How Long To Cook Sausage In The Oven Without Drying It Out

At its best, sausage is savory, bold, and juicy. But when the heat is set too high and the piece is cooked for too long, it doesn't matter whether it came from sausage brands with the best (or worst) ingredients. The result is a dry, burnt mess that the trash bin is more than welcome to accommodate. Antoinette Gangi of Antoinette's Italian Kitchen, who partnered with Ragύ for National Lasagna Day to celebrate the new pasta sauce flavor, Kettle Cooked Roasted Garlic, exclusively told Chowhound how to avoid this with the oven.

As Gangi says: "Cook your sausage in the oven low-and-slow at a temp of 300 [degrees Fahrenheit] for one hour covered, and then raise the temp to 350 [degrees Fahrenheit] for the last half hour uncovered by removing the foil." This helps the sausage cook all the way through evenly with a nice, juicy finish and a flavor-packed bite. The same can be done for other meats. However, Gangi advises using a meat thermometer to really gauge how long it should be in the oven. It also adds a layer of safety to ensure the meat is ready for consumption. Since you can use it in a variety of cooking methods, including frying and roasting, it's a good idea to add one to your arsenal. Just keep in check any mistakes you might be making with a meat thermometer.

Cooking sausage in the oven might seem like a hassle if you're used to maximizing a skillet, but it has its fair share of advantages and, of course, disadvantages. Antoinette Gangi explained to us that the oven is a great choice for slower cooking — which is exactly what you want for the meat — since it helps keep all the juices intact that are needed for the ideal flavor punch. Low temperature is also introduced with the oven, avoiding drying, excessive shrinking, or, worse, failing to cook the center. 

Gangi adds a smart way to take advantage of the cooking time by adding onions and peppers with the meat, letting them caramelize while you wait for the sausage to cook. One disadvantage, though, is this process takes longer than using a skillet. But, if you're willing to compromise on speed and ease, you get fat, juicy sausages that really hit the spot. Fortunately, choosing the perfect sausage to cook in the oven doesn't take rocket science (but we've ranked different sausage brands from worst to best to get you started). A great rule of thumb is going for fresh ones rather than pre-cooked so you can really take the reins on how it's prepared.