Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Does air frying sausages make them healthier? ›

The Benefits of Air Frying Sausages

Healthier Option: Cooking sausages in an air fryer uses significantly less oil than traditional methods, making it a healthier choice.

Sausages can be cooked in numerous ways. In general, boiling and baking are the healthiest methods, as they don't require much oil. However, pan- and stir-frying are good options as long as you choose a healthy oil. Conversely, deep frying is the least healthy way because of the fat and calories it adds.

Pierce the sausages a few times all over using a sharp knife (this is optional, but will help release more fat). Arrange the sausages in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 180C and cook for 10-15 mins, turning every 5 mins, until the sausages are cooked through.

Heating Fully-Cooked Sausages In The Air Fryer

Cook them for 4-5 minutes at 400°F, just until lightly browned in places. For a kielbassa ring, or unsliced kielbassa link, I cook it about 7 minutes at 400F, just to get some crispy skin. You can get other kinds of fully-cooked sausage links at the grocery store.

Air-frying equipment is not known to cause cancer, but the process of air frying does result in the formation of certain compounds, like acrylamide, that are linked to cancer development. Acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen.

Air fryers, once hailed as a kitchen revolution, are now being sidelined by some users. But why are people getting rid of air fryers? This concise exploration uncovers the primary concerns: they're bulky, they have limited cooking uses, and they often don't deliver on the promise of crispy, tasty food.

If you want to eat sausage often, however, consider choosing healthier types of sausage, such as those made with chicken or turkey. You can also make your own to get the freshest variety with none of the harmful additives or high-fat meat.

Extra-lean chicken or kangaroo sausages tend to be the healthiest sausage option. Leaner sausages are also often lower in calories and salt. Follow these guidelines to choose healthier sausages: Less than 5g saturated fat per 100g.

The fat in the sausages provides flavour, but if you'd prefer to reduce it, the best way is to bake the sausages. Prick them first with a skewer so more fat can drain out during cooking.

In an air fryer the heat is more concentrated, which causes the sausage to expand and increasing the likelihood that the casing will split (via Italian Barrel). And a split casing means you won't get that signature sausage snap when eating a link.

Can you use foil in an air fryer? ›

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

Heat up a skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan to keep the sausage from sticking. Add the sausage to the pan and turn them occasionally with tongs or a spatula so they brown evenly. After about 5 minutes, they should be uniform in color, which means they're finished cooking.

Don't be afraid to pile them in – we cooked a whole packet of sausages, but have now heard of people cooking up to 40 at once with no issues, thanks to the air fryer technology and ability to pile food up in the basket. Just make sure they don't touch the heating element.

Uncooked sausages that contain ground beef, pork, lamb or veal should be cooked to 160 °F. Uncooked sausages that contain ground turkey and chicken should be cooked to 165 °F. For more information go to Sausages and Food Safety.

Air fryers may be better for you than deep fryers, but they're only as healthy as the food you put inside. They won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins.

In terms of health, air frying generally offers advantages over traditional frying. It allows you to enjoy crispy textures with reduced oil and calorie intake, potentially minimising health risks associated with excessive consumption of fried foods.

An air fryer works by circulating hot air around the food items placed inside the pan/basket of the air fryer. All foods lose some of their nutrients during the cooking process. But by keeping the food surface dry and cooking with just circulating air the food retains more of its nutrients.

May preserve nutrients

Convection heat, such as that used in an air-fryer may preserve certain nutrients during the cooking process, these include vitamin C as well as numerous protective plant compounds, called polyphenols.