A Low Effort Summer Dinner in 15 Minutes or Less
Grilling fresh sausage seems like such a simple thing to do, but like most simple things, doing it well is not the easiest thing in the world.
If you cook them too fast or on a grill that is too hot, the casing will burn and break before it cooks through, resulting in totally dry and crumbly sausage. Not good!
And while you can go the “low-and-slow” route (ahem, beer brats!), they’ll still require a little bit of planning in advance which doesn’t always help when you want a super quick and stupid easy summer dinner!
The solution? Create two zones of heat on your grill so you can gently cook your sausage links over indirect heat then transfer them to high direct heat for a crispy char-grilled finish.
The resulting fresh sausage or brats will have a perfectly juicy and incredibly flavorful interior with a deliciously charred and crispy exterior every single time!
Use this easy and scalable method to whip up an entire batch of sausage in 15 minutes or less – perfect for lazy summer dinners, meal prep, or backyard BBQ. Plus, this method is extremely versatile and can be used with just about any fresh sausage you love. Easily change up your toppings or sides for a go-to grilled dinner any night of the week. Easy and effortless summertime goodness!
Love quick and easy grilled meals? Be sure to try my Ultimate Grilled Italian Sausage or Best-Ever Grilled Hot Dogs recipes. Perfect for the summer months – no oven necessary!
Fresh Sausage
If you are wondering what are the best types of sausage to grill, the answer is simple…whatever sausage you love most!
This post specifically covers how to grill fresh (uncooked or raw) sausage links and the process showcased will apply to any variety – chicken sausage, pork sausage, brats, Italian sausage, chorizo, etc. – so long as it’s a fresh sausage in a casing.
What About Cooked Sausage?
To grill sausage that’s already fully cooked (like cooked chicken sausages, smoked sausage, kielbasa, hot dogs, etc.), the process will look a little different but couldn’t be simpler:
- Fire up the the grill for medium high direct grilling.
- Place the sausage over the direct heat and grill, flipping occasionally until the sausage is heated through or as crusty and charred as desired.
How to Grill Sausage
The secret behind grilling sausage perfectly lies in zone grilling!
By creating 2 zones of heat on your grill you can first cook the sausage with really gentle, steady indirect heat before grilling them over strong direct heat for a deliciously charred finish. It’s super easy and the sausage turns out perfectly every time!
Learn more! ⇢ Be sure to check out our comprehensive guide to 2-zone grilling for tips on how to set up zone grilling on your gas or charcoal grill.
Here’s what you’ll do…
First, cook the sausage with indirect heat. Arrange the sausage on the indirect heat side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Why? ⇢ The heat from the direct heat side of the grill will circulate around the sausage, cooking them with really gentle indirect heat.
Char-grill the sausage over direct heat. Transfer the sausage to the direct heat side of the grill. Grill 2-3 minutes per side, until charred as desired.
Toast Your Bun!
If you want to take your buns to the next level, brush them with a little oil (or spritz with a little cooking spray) and pop them on the grill grates to toast up for a minute or two as the sausages finish grilling. The buns get toasty and slightly crisp – SO GOOD!
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Toppings and Serving Suggestions
While toppings on grilled sausage are totally optional, they’re an easy way to make an even heartier dinner. Based on the type of sausage you’re grilling, there are so many ways to customize and make them your own!
Here’s a few of our faves to get you started…
- The Classics – Ketchup, mustard, and/or mayo are always a good starting point! We LOVE a tangy Dijonnaise – mix about 1/3 cup mayo with 1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard.
- Sauerkraut, another tangy slaw, pickle relish, or pickled red onions.
- Grilled peppers and onions – especially good for Italian sausage!
- Whip up some esquites-style corn for chorizo or any sort of cilantro-jalapeno sausages.
- Or, go Chicago style, complete with ALL of the things – mustard, sweet relish, onion, tomato, dill pickles and celery salt.
All that’s left to do is serve your grilled sausage dinner with an icy cold beverage and your favorite summer side dish or two! We love serving them with macaroni salad, grilled veggies, or my favorite broccoli salad. Dinner is served in less than 15 minutes – what’s not to love about that!
I can’t wait for you to try this Grilled Sausage recipe ASAP! It is the easiest weeknight dinner recipe and a go-to when you are looking for something quick and delicious!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
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Grilled Sausage (How to Grill Sausage Perfectly!)
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2-4 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Grilling & Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Everything you need to know about How to Grill Fresh Sausage in a casing perfectly every time! This method uses two zones of heat on the grill to first grill the sausages over low indirect heat to cook before transferring to high direct heat for a smoky charred finish. Pile on your favorite toppings or eat them plain and serve alongside your favorite summer side dishes for the ultimate easy summer dinner. A total staple for grilling season!
Ingredients
- 1 pound (raw) fresh sausage links or brats of choice
- for serving, as desired: toasted brat buns or brioche buns, grilled peppers and onions, sauerkraut, mustard or Dijonnaise, ketchup, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the grill: Prepare your grill for indirect cooking, creating a zone of direct high heat and a second zone of indirect heat. If using a gas grill, begin preheating at least 15 minutes before grilling. If using charcoal, light the charcoal at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. (To learn more about zone grilling, be sure to check out this post.)
- Grill the sausage: Once the grill is hot, place the sausage directly on the indirect heat side of the grill, arranging the sausage as close to the direct heat as possible without being directly over the flame. Close the lid and cook for 4-5 minutes. The heat from the direct heat side of the grill will circulate around the sausage, cooking them with really gentle indirect heat. After 4-5 minutes, flip the sausage, and cook over indirect heat for another 4-5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the sausage registers a temperature of 150 degrees F.
- Chargrill the sausage: Transfer the sausage to the direct heat. Grill 2-3 minutes per side, until charred as desired and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Transfer to a plate to rest and cool slightly before serving.
- Serve the grilled sausage on a toasted bun with all of your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cooking times provided work for a standard 1-inch thick sausage. If your sausage is thicker/thinner, adjust cooking time as needed, and always check for final cooking temperatures with an instant-read thermometer.
Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Yes to Yolks.
Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!
How hot should the grill be??
High heat, med heat or low heat?
Hi Brian! This recipe calls for two-zone grilling – starting the sausage over low heat, and then finishing it with a char over direct heat. You can find more detailed instructions in the post as well as the recipe card. Hope that helps!
this method works perfectly every time! Jess is a grilling queen and she has totally upped my grill game
☺️You know how to make a gal’s day, Courtney!!! Thanks for the comment!
this works perfectly! thanks for being my grilling guru, Jess!
We are so glad you enjoyed! If you haven’t already be sure to check out our new grilling tips & recipes that have been shared so far this summer here!
Thank you so much for your helpful shearing post!
=) xo