How to Cook Ground Italian Sausage

Many recipes call for ground pork sausage because of its strong flavor. While not as healthy as other forms of ground meats, including ground beef and ground turkey, ground Italian sausage features high amounts of fat and can be combined with seasonings to spice up certain dishes. You can buy Italian sausage ground in bulk, or remove sausage from its casings to crumble and cook as you desire. Although link sausage can be cooked in a number of ways, ground Italian sausage is best cooked in a saute pan.

Pan fry ground sausage just as you would any other ground meat. Photo Credit vinicef/iStock/Getty Images

Step 1

Place a small amount of cooking oil in a stove-top pan and heat at medium heat.

Step 2

Crumble sausage into the pan and allow to simmer. Turn over the sausage and continue cooking until the meat browns and there is no pink.

Step 3

Drain the meat into a strainer to eliminate excess grease and oil. If desired, pat dry with a paper towel to further remove grease.

Tips

• Uncooked meats can introduce unhealthy bacteria to your body. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that ground pork be cooked to an interior temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that no food-borne illnesses can be consumed through your sausage.
• You can season ground Italian sausage, if desired, prior to cooking or while it cooks.

Things You'll Need

• Saute or frying pan
• Cooking oil
• Ground Italian sausage
• Strainer
• Paper towels (optional)

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