How To Cut Sausage Links To Transform Any Dish

Sausage links come in many different types, offering a snappy, flavorful bite to iconic recipes from barbecue sandwiches to bowls of gumbo. However, you can elevate sausage links on their own before even adding them to a dish. We've consulted fourth-generation barbecue master Hunter Shoults, who manages the plant at Bear Creek Smokehouse, owned by his father, celebrity chef Robbie Shoults. Backed by generations of experience producing and smoking sausages, Hunter Shoults explained how cutting sausage links transforms any dish.

"There are pros and cons to the way we cut sausage prior to the specific cooking process at hand," he said. "Spiral cutting on a skewer will expose more of the flesh of the sausage, allowing for a more even cook and more caramelization to take place on the grill. Splitting sausage for pan-searing and placing the flesh side down in the pan makes for a great hot dog." We've got a clever skewer trick for crispy spiral-cut hot dogs for you to try, using this Paudin pairing knife. Splitting a sausage down the middle is a simple way to create more surface area to crisp up in the pan.

If you're looking for a challenge with impressive results, Shoults said, "Crosshatching sausages can raise the brow of even the most sophisticated individual, especially if you really take your time and make opposing diagonal cuts closely and uniformly down the length of the sausage prior to cooking."

Splitting, spiraling, and cross-hatching are cut marks with varying degrees of difficulty, and they're all beneficial to the flavor and texture of your sausage link. The cut marks will not only look impressive but they'll also expose more of the meaty interior to your cooking surface, whether you're pan frying or grilling. This will enhance the caramelization of the sausage's natural sugars for more depth of flavor. Cut marks will also transform the shape and texture of the sausage for an even more delightful mouthfeel. More exposed surfaces mean more charred edges, contributing smoky notes.

These techniques will work on any sausage link, from these slow cooker beer brats to classic, packaged all-beef hot dogs. Of course, Hunter Shoults is partial to his family's recipe. "We prefer to use Bear Creek Smokehouse _Polish or German sausage for our pan-seared hot dogs!" he said.

If you're feeling daunted by all these cutting and cooking techniques, Shoults takes the pressure off and encourages a curious and experimental approach. "Most importantly of all, have fun with your cooking techniques," he advised. "Find it in yourself to step outside of your comfort zone and try new ideas."