How to Butterfly Sausage for Faster, More Even Cooking

People have been coming up with new sausage recipes and cooking methods to bring out the most flavor in the meat since then. If you don’t know how to cook sausages or what the best way is to cook them so they taste their best, don’t worry. You can learn how to do it here.

Butterflying sausage is a handy technique that opens up a whole world of possibilities when it comes to cooking sausages. By slicing the sausage lengthwise without cutting all the way through, you can flatten it out to expose more surface area for faster, more even cooking and crisping.

If you love sausages but get frustrated with the time it takes to cook them thoroughly or the uneven cooking that leaves some parts underdone while others get dried out, learning how to butterfly sausage is a game-changer. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to butterfly sausage like a pro.

What is Butterflying Sausage?

Butterflying sausage refers to the process of slicing a sausage lengthwise almost all the way through, then opening it up and pressing or pounding it flat. This exposes more surface area to heat for quicker, more even cooking. It also allows you to stuff the sausage with cheese, herbs, or other fillings.

The term “butterflying” comes from how the slit sausage opens up like butterfly wings. When done properly, the sausage should still hold together in one piece rather than separating into two.

Butterflying can be done before or after cooking the sausages but is most commonly done before cooking to maximize the surface area exposed to the heat source.

Benefits of Butterflying Sausages

There are several advantages that make butterflying worth the small amount of extra prep work:

Faster cooking Exposing more surface area decreases cooking time. A butterflied sausage cooks through in about half the time as an intact sausage of the same size
More even cooking: Flattening sausages helps them cook more evenly from the inside out. No more raw centers or dried out exterior!
Better browning: With a larger surface touching the heat source, butterflied sausages get deliciously caramelized, crispy edges.
Holds shape for sandwiches: Flattened sausages are perfect for getting full coverage on sandwich buns or rolls.
More room for fillings: Stuff slit sausages with cheese, herbs, peppers, etc. before cooking for extra flavor.
Fun presentation: Butterflied sausages look impressive served open-faced on a plate or platter.

How to Choose Sausages for Butterflying

While you can split and flatten just about any sausage, some types work better than others:

Fully cooked sausages like kielbasa, brats, and pre-cooked smoked sausage hold their shape the best when butterflied.
Raw sausages can be tricky since they may fall apart. Opt for sausages stuffed into a natural casing.
Size matters – longer, plumper sausages are easier to work with than skinny breakfast links.
Avoid pre-sliced sausages as they won’t hold their shape once opened up.

For your first attempt, go with a cooked sausage 6 inches or longer. This will give you plenty of surface area to work with.

Step-By-Step Guide to Butterflying Sausage

Butterflying sausage takes just a few simple steps. Here’s a walkthrough of the process:

1. Select Your Sausage

Choose a plump, fully-cooked sausage at least 6 inches long. Italian sausage, kielbasa, and smoked bratwurst are excellent choices.

2. Prep the Sausage

Place the sausage on a clean cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to trim off the very ends so you have straight edges.

3. Make the Cut

Position the knife in the middle of the sausage, parallel to the board. Make a lengthwise slit, cutting towards one end almost all the way through. Leave about 1⁄4 inch uncut.

4. Open and Flatten

Gently pull the sausage open along the cut. Lay it flat, keeping the uncut portion lined up in the middle.

5. Optional: Pound Flat

For an extra-thin, evenly flat sausage, cover with plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

6. Add Fillings (Optional)

If desired, stuff the slit sausage with cheese cubes, sautéed peppers and onions, fresh herbs, etc.

7. Cook as Desired

Pan-fry, grill, or bake the butterflied sausage until heated through and lightly browned.

And that’s it! With practice, you’ll be able to butterfly sausages with ease.

Tips for Perfectly Butterflied Sausages

Want your slit sausages to come out perfectly flat and still in one piece? Follow these pro tips:

Sharp knife = clean cut: Use a very sharp, thin-bladed knife to avoid tearing or ragged edges.
Avoid cutting all the way through: Stop your slice about 1⁄4 inch before cutting through to the other side so the sausage holds together.
Work with chilled sausages: Partially freezing sausages for 30 minutes makes them easier to slice.
Open slowly: Don’t force the sausage open wide too quickly or it may tear apart. Gently coax it open.
Flatten starting from the center: Press from the middle slit outwards to keep the ends aligned.
Secure with toothpicks: Use toothpicks to hold stuffed sausages closed during cooking if needed.

How to Cook Butterflied Sausage

The joy of a butterflied sausage is getting that tasty sear on the increased surface area. Here are tips for cooking flattened sausage:

Pan-fry: Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat with a bit of oil until browned.
Grill: Sear the sausages over direct high heat for color, then move to indirect heat to finish cooking.
Bake: Arrange butterflied sausages on a sheet pan and bake at 375°F until cooked through.
Griddle: Cook flattened sausages on an electric griddle or flattop grill to take advantage of the broad surface.
Monitor doneness: Check temperature with a meat thermometer. Fully cooked sausage should reach an internal temp of 160°F.
Keep an eye on browning: The wider surface area browns faster. Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning.

Butterflied sausages are extremely versatile when it comes to cooking methods. Experiment to find what you love best!

Creative Ways to Use Butterflied Sausage

Looking for tasty ways to take advantage of your perfectly split and flattened sausages? Here are some fun ideas:

Sausage wraps: Top lavash, tortillas or lettuce leaves with sliced butterflied sausage and creative fillings.
Sausage sandwiches: Layer butterflied brats, Italian sausage or kielbasa on hoagie rolls for messy, meaty sandwiches.
Sausage bombers: Fill a halved French bread loaf with sliced sausage, peppers, onions, and cheese.
Sausage pizzas: Use flattened sausage as the protein topping for home-made pizza.
Sausage lasagna: Replace traditional lasagna meat with a layer of sliced open sausage.
Sausage quesadillas: Stuff quesadillas with shredded cheese and sliced sausage for a quick and easy meal.
Sausage flatbread: Top naan or flatbread with sausage and bait in the oven for an easy appetizer.
Sausage pasta: Sauté strips of butterflied sausage and mix with pasta and veggies.

Let your imagination run wild when it comes to enjoying your butterflied sausage creations!

FAQs About Butterflying Sausage

Have some lingering questions about the art of butterflying sausage? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:

What’s the best sausage to butterfly?

Fully cooked, hearty sausages like kielbasa and Italian sausage butterfly especially well. They hold their shape and are easy to flatten out.

Do you butterfly raw or cooked sausage?

You can butterfly both raw and fully-cooked sausages, but cooked holds up best. Slitting before cooking allows you to add fillings.

How do you keep sausage from falling apart when butterflying?

Use sausages stuffed in natural casings
Chill sausage slightly before cutting
Work slowly and gently when opening the sausage
Don’t cut fully through to the opposite side

Can I butterfly sausages after cooking them?

Yes, you can butterfly cooked sausages to use for sandwiches, pizzas, wraps, and other dishes. The edges just won’t get as crispy.

How long does it take to cook butterflied sausage?

Butterflying cuts cooking time significantly. Sausages take about half the regular cook time when slit and flattened out beforehand.

What’s the best way to cook butterflied sausage?

Grilling, pan frying, baking, and griddling are all excellent options. The increased surface area lends itself well to direct heat methods.

Learning how to properly butterfly sausage truly opens up a whole new worl

how to butterfly sausage

Cooking Sausages on the Grill

Putting sausages on grills is another traditional way to cook them, and it works great for any kind of sausage. When it comes to sausage cooking methods, grilling is a method that will take some time and patience. To start, you will need to wait for your grill to heat up.

If you have a propane grill, this may not take very long. If, on the other hand, your grill needs charcoal or wood, you might have to wait a few minutes before you can put anything on it. If you’re using charcoal, you should be able to see when the coals are hot enough.

They should be covered in a layer of ash and have a red or orange glow to them. Be sure to push the coals over to one side of the grill. One side of the grill will be hot enough to cook the sausages, and the other side will stay “cool” enough to keep them warm after they’re done.

To start, place the sausages all in a row on the grill once the grill is hot enough. The sausages should sizzle as soon as they hit the grates. If they don’t sizzle, wait a few more minutes for your grill to heat up.

After a minute or two, turn the sausages over to the other side. On the cooked side, the sausage should have clear grill marks and look golden brown or dark brown, though the color may change depending on the sausages you’re cooking. Once you turn the sausages, you’ll only need to cook the second side for about a minute.

This will give the sausages a good sear, but the insides will not be cooked yet. To do this, you will need to move the sausages to the “cold” side of the grill. It won’t be hot enough on this side to sear the sausages, but it will be hot enough to cook the inside of them.

This is important because if you keep cooking the sausages on high heat, the outside will burn before the inside is done. The sausages will need to cook for another 10 minutes or so after you move them to the other side of the grill. You can check whether or not the sausages are done by cutting through one of them.

There should be no pink in the middle and the liquid the sausage releases should be clear.

Boiling a sausage will make the sausage look quite different compared to fried or grilled sausages. There will be no sear on the surface of the sausages when they boil, so if you haven’t done it before, it can be hard to tell if they are done. To start, get a pot and fill it with liquid.

You can boil your sausages in regular tap water, but the meat might not taste as good. To make the sausages taste better, boil them in chicken or vegetable stock, or even water mixed with wine. Boiling may not be the ideal cooking method for all sausages.

Instead, boiling is best for sausages that contain very finely ground meat. Making sure the water is very hot before adding the sausages is important. If the water isn’t hot enough yet, the sausages might get soggy. Then, reduce the heat so that the boil isn’t as aggressive.

The cooking time will depend on what kind of sausages you’re dealing with. If the sausages are already cooked, you may only need to boil them for a few minutes. This will ensure that the insides are hot and delicious.

You will need to cook the sausages for longer, usually about a half hour, if they are not already cooked. After some time, take the sausages out and press on them to see if they’re done. If they’re cooked, they should be firm to the touch.

What You Need to Know

The sausages should sizzle as soon as they hit the oil. As the sausages cook, make sure they don’t touch each other. If they do, they might stick together. Besides that, keeping them separated will ensure that they get an even seer on all sides.

But what if you need to cook a lot of sausages at once? You will have to fry a few at a time and do it in groups. While this may take a while, it will ensure that the sausages turn out well.

Let the sausages cook completely on one side before flipping them over. You shouldn’t flip or poke the sausages over and over because it could mess up the cooking process. Also, flipping the sausages only a couple of times will ensure that the sausages get a great sear.

To make sure that the sausages are done cooking, cut one of them in half on a plate. The inside should not have any pink in the middle and instead should be brown. If you need to cook the sausages quickly, you can cut them in half before putting them in the pan. However, this will make them lose some of their fat and moisture.