How to Cook Blood Sausage

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

If you've managed to get blood sausage, determine how you want to prepare it. Since blood sausage should already be cooked when you buy it, you'll simply need to reheat it. For a deep flavor and crispy texture, slice blood sausage and fry it in a little oil so it browns on both sides. If you prefer to leave the sausages in links, heat them in simmering water before you slice and serve them. For another easy method, slice the sausages and broil them with a little mustard until they're browned.

Ingredients

Pan-Fried Morcilla with Potatoes^{[1]
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4 links of morcilla
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons (44 ml) of olive oil
1 teaspoon (2 g) of paprika
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Makes 4 servings

Simmered Blood Sausage^{[2]
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1 pound (0.45 kg) of blood sausages such as blutwurst or morcilla

Makes 1 pound (0.45 kg) of blood sausage

Broiled Blood Sausage with Greens^{[3]
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1 pound (0.45 kg) of blood sausage links
2 tablespoons (30 g) of coarse-grain mustard
Several handfuls of fresh watercress, stemmed
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of sesame oil, divided
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Pan-Fried Morcilla with Potatoes

1
Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat and cut 4 potatoes into cubes. Fill a 3-quart (2.8 liter) pot three-quarters full of water. Then turn the burner to high so the water comes to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, take 4 peeled potatoes and cut them into 1/2 in (1.3 cm) cubes.
- Use your favorite type of potatoes for this recipe such as new potatoes or russets.
2
Boil the potato cubes for 3 to 5 minutes and drain them. Once the water begins to boil add the potato cubes to the pot. Boil the potatoes until they're just starting to become tender when you poke them with a fork. Then turn off the burner and set a colander in the sink. Drain the potatoes into the colander and set them aside.
- If you don't want to fry the blood sausage with potatoes, you can skip these steps or use a different vegetable such as sweet potato.
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3
Cut 4 morcilla links into 1 in (2.5 cm) thick slices. Place the morcilla links on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut them into slices. Slicing the morcilla will increase the surface area so you get crispier sausages and better flavor.
- If you can't find morcilla, use any type of blood sausage that's available.
4
Brown both sides of the sausage for 5 to 6 minutes. Pour 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of olive oil into a cast-iron skillet and turn the burner to low. Once the oil is hot, place the morcilla in the skillet. Cook the sausages for 2 to 3 minutes and then use tongs to flip them over. Cook them for another 2 to 3 minutes so they're browned on both sides.
- Commercial blood sausages are already cooked, so you're simply reheating them until they're hot throughout.
5
Remove the morcilla and add the potatoes to the skillet. Transfer the browned sausages to a plate and leave the oil in the skillet. Put the drained potatoes into the hot oil in the skillet.
6
Season the potatoes with paprika and cook them for 5 minutes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon (2 g) of paprika over the potatoes and cook them until they brown. Stir them occasionally so they cook evenly and become soft in the center when you poke them with a fork.
7
Serve the pan-fried morcilla with the fried potatoes. Stir 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of kosher salt into the potatoes and serve them with the slices of morcilla. Sprinkle a little more paprika over the potatoes and morcilla for a simple garnish.
- Refrigerate the leftover sausages in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. While you can also refrigerate the potatoes, they'll become soggy the longer they're stored so it's a good idea to store them separately.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Simmered Blood Sausage

1
Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Set a pot that's at least 3-quarts (2.8 liters) in size on the stove and pour in enough water to fill it three-quarters full. Turn the burner to high so the water begins to boil.
- If you'd like to make more than 1 pound (0.45 kg) of blood sausage, use a bigger pot that's large enough to hold all of the sausages.
2
Reduce the heat to medium and add the sausages. Turn the burner down to medium so the water bubbles gently. Carefully lower as many blood sausages as you want to cook into the simmering water.
- Keep the lid off of the pot so you can ensure that the water is simmering and not boiling.
3
Simmer the blood sausages for 6 to 8 minutes. Let the links heat in the bubbling water until they're hot throughout. To test, remove a sausage and slice it in half to determine if the center is hot.
- If the water looks like it's boiling, turn the burner down even more since you don't want the sausages to split.
- If your blood sausages are small, begin checking them after 5 minutes to see if they're heated throughout.
4
Serve the simmered blood sausages. Turn off the burner and use tongs to lift the links out of the pot. Use a sharp knife to slice the sausages lengthwise or into 1 in (2.5 cm) rounds and serve them immediately.
- Consider serving the simmered blood sausage with mashed potatoes, warm apples, or sauerkraut.
- Refrigerate leftover sausage in an airtight container and use it within 3 to 4 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Broiled Blood Sausage with Greens

1
Preheat the broiler to HIGH and move a rack to the top. Place the top rack so it's about 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm) below the heating element. You'll also need to get out a baking sheet.
2
Cut the sausages in half lengthwise and place them on the sheet. Get out 1 pound (0.45 kg) of blood sausage links and set them on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice each link in half lengthwise and then place them on the sheet so the cut-side faces up.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet to prevent the sausages from sliding off as you move the sheet.
3
Broil the sausages for 1 to 2 minutes. Put the sheet on the rack under the broiler and heat the sausages until they're browned on top. Watch the sausages as they broil to prevent them from burning.
- Since blood sausages are already cooked, you're simply heating them up.
4
Flip the sausages and cover them with coarse-grain mustard. Pull the baking sheet from under the broiler and use tongs to flip each sausage over. Get out 2 tablespoons (30 g) of coarse-grain mustard and spread a little of it over each sausage link.
- Although you can substitute other types of mustard, the coarse-grain mustard will give the best texture to the sausages.
5
Broil the sausages for another 1 to 2 minutes. Return the sheet to the top rack under the broiler and heat the sausages until they begin to brown and the mustard heats up. Then turn off the broiler and remove the sheet.
6
Mix a quick watercress salad with sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Put several handfuls of fresh, stemmed watercress into a large bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sesame oil into the bowl and use your hands or salad tongs to toss the watercress. Add salt and pepper according to taste.
- You can add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil if the watercress isn't coated.
7
Serve the broiled blood sausage with the greens. Divide the watercress salad between 4 serving plates. Place 2 of the blood sausage links on the greens and consider serving the meal with cooked apples or apple compote.
- Store leftover blood sausage in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Avoid storing the watercress salad because it will soften too much as it's stored.