Air fryers are incredibly useful for preparing breakfast, but achieving perfectly cooked sausages can be a challenge. Air fryers cook food uniformly at high temperatures, which can cause the sausage casing to expand too rapidly and become overcooked.
This often results in sausages splitting from their casing and becoming dehydrated, creating a tough, withered result that's far from appealing. However, Sisley White, a cook and creator of Sew White, has revealed that you can ensure sausages come out of the air fryer beautifully crispy by spending just five seconds on one straightforward step.
Why Pricking Sausages Works
Sisley explained: "You keep sausages from bursting in an air fryer by pricking them with a fork or sharp knife first. This helps to release the pressure as they cook and expand. If you don't prick your sausages, they may burst and stick to the bottom or sides of your air fryer."
Many people puncture sausages before air frying to allow excess fat to drain away, preventing them from splitting during cooking, similar to piercing a jacket potato to let steam escape.
Steps for Perfect Air Fryer Sausages
If desired, cover your air fryer tray or basket with baking parchment before placing the sausages in to simplify cleaning afterwards. Next, make several shallow punctures in the sausage skin, taking care not to go too deep, then coat them lightly with cooking oil. Sisley explained: "This will help them brown evenly. You can use any oil you like; I used vegetable oil, but olive oil or sunflower oil work well too."
Avoid piercing the sausages too deeply into the casing, as this risks allowing excessive juices to leak out and drying them from within.
Cooking Time and Tips
After your sausages are ready, place them in the air fryer at 180°C and cook for 15 minutes. If you're cooking from frozen, you may need to add five to ten minutes more to the cooking time. With five minutes remaining on the timer, flip the sausages over so every side gets properly browned.
Your sausages will be deliciously flavourful with an ideally crispy exterior without requiring much time or fuss.
