Sausage Links Grilled Perfectly
How to Grill Sausage Links? Sausage Links Grilled Perfectly are slightly charred on the outside, juicy, and fully cooked on the inside. We love to grill outdoors, but when it comes to grilling sausages, here are a few easy tips to ensure your sausage links will turn out perfectly every time.
The biggest problem everyone usually complains about when grilling sausages on the BBQ is that they become charred on the outside but still not fully cooked on the inside. But today is your lucky day!
With a few easy tips, your sausage links will become everyone’s favorite part of the meal.
What is a Sausage?
A sausage is a type of meat product made with beef, pork, or veal along with added spices, and other flavorings. These days you can find a variety of sausages at local supermarkets or your local butcher.
Most Popular Kinds of Sausages…
There are so many kinds of sausages, but here are a few most popular and common ones:
1. Italian Sausage Links – can be either sweet or spicy, made with pork, seasonings, spices, fennel, grated cheese, and fresh parsley.
2. Bratwurst – a popular German pork sausage that is typically fried or grilled.
3. Chorizo Smoked Sausage – Spanish sausage made with pork, seasoned with garlic and paprika.
4. Andouille Smoked Sausage – originating from France, made with pork, onions, garlic, wine, and other seasonings.
5. Kielbasa Sausage – Polish sausage made with both pork and beef, and flavored with pimentos, cloves, and marjoram. It’s grilled, seared, or smoked.
EASY Tips for Sausage Links Grilled Perfectly…
- When it comes to grilling, my husband always grills sausages without “burning” them and ensuring they are fully cooked inside.
- A few easy steps to grill them: searing the sausages first and on the top rack of your grill, will seal in its flavors. Then you can put them on the bottom grill at extremely high heat for a minute or so to start the process of cooking them (full steps to follow below and in our recipe card below).
- Lemon is important when grilling sausages, it neutralizes the pungent pork taste. And 1 lemon is enough to squeeze over the links.
- Keep in mind, that if you plan to grill more than 5 sausage links (as shown), you will need more than 1 lemon.
- Today, we are showing our favorite Italian sausages. Here, we only grilled 5 Italian sausage links but you can grill as many as you need.
So, here are a few easy steps to show you how to grill sausage links perfectly and feel confident every time.
What is needed to Grill Sausages Perfectly:
When grilling on an outside grill, you will need two kitchen utensils and one large lemon.
- Kitchen tongs or BBQ tongs
- A large carving fork
- one large lemon
- An outside BBQ grill with an upper rack
*You can follow along with our step-by-step on this recipe or jump down to the bottom for our full recipe card.
5-Easy Steps for Sausage Links To Grill Perfectly:
There are a few easy steps to follow, and then you will repeat the same steps. All you will need is a large lemon sliced in half nearby the grill. Keep in mind, that each grill is different and the times grilling may vary.
Step 1: Turn your outside gas on “HIGH” for about 10 minutes, until it gets nice and hot, at 450 to 600 degrees F.
Step 2: Place sausage links on the top rack of your grill, not on the bottom rack. Close the lid of the grill, for about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Open the lid and use kitchen tongs to grab each link and transfer each one to the bottom rack. NEXT, take a large steak fork or BBQ fork, and puncture each link about 3 times and in different places of each link.
Then take each link and transfer them back to the upper rack once more. Close the lid, and grill for 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 4: Repeat the steps again.
Transfer each link back down to the bottom rack, and prick each one 3 times again. NEXT: Squeeze a fresh lemon over the links. Then return them back to the upper rack. Close the lid, and grill for additional 5 minutes.
Step 5: Open the lid, use kitchen or BBQ tongs, and turn each link over (while on the upper rack). Close the lid, for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Final Step: Open the lid, return the links to the bottom rack, and scatter lemon juice over them (the second time). NEXT, Squeeze some lemon juice onto the serving plate nearby, and allow the sausages to grill on the bottom rack for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove and transfer onto the serving plate and squeeze additional lemon juice over them and serve.
Additional Grilling Tips!
- Knowing the internal temperature always helps take the guesswork out of deciding when your sausages are done.
- Using a good quality meat thermometer always helps.
- Sausages on the grill and cook should read until the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees (depending on the type of meat in the sausage).
What sides to serve with these sausages?
When it comes to grilling meats, there’s nothing better than adding a side or two to enjoy with them:
- Baby Red Potato Salad
- Drunken Baked Beans Casserole
- Best Broccoli Salad (Keto)
- Easy Italian Tomato Salad
- Green Beans and Carrot Salad Italian Style
- Sauteed Spinach with Tomatoes
Sausage Links Grilled this way will always turn out perfect!
Serve them with our favorite baked beans casserole and a green salad on the side and it is a simple and easy dinner.
Also, if you are a wine enthusiast, you may enjoy a great wine to pair with these grilled sausages. Choose either a red or white, like a Chianti or Sauvignon Blanc to complete a fabulous dinner.
… and ENJOY!!
Finally, you might enjoy these additional recipes!
- Lamb Chops Grilled to Perfection
- Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Oil and Garlic
- Perfectly Grilled Asparagus
- Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce
- London Broil Steak Grilled to Perfection
- The Perfect Filet Mignon Roast
- Grilled Swordfish Kabobs
- Grilled Ginger-Lime Chicken Kabobs
Sausage Links Grilled Perfectly
Sausage Links Grilled Perfectly are slightly charred on the outside, juicy, and fully cooked on the inside. By following a few easy tips to follow, your sausage links will turn out perfectly every time.
Ingredients
- 5 Italian link sausages
- 1 large lemon
- a pair of kitchen or BBQ tongs
- large steak or carving fork
Instructions
1. Step 1: Turn your outside gas on "HIGH" for about 10 minutes, until it gets nice and hot, at 450 to 600 degrees F.
2. Step 2: Place sausage links on the top rack of your grill. Not directly on the heat. Close the lid of the grill, for 10 minutes.
3. Step 3: Open the lid and use kitchen tongs to grab each link and transfer it to the bottom rack. NEXT, take a large steak fork or BBQ fork, and puncture each link about 3 times and in different places of each link. Then take each link and transfer them back to the upper rack once more. Close the lid, and grill for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Step 4: Repeat the steps again. Transfer each link back down to the bottom rack, and prick each one 3 times again. NEXT: Squeeze a fresh lemon over the links. Then return them back to the upper rack. Close the lid, and grill for additional 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: Open the lid, use kitchen or BBQ tongs, and turn each link over (while on the upper rack). Close the lid, for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Final Step: Open the lid, return the links to the bottom rack, and scatter lemon juice over them (the second time). Squeeze some lemon juice onto the serving plate nearby, and allow the sausages to grill on the bottom rack for 2 to 3 minutes more.
7. Remove and transfer onto the serving plate and squeeze additional lemon juice over them and serve.
Yields: 5 grilled sausage links
Notes
The total time for grilling is approximately 30 minutes or more. Keep in mind, that cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the sausage links and the grill you use.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2 to 5 servingsServing Size:
1 grilled sausage linkAmount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 16gCarbohydrates: 1.6gProtein: 13.6g
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Happy Grilling! ๐
xo anna and liz
Your hubby really know how to grill a beautiful sausage! I usually par-boil mine and let my hubby brown them on the grill. I never thought of using lemon – brilliant!
Aw, thanks, Susan. Yeah, he loves to grill his meats and has great tips about them too. Have a great week! ๐