Last Updated on 11th July 2023 by
The term “Chinese sausage” refers to a lot of different types of sausage, all of which come from China. This can be a name for sweet or spicy sausage, as well as cured sausage and fresh sausage.
When asking how to cook Chinese sausage, you could get a lot of different answers. Not only are there specific methods for cooking specific kinds of Chinese sausage, but there are also a variety of ways that each sausage can be cooked. Some sausages will require longer cooking times than others, whereas others might be seasoned as they are cooked, because their flavor is very mild. Others will already be seasoned when you buy them, so they may simply be cooked without thae addition of any other seasonings.
I will walk you through a few methods for how to cook Chinese style sausage, and you can decide for yourself which method sounds best to you.
Table of Contents
Chinese Sausage Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked rice (preferably day-old rice)
- 2 Chinese sausages (Lap Cheong)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Begin by slicing the Chinese sausage into thin rounds. In a hot wok or large frying pan, cook the sausage over medium heat until it becomes crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the sausage and set it aside.
- In the same pan, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and sauté the onions until translucent. Then, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Push the onions and garlic to one side of the pan. Crack the eggs into the other side and scramble them until just set.
- Add the cooked rice into the pan. Break up any clumps and mix well with the onion, garlic, and eggs.
- Stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white pepper, mixing well to ensure all the rice is evenly coated.
- Finally, add the crispy Chinese sausage and green onions back into the pan. Stir everything together and cook for another 2 minutes, ensuring everything is well combined and heated through.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra green onions if desired. Enjoy your Chinese Sausage Fried Rice!
Notes
- Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) can be found in Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with a different type of sweet sausage.
- Day-old rice works best for this recipe as it is less moist and will give you a better texture. If you only have fresh rice, try to dry it out a bit in the fridge before using.
- Feel free to add more veggies like peas, carrots, or bell peppers for a more nutritious meal.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the Chinese sausage and add tofu or more veggies instead. Replace the oyster sauce with a vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce.
Chinese Sausage- How to Cook it with Steam
The most popular way to cook up Chinese sausage is to steam it, usually in rice and inside a rice cooker. A steamer or simply a pot of water work well too.
How to cook Chinese sausage in rice cooker? It takes about 35 minutes to cook rice in a rice cooker. The appliance will gently steam the rice, making it soft and pillowy and not sticky at all. This is a very simple way to cook rice, as you can throw the rice into the cooker and leave it to cook on its own, not having to stir the rice or do anything to it while it cooks. The cooker will take care of everything for you.
You can add slices of Chinese sausage to the rice cooker as the rice is cooking. The rice will absorb the fatty oils from the sausage as well as its flavor, making for a very tasty rice that may not need any additional seasoning.
How long to cook Chinese sausage with this method? It can cook as long as the rice does, and you can add them both together at the beginning of the process.
How to Cook Chinese Sausage in the Oven
Let’s talk about another method for cooking your Chinese sausage. I like this method because like the rice cooker you can simply put your sausages in and cook them without having to watch them carefully or oversee them as they cook. Once the timer goes off on the oven, you can simply take the sausages out of the oven and enjoy them. Even if this method isn’t your favorite way to cook Chinese sausages, it is good to know some low effort ways to cook foods so that you can have some food that is cooking the easy way while you are working on more complex foods that require your direct attention.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Once the oven has heated, you can put your sausages on the tray and place the tray into the oven. Cook for about 30 minutes and turn the sausages once at about the 15-minute mark. They should be gently browned by the time they are done cooking.
How to Cook Chinese Sausage in a Pan
The fastest method for making Chinese sausages is to cook them on the stovetop in a pan. This stir frying method is pretty simple, as are all the ways to cook Chinese sausage.
How to cook Chinese sausage on stove? You just slice it or leave it whole and put it into a frying pan. You don’t need to add any oil in, as the sausage will cook quite nicely in its own oils. You can add in some other foods to the frying pan, like veggies or eggs to cook with it. You might need to add a little oil for those to cook in your stir fry.
How to cook Chinese sausage on stove top and know that it is finished cooking? It should brown and have black char marks on it as well. Once the outer color of the sausage has changed completely, you know that it is done cooking. You can cook it for longer to get it to look darker on the outside, and you can cook for as long as you like to get the desired color, texture, and doneness.
How to Cook Chinese Sausage in Microwave
Another method you can use to cook your sausage is to cook it in the microwave. There are a few things to know about making it this way so that you don’t end up with a mess.
First of all, poke some holes into the sausage before placing it into the microwave. About four or five holes poked into the surface of the sausage will ensure the meat doesn’t explode while in the microwave. You can also sprinkle the sausage with some water to keep it from drying out.
How long to cook sausage in the microwave for? You can cook it for about two or three minutes on a medium power. If cooking on high, then it may take just 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
Frozen sausage will need to cook for longer than fresh or thawed sausage. It may benefit from the defrost cycle as well, which can take a while but ensures a more even heating and will make sure that the sausage cooks all the way through. If you try to warm frozen sausage on regular heating in the microwave, you can end up warming the outside and leaving the inside frozen solid. It is best to take a few minutes and defrost it in the microwave or in a bowl of water before cooking it up in the microwave.
How to Cook Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage
The final method I want to tell you about is the claypot, which is similar to a steamer or rice cooker. You usually cook up your sausage with rice and perhaps some veggies as well when you use this method. It takes about 15 minutes for everything to cook.
Start by soaking a cup of rice in a cup of water for about an hour in the claypot. Then, cook on medium heat until the water starts to boil. Once the water reaches the boiling point, you can add in your sausage and veggies. At that point, you just need to cover the claypot, lower the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. You don’t even need to stir when you add in the other ingredients and don’t need to stir while it is cooking. You can mix it all together once it is done cooking, though. Voila! You have a delicious meal of sausage, rice, and veggies.
Those are a few methods you can use to cook Chinese sausage. Keep in mind that cooking times will vary based on whether you are using fresh or frozen sausage and whether the sausage is cured or not.
FAQs
What differentiates Chinese sausage from other types of sausage, and how does this impact cooking methods?
Chinese sausage, or “Lap Cheong”, is a type of dried, hard sausage usually made from pork and a high content of fat. It is often seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, and Chinese rice wine, and can be smoked or unsmoked. The flavour can be sweet or savoury, and the sausage is denser than many other types of sausage. Because it is typically sold dried, it needs to be cooked before consuming. It can be steamed, boiled, or stir-fried and its strong flavor can stand up to a variety of ingredients.
What traditional dishes use Chinese sausage, and how is it typically prepared in these dishes?
Chinese sausage is used in many dishes in Chinese cuisine. It is often diced or sliced thinly and used in stir-fry dishes, with vegetables, or in rice dishes. One classic Cantonese dish is “Lap Cheong rice”, where the sausage is cooked with rice in a clay pot or rice cooker, allowing the rice to absorb the flavors of the sausage.
Are there any specific safety considerations or handling procedures needed when preparing Chinese sausage?
As with any raw meat product, be sure to store Chinese sausage properly (in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator) until you’re ready to cook it. While it is often sold dried, it should still be cooked thoroughly before consumption. After handling raw sausage, wash hands and any surfaces or utensils it touched to avoid cross-contamination.
I'm Pauline, a retired patisserie chef, mother of four and now a full time food blogger! When i'm not cooking i love long walks, reading thriller novels and spending time