Battered Sausages

Battered sausages are a staple of Irish and UK cusine. This dish is loved by many and has a fame that rivals fish and chips.

This classic dish is often served with chips (or fries) and comes with the necessary accouterments: mustard, ketchup, and (if you like) a cold beer. 

What’s The Best Sausage To Use?

There are plenty of sausages that can be used for this recipe. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Frankfurter sausage. This is a parboiled sausage made entirely from pork. These sausages are delicious and super convenient, as they only take a few minutes to cook. 
• Kielbasa sausage. This is a classic Polish sausage. This sausage can be deep-fried and has a savory, garlicky, spiced flavor to it. 
• Italian sausage. This sausage has a beautiful earthy, licorice-like flavor from the presence of anise in the spice blend. The sausage may need to be cooked before frying, so be aware of that when picking out this particular kind of sausage. 

If you are looking for a Kosher option, opt for sausages that come from certified Kosher factories and are made with either beef, chicken, or lamb. 

Do I Need To Use Beer?

While beer isn’t entirely necessary to the success of battered sausages, it does kind of make the recipe as delicious as it is.

The reason beer is so necessary is because it adds three ingredients in one pour: carbon dioxide, foaming agents, and alcohol.

The carbon dioxide is crucial here. When the carbon dioxide present in the batter hits the hot oil, the already present gas pushes out from the batter, creating a light and puffed crust around the sausage. 

Of course, this gas wouldn’t be able to stay put without the right foaming agents. Champagne is a bubbly drink too, but champagne bubbles pop too quickly to puff up the batter.

The third important part is the alcohol. It moderates the internal temperature and crisping the crust.

Alcohol evaporates faster than water, so batter made with beer will cook faster than the batter made with milk or water.

The faster the batter dries and crisps up, the less possibility you have of undercooking the batter or overcooking your sausages.  

Can I Use Non-Alcoholic Beer?

Yes, it is possible to use non-alcoholic beer. Though alcohol does help during the frying process, the carbon dioxide and foaming agents still help with providing a super crispy outer crust.

What’s The Best Beer To Use?

For texture, it’s best to use either lagers or pilsners. These work well because they make your batter light and aerate it.

However, sometimes beer is added to improve the taste of the final dish. So, if you are looking for something like that go, you can go with a stout like Guinness or Belgian beer. These’ll help add a deep, robust flavor to your sausages.

Can I Make This Gluten-Free?

Of course! You just have to make sure you use gluten-free flour. You will have to slightly adjust the recipe due to the fact that gluten-free flour has binding additives.

Start by combining a ½ cup of flour to start and then gradually pouring in the beer. Once you have a pancake-thick batter, you should be good to go. 

Can I Add Spices To The Batter?

This batter is very basic, which is kind of the beauty of it. You can use this batter with any type of sausage. However, you can totally add some complementary flavors to this batter depending on the sausage you’re using.

Sometimes I like to add some chili powder, Sriracha sauce, powdered mustard, or even some herbs. You can customize this batter to your liking and add your own favorite seasonings. 

How To Serve Battered Sausages

Traditionally, these sausages are served with potato chips. However, instead of plain potato chips, you can use also use sweet potatoes.

Mustard is also a classic condiment for battered sausages, so make sure to have some ready when you’re sitting down to eat this delicious dish! 

How To Make Battered Sausages

Step 1

Assemble your ingredients.

Pour in beer and whisk until you have a smooth and lump-free batter.

Step 2

Heat 2-inches of oil in a skillet or prepare your deep fryer. 

Dust the sausages lightly with the flour before coating with the batter. This step is not mandatory, but I think the batter sticks better to the sausage if this is done beforehand.

Step 3

Carefully place the sausages in oil heated to 350°F.

Fry the sausages until golden brown.

Remove the sausages from the oil and place them on a paper-lined plate. Sprinkle with some coarse salt.

Step 4

Serve with potato chips, pickles, or just mustard!

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