The air fryer is such a handy device when it comes to making breakfast, but cooking sausages in it can be a bit tricky to get just right. Air fryers cook everything evenly on a high heat, but this can cause the casing on sausages to expand too quickly and overcook them.
This can cause sausages to burst open from their casing and dry out, leaving a tough, shrivelled mess that is not very appetising to eat. However, Sisley White, a cook and founder of Sew White, has shared that you can guarantee sausages come out of the air fryer perfectly crispy as long as you take five seconds to do one simple task.
Sisley said: “You keep sausages from bursting in an air fryer by pricking them with a fork or sharp knife first.
“This helps to release the pressure as they cook and expand. If you don’t prick your sausages they may burst and stick to the bottom or sides of your air fryer.”
Some people pierce sausages before air frying to let some of the fat escape so they do not burst open while cooking, similar in idea to piercing a baked potato to release steam.
How to make tastier sausages in the air fryer
All you need to do is place the sausages in the air fryer basket or tray, making sure none of them are touching so they cook evenly.
If you wish, line your air fryer tray or basket with baking paper before adding the sausages to help make clean up easier after you are done cooking.
Then, poke a few light holes in the sausage casing, making sure not to pierce them too deeply, then brush them with a little cooking oil.
Sisley said: “This will help them brown evenly. You can use any oil you like, I used vegetable oil, but olive oil or sunflower oil work well too.”
Do not poke the sausages too far into the skin, as this can cause too much of the juices to escape and dry them out from the inside.
Once your sausages are prepared, place them in the air fryer at 180C and cook for 15 minutes. If you are cooking from frozen, you may need to add five to 10 minutes more to the cooking time.
When it is five minutes before the cooking time is up, turn the sausages around so all sides are browned.
Your sausages will come out the air fryer super tasty with a perfectly crisp skin without much time or effort.
