sausages - to prick or not to prick

[glenis]

how many of you prick before cooking ? i don't but my mum does ,about 50 times per sausage !

[graemer]

I used to be a pricker glenis and everyone said no you let the flavour out, but then the sight of a split and writhing sausage spewing its innards is very unattractive. I read that if you put them for two minutes in simmering water before frying you don't need to prick as it cooks the skin and stops them exploding. I think your Mum is being a bit excessive and maybe having flashbacks.

[ursula62]

TV Chef Gary Rhodes says don't prick them.

I don't think it matters one way or another though.

Sausages split less if you grill rather than fry them.

[jakesi]

I don't prick them, but they always split anyway.

[barender]

I don't prick mine - I slit them on 2 sides as I like the innards to spill out and be cooked all crispy!

[Woodstock]

Sausages that are pricked allow the cereal content to oose out with the fat.  It is this that burns and makes them stick to the pan.  Cooked on a slightly lower heat the sausages shouldn't burst either.

[barender]

Forgot to say I always grill mine

[silly moo]

I roast mine - unpricked.
Big fat ones for my ever loving and thin ones for me (I like them cremated !)
Takes longer but wonderful with baked potatoes.

[funkychicken]

if you do them in the oven (not grilled) they don't split, well not usually anyway.....

[smudge]

Your question made me larf glenis - 50 times per sausage!

We've always pricked ours - just like Mum did!

[smudge]

LOL IAP - cheap "bagers".

Sounds like ladies of the night! He, he! -x-

[Artemis]

A good sausage shouldn't need to be pricked and takes about 20 mins to cook on a very low heat. That way you get the crunchy sticky stuff stuck to the sausage. Between hot crusty bread, delicious.

[Dark Angel]

I always prick sausages too so they wont burst.

[smudge]

I always prick sausages so they don't explode!

[dmsjps]

I always prick my sausages to get rid of excess fat that you'd otherwise eat. Having said that, the sausages I get from the butchers spill hardly any fat, but ones you get from supermarkets (Wall's, etc) are always full of it. Besides that, 'proper' butchers' sausages taste nice; supermarket ones are disgusting!