Perfect Juicy Grilled Sausages

The secret to perfect sausages on the grill is to poach them in beer first. When you cook them all the way on a grill you loose all the good juicy fat by the time they are safe to eat. You’ll need an instant-read digital thermometer and some extra prep time in the kitchen but the results are worth it and it will make the grill time much faster.

Directions

  1. Put the raw sausages in a large sauce pan or small pot and cover with at least a half inch of flavorful beer.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer and let cook until the internal temperature of the sausages reaches a safe point to eat: 145°F for pork, 165°F for chicken
  3. Take the sausages out of the beer and refrigerate if you’re not using them immediately
  4. Finish by browning them on the grill until warm and caramelized

Good places to buy hand-made gourmet sausage:

Photo by Phil and Pam Gradwell via Flickr used with CC Attribution license

Kartoffelsuppe mit Wurst (Potato Soup with Sausage)

Eating this dish we’re instantly transported back to Berlin and all those great memories. We set out to recreate this soup and our version is ironically adapted from “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone” by Deborah Madison. Leave out the sausage if you don’t eat animals, substitute olive oil for butter if you’re vegan.

Ingredients

  • 3 large or 6 medium leeks, finely chopped, white parts only
  • 1½ pounds Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed well
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 medium fresh pre-cooked smoked sausage (Frankfurter Würstel / Wiener) sliced in ½” pieces
  • Water and a little (optional) milk
  • Fresh croutons (toast some baguette slices with olive oil)
  • Fresh chives chopped finely for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for garnish
  • Salt & black pepper

Directions

  1. Chop the leeks in half and cut into small half moons then set in water to soak
  2. Quarter the potatoes length-wise then slice them thinly
  3. Melt the butter in a wide soup pot or dutch oven, add the leeks and potatoes and cook over low heat covered for 10 minutes
  4. Add 7 cups of water or a 50:50 mixture of water and fresh vegetable stock and 1½ teaspoons of salt, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer partially covered for about 35 minutes (until the potatoes are soft and falling apart)
  5. Blend thoroughly, taste and season for salt and pepper. Add a little milk or cream just to add a bit of richness and body and add more water if the soup is too thick.
  6. Serve with crouton, chopped chive, sausage, and a drizzle of very good olive oil.