After a summer family BBQ, there are almost always a few sausages leftover that nobody can quite manage to finish! Instead of letting them go to waste (or chopping them up for the dog!), you may have opted to refrigerate or freeze them, so you can return to them at a later date. But is it safe to reheat sausages?
To reheat sausages, you can use the oven, the stovetop or the microwave. However, the best way to reheat sausages is in the oven, as they won’t dry out and will retain their full flavour.
How to Reheat Sausages
Sausages, whether pork, beef, chicken, or even turkey, are a super popular food served up at summer BBQs and in a range of family favourite meals.
If you find yourself with a surplus of sausages, there’s no need to waste them! Pack them in the fridge or freezer and reheat them in one of the following three ways:
How to Reheat Sausages in the Oven
The best way to reheat sausages is in the oven. This ensures they won’t dry out, and they will retain much of their juicy texture and flavours. Below are the steps you need to follow to reheat sausages in the oven:
- Preheat Oven
Switch on your oven and preheat it to 325F or 165C. - Line Sausages on a Baking Tray
Add a sheet of greaseproof paper to a baking tray and line the sausages on the tray, making sure they’re not touching one another. - Cover with Tin Foil
Add a sheet of tin foil and loosely cover the sausages so they don’t burn on one side. - Heat
Place the sausages in the centre of the oven and heat for around twenty minutes. - Check the Temperature
Poke your sausages with a meat thermometer and make sure they’re heated all the way through. They should be 165F or 70C. - Serve and Enjoy
Once your sausages are up to temperature, it’s time to serve and enjoy them!
How to Reheat Sausages in the Microwave
If you don’t have twenty minutes to spare, you can reheat your sausages in the microwave. While they won’t necessarily taste as good as they would after being reheated in the oven, the microwave is a decent (and quicker) alternative.
Here’s how to reheat sausages in the microwave:
- Place in a Microwave-Safe Dish
Line your sausages on a microwave-safe dish and cover them with a paper towel. - Heat for 60 Seconds
On a medium setting, heat your sausages for one minute. Remove them from the microwave and check their temperature, returning them to the microwave if they’re not yet hot enough. - Repeat Until Piping Hot
Repeat this process until your sausages are piping hot. They should be 165F or 70C before serving. - Serve and Enjoy
As soon as your sausages are hot, they’re ready to serve and enjoy.
How to Reheat Sausages on the Stovetop
The third and final way to reheat sausages is to do so on the stovetop. This is ideal if you like your sausages to be juicy and succulent, as pan-frying them in oil brings out the very best of their flavour.
Here’s how to reheat sausages on the stovetop:
- Preheat a Pan
Drizzle some cooking oil in a frying pan and set it on medium heat. - Add Sausages
After one minute, add your sausages to the pan. If the oil starts spitting, turn the heat down slightly and allow them to sizzle in the oil. - Turn
Turn the sausages after a couple of minutes, so they’re evenly cooked on each side. You will need to cook them for around five minutes. - Check the Temperature
Poke your sausages with a meat thermometer and make sure they’re heated all the way through. They should be 165F or 70C. - Serve and Enjoy
Once your sausages are at the right temperature, they’re ready to serve and enjoy!
Yes, you can reheat chicken sausages. You will need to make sure the internal temperature is over 165F or 70C when reheating them. The best way to reheat them is in the oven as they will dry out if microwaved. 
Veggie sausages can be reheated in the same way you would reheat meat sausages. Just because they’re veggie, doesn’t mean they don’t need to be reheated thoroughly, however.
How to Reheat Sausages Successfully
If you want to have complete success when reheating sausages, then these three tips will help you out:
- Slice Sausages – Slicing your sausages before reheating them is a great way of speeding up the reheating process. It also ensures that they’re reheated right the way through, and if you’re heating them in a pan, they will be nice and crispy, too.
- Freeze Them – Sausages freeze exceptionally well. If you’re not planning to reheat your sausages within a couple of days, it’s a good idea to freeze and preserve them. Cooked sausages will be good in the freezer for several months.
- Use Them in Different Ways – Sausages are incredibly versatile and can be used differently. You could slice them thinly, add them to homemade pizzas, or cut them into chunks and toss them into a rich pasta sauce. In short, there’s no excuse to let leftover sausages go to waste.
Is It Safe to Reheat Sausages?
Yes, it’s safe to reheat sausages. However, as is the case with all meat, you must ensure you have preserved your sausages safely and kept them chilled or frozen.
If your sausages have been left out at room temperature, you shouldn’t reheat them and will need to throw them away.
Reheating Sausages FAQs
If you still have questions about reheating sausages and dishes that contain sausages these FAQs might help you out:
Yes, you can reheat sausage casserole. In fact, it might even be better the next day when reheated! By storing it covered in the fridge overnight, you’ll find that the flavours develop further. You can then reheat it in a pot over a medium heat.
No, unfortunately, this is not a good idea. We would always err on the side of caution and advise no reheating any meat-based food item more than once.
Yes, cooked sausages can be reheated but try to limit this to once. They must be stored in the fridge once cooled before being reheated.
Yes, pork sausages can be reheated just as well as beef, lamb and chicken sausages can be reheated. The important part is to ensure the centre of the sausage is reheated to a minimum temperature of 70C.
Ross is a freelance writer with a passion for delicious food and drinks, having worked in the hospitality industry in the past. He began working with Let’s Foodie when it first launched to provide information on how to reheat, freeze and microwave different foods.
