If you are wondering if you can or should marinate your sausages? Here is a detailed guide answering this question.
Let’s dive right in
Can You Marinate Sausages?
Yes, you can marinate sausages but if you plan to marinate them along with casing, do not expect the same result as you get from marinating other meats.
Sausage casings prevent marinade to penetrate inside the meat, thus defeating the purpose.
To ensure the sausage is marinated you can do either of these two things –
1. Prick the casing at several places so that marinade can seep in. Once done, you can keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours. As you can guess, while this method does ensure some marinade to seep in, that is not uniform throughout the sausage.
2. You can remove the casing and then marinate the meat just like you do to normal meat by applying the marinade on the surface and keeping it in the fridge for a couple of hours or as the recipe demands.
Some chefs also recommend soaking the sausages in beer-based marinades, this can work but again if there is no casing or holes in the casing to allow the marinade to seep in.
What Can You use to Marinate Sausages?
You can use a variety of options to marinate sausages. Wine and beer are popular acids used for marination while garlic, ginger, mustard, five-spice powder, etc. are used as seasoning/spices.
There is a lot of room to experiment with sausage marinades but most chefs recommend using beer or wine (especially red) as part of the marinade.
Red wine can add a deep, rich flavor to marinades. It can also help to tenderize meat. Beer is a great marinade too because it is acidic and can help to tenderize meat. It also adds flavor and can help to keep the meat moist during cooking.
It is also a common practice to cook sausage along with the marinade after the marination process.
Here is a great video on sausages cooked in beer –
How Long to Marinate Sausages?
According to USDA, you can safely marinate sausages for up to 48 hours. In most cases the time recommended is just a couple of hours. It is important to keep the marinated sausage inside the fridge the whole time.
While marinating ensure you put the whole thing inside freezer bags or glass containers. It is best not to use aluminum containers as the acid of the marinade may react and give unfavorable color and flavors to the recipe.
Can you marinate sausages overnight?
Yes, you can marinate sausages overnight given that they are kept in the fridge. You need to either prick the casing of the sausages or completely remove them for the marinade to seep in, otherwise, this exercise will be futile.
How to Marinate Your Sausages
Here is a quick marinating process for sausages you can use for any recipe –
1. Prick the sausages and also cust them in smaller portions
2. Mix together marinade ingredients of your choice in a large resealable bag
3. Add sausage to the bag, seal, and massage gently to coat
4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours (this time can be extended up to 48 hours, if need be)
Take out and proceed with cooking / grilling
You can also use the marinade to cook the sausages too.
Can you Reuse the Marinade used for Sausages?
No, it is not recommended to store and reuse the marinades because of the possibility of bacterial growth because of it being in contact with the meat.
If you do not want to throw away the marinade, one great option is to use it to cook the sausages. This way you save the marinade and also get some amazing flavors!
Here is a super video from BBP Pit boys on how to grill beer brats –
Final Words
I hope this guide helped you with how to marinate sausages with ease.
If you have any suggestions, tips or queries, please do drop us a line.
Do share this with friends and family who love sausages!