How to Cook Frozen Raw Turkey Sausage to Perfection

Sausage is easy to defrost on the stove, and it only takes 15 minutes to get the casings nice and browned and the insides fully cooked.

Did you know that sausages can be cooked and defrosted at the same time on the stove? Don’t worry if you forgot to take them out of the freezer ahead of time. I’ve got the info you need right here.

Turkey sausage makes a quick, lean, and flavorful protein for meals any time of day. While fresh sausage requires time to thaw before cooking, frozen raw turkey sausage can go straight into the pan or oven. With a few simple tips, you can cook frozen turkey sausage perfectly.

In this comprehensive guide, learn the best methods for cooking frozen raw turkey sausage to make your breakfast, lunch, or dinnertime meals easy and delicious.

Why Cook Frozen Turkey Sausage?

Opting for frozen raw turkey sausage offers several benefits:

Convenience – No thawing required, cook straight from frozen state.
Fast cooking – Turkey sausage cooks up quicker than sausage with higher fat content.
Lean protein – Turkey sausage packs in protein with less fat than pork.
Bold flavor – Seasonings in turkey sausage make it more flavorful than plain ground turkey
Versatile – Use turkey sausage in scrambles, pasta, soups, casseroles, and more
Nutritious – Turkey sausage provides protein, vitamins, minerals without much saturated fat.

Tips for Cooking Frozen Turkey Sausage

Follow these handy tips for foolproof frozen turkey sausage every time:

Don’t crowd the pan – Allow space between sausages for even cooking.
Use a meat thermometer – Cook to a safe internal temperature of 160°F.
Turn frequently – Brown the sausage evenly on all sides.
Add ingredients gradually – Prevent sticking by starting with just the sausage then adding veggies, sauce, etc.
Cook thoroughly – Ensure the internal temperature reaches 160°F minimum.
Let rest briefly – Allow sausages to rest 2-3 minutes after cooking before serving.

Best Cooking Methods

Here are simple step-by-step instructions for cooking frozen raw turkey sausage using various methods:

On the Stovetop

Pan-frying turkey sausage is a fast and easy stovetop method.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the frozen sausage and cook 7-9 minutes per side until browned.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Break up any clumps using a spatula as the sausage cooks.

In the Oven

Baking turkey sausage lets you prepare a large batch at once.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange sausages on the sheet without overcrowding.
Bake 15-20 minutes until 160°F internal temperature.

In the Slow Cooker

Let the slow cooker defrost and cook the sausage gradually.

Add frozen sausage to a slow cooker and cook 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
Shred fully cooked sausage with two forks.

On the Grill

Grilling gives turkey sausage delicious smoky flavor.

Preheat grill to medium heat and lightly oil grates.
Place frozen sausage on grill and cook 8-12 minutes per side.
Check internal temperature, cook until 160°F.

Quick and Delicious Turkey Sausage Recipes

With the simple tricks for cooking frozen raw turkey sausage, you can now easily prepare quick and delicious sausage recipes like:

Breakfast sandwiches with egg and cheese
Sausage and veggie sheet pan meals
Sausage pasta in tomato or cream sauce
Hearty sausage and bean soup
Sausage mixed into rice or quinoa pilaf
Sausage tacos or burritos with fixings
Sausage sandwiches with slaw and bbq sauce

Thanks to the convenience of frozen turkey sausage, you can now enjoy fast, flavorful meals any day of the week!

how do you cook frozen raw turkey sausage

Podcast Episode About Making Sausages from Frozen

Press the play button below to hear me briefly talk about how to make sausages from frozen and some other great tips:

how do you cook frozen raw turkey sausage

Tips for Cooking Sausages From Frozen

It’s easy to thaw sausages on the stove, and they’re ready to cook in less than 15 minutes. That sounds easy enough, right?.

Remove Packaging: You have to remove all plastic, styrofoam and also the absorbent matt, if present. If any of that is stuck, run cool water over the package until you can break-free it.

Use A Large Enough Pan: We’re dealing with a “brick” of sausages, and you need them to all cook evenly. Make sure they fit. A 12-inch stainless steel or non-stick pan works well.

