Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Social Life, Food & Drink, Travel › Prick or do not prick sausages?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Prick or do not prick sausages?

post #1 of 69
6/14/10 at 5:41pm
Thread Starter 
I was always taught by my father to never prick a sausage. This month's Food & Wine says you're supposed to prick prior to grilling ---- I think this has to be a mistake, but am not sure.

To prick or not to prick?
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 69
6/14/10 at 6:01pm
I saw that and disagree with it... just personal preference. There are old (19th century) recipes for bangers that advise piercing the casing but was 19th century England ever lauded for it's food?

I mostly grill and don't care much if the skin breaks. I'll occasionally poach first.


Can you say "prick" and "sausage" in the same thread without being

?
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 69
6/14/10 at 6:04pm
Depends on the cooking method. If roasting, I would prick. If grilling or boiling, I would not prick.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 69
6/14/10 at 6:08pm
i prick ... but it's a personal choice. seriously, pricking lets some of the moisture escape when the sausage is cooking, relieving pressure that might otherwise split the skin. the upside is the sausage looks better, the downside is you lose a little moisture. if the sausage is properly cooked, it shouldn't be enough to matter. oddly enough, some of the most ardent "nonprickers" then suggest that you cook the sausage to a specific internal temperature, which would require .... pricking the skin with a thermometer. (oddly enough, we used to have a copy editor who would change "prick" to "pierce" on every instance because it was coarse.)
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 69
6/14/10 at 6:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
(oddly enough, we used to have a copy editor who would change "prick" to "pierce" on every instance because it was coarse.)

LOL
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 69
6/14/10 at 6:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
i prick ... but it's a personal choice. seriously, pricking lets some of the moisture escape when the sausage is cooking, relieving pressure that might otherwise split the skin. the upside is the sausage looks better, the downside is you lose a little moisture. if the sausage is properly cooked, it shouldn't be enough to matter. oddly enough, some of the most ardent "nonprickers" then suggest that you cook the sausage to a specific internal temperature, which would require .... pricking the skin with a thermometer.
(oddly enough, we used to have a copy editor who would change "prick" to "pierce" on every instance because it was coarse.)

Believing that a broken skin results in moisture loss in sausages makes you a fucking idiot. Or so I was so eloquently told when I last brought the subject up.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 69
6/14/10 at 11:28pm
Do not prick. Sausage should be charred and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 69
6/14/10 at 11:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
i prick ... but it's a personal choice. seriously, pricking lets some of the moisture escape when the sausage is cooking, relieving pressure that might otherwise split the skin. the upside is the sausage looks better, the downside is you lose a little moisture. if the sausage is properly cooked, it shouldn't be enough to matter. oddly enough, some of the most ardent "nonprickers" then suggest that you cook the sausage to a specific internal temperature, which would require .... pricking the skin with a thermometer.
(oddly enough, we used to have a copy editor who would change "prick" to "pierce" on every instance because it was coarse.)

I do not prick, except of course, to check internal temp with my thermapen. Of course, natural casing will quickly seal that off. I use cast iron, medium heat, bring to internal temp of 155. The cast iron will nicely caramelize a natural casing. If grilling, which I will not do with a rich and fatty sausage, medium and indirect.

Both Ruhlman and Rytek Kutas have led me to this method.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 69
6/14/10 at 11:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cary Grant View Post
I saw that and disagree with it... just personal preference. There are old (19th century) recipes for bangers that advise piercing the casing but was 19th century England ever lauded for it's food?

I mostly grill and don't care much if the skin breaks. I'll occasionally poach first.


Can you say "prick" and "sausage" in the same thread without being

?

Prick Sausage and banger all in one poast, damned impressive.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 69
6/15/10 at 12:27am
I tourne them.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 69
6/15/10 at 12:31am
People measure the temperature of their sausages when cooking them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
I do not prick, except of course, to check internal temp with my thermapen. Of course, natural casing will quickly seal that off. I use cast iron, medium heat, bring to internal temp of 155.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 69
6/15/10 at 12:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by robin View Post
People measure the temperature of their sausages when cooking them?

Only people that really care about their meat.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 69
6/15/10 at 8:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
I tourne them.

And under 34 seconds, I reckon.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 69
6/15/10 at 8:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
Only people that really care about their meat.

No way I'm pricking my meat with any probe.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 69
6/15/10 at 11:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by robin View Post
People measure the temperature of their sausages when cooking them?

Robin, I think I should add, I make my own sausages. I treat them just like an expensive cut of meat. We're not talking Jimmy Dean here.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Social Life, Food & Drink, Travel › Prick or do not prick sausages?