a medium-low heat.
A third option for thawing the sausages is to submerge them in their freezer bag in a bowl of cold water until they have softened up.
How long do sausages last?
Want to know how for how long you can safely store your cooked sausages? Use the following guidelines:
- Room temperature: Cooked meat attracts harmful bacteria when left at room temperature for too long. Always refrigerate your sausages within two hours of cooking them.
- Refrigerator: Reheat sausages within four days of storing them in the fridge. This will ensure they are fresh and not a risk to your health.
- Frozen: Reheat frozen sausages within six months of storing them for best quality.
The BEST way to reheat sausages
Ingredients
- 1 portion sausages
- 2-3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Add a layer of water to a frying pan.
- Set your stove to medium-low heat.
- Place your sausages in the pan and cover them with a lid.
- As the water evaporates, turn the sausages regularly until heated all the way through.
- Optional: Once all the water is gone, uncover the pan and add a drop or two of oil.
- Optional: Brown your sausages for a minute or two by frying them.
Notes
- Slice your sausages lengthways or chop them into disks.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a pan on medium-high heat.
- Fry the sausages until warm to your satisfaction, moving them around in the pan as you go.
- Once warm and crispy, serve immediately.
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