Use Liquid: Add the frozen sausages along with stock or water to the pan. This will help transfer the heat more quickly and will get your sausages more evenly thawed too.

Cook Covered, At First: Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for five minutes. This gets everything steaming and thawing.

Remove The Lid: When you remove the lid, the sausages will be fully thawed and partially cooked. They will look kind of gray, but not for long. Let any extra water evaporate. When the pan looks almost dry, there are a few different ways to keep cooking the sausages, which I’ll talk about next.

There are a few different ways that you can get the sausages brown after the initial steaming step.

As directed in the recipe, add some oil to the pan and brown the sausages in the pan for eight to ten minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of one of the sausages reads 165°F.
You can also put the sausages in the oven to finish cooking, with or without other things, like these Sheet Pan Sausage and Pepper Hoagies.
The sausages can also be sliced, browned in a pan with oil, and then added to other recipes to finish cooking, such as tomato sauce.
It will take about 10 minutes of cooking at 400F until the sausages are browned and fully cooked. Also, keep in mind that you can cook frozen sausages in the air fryer, even if they were frozen on a tray together.

As was already said, you can also cook frozen sausages in the air fryer without the first step of steaming them. It’s really easy and only takes one step to get them well-browned and crisp on the outside.

The sausages can be kept in the fridge for up to five days. You can eat them by themselves or mix them with other foods for dinners all week. Try them in these recipes:

How to Cook Sausages in a Pan

FAQ

How to cook turkey sausage from frozen?

You can do it any of those ways. if you cook from frozen in a skillet, add a little oil and keep the temp at a medium, this way it will allow it to thaw and cook before it burns. you can also cover it with a lid so that it steams and thaws faster.

How to cook frozen raw sausage?

Baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the frozen sausages on a baking sheet and bake for about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through. Grilling: Preheat the grill. Cook the frozen sausages over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes, turning regularly until fully cooked.

How to heat up frozen turkey sausage?

You can reheat them in various ways: – Microwave: Place them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in short intervals, checking frequently. – Oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C) and heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.

Should frozen sausage be thawed before cooking?

In general all meat should be thawed before cooking. If you attempt to cook it from frozen, it will be mighty hard to get the inside and outside both at desired doneness at the same time.

How do you thaw frozen sausage?

Use Liquid: Add the frozen sausages along with stock or water to the pan. This will help transfer the heat more quickly and will get your sausages more evenly thawed too. Cook Covered, At First: Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for five minutes. This gets everything steaming and thawing.

How do you cook frozen sausages in the oven?

Put on the frozen sausages. Cook on one side for 3 minutes until they have a nice crispy exterior. Flip them over and cook for 3 minutes more. Cooking frozen sausages in the oven takes just minutes to prepare and doesn’t require any special skills or cooking knowledge. Follow these simple steps to cook your favorite sausage with ease.

Can you cook frozen sausage in a frying pan?

Frying in a frying pan is one of the four ways how to cook frozen sausage, and it can be done by following these steps: Heat your pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter, cooking oil, or bacon fat to the pan. Put sausage in the pan and cook for 3 – 4 minutes on each side.

How do you cook frozen sausage on a grill?

Another way is by grilling it in a pan or BBQ which gives it an extra crispy outside layer. Preheat the pan or BBQ (medium heat) and then brush some olive oil or melted butter onto the grill. Put on the frozen sausages. Cook on one side for 3 minutes until they have a nice crispy exterior. Flip them over and cook for 3 minutes more.

How do you cook sausage in a frying pan?

Heat your pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter, cooking oil, or bacon fat to the pan. Put sausage in the pan and cook for 3 – 4 minutes on each side. Turn down the heat by half (this will prevent the sausage from burning). Keep turning the sausage and cook again for the same amount of time or until cooked through.

How do you cook sausage in an air fryer?

Preheat the air fryer on 400ºF for 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the packaging. Place the block of sausage in the air fryer; cook for 5 minutes. Turn the block over; cook 5 minutes longer. Break up the block of sausage as much as you can with a wooden spoon and turn the pieces so the raw side is facing up. Cook for 5 minutes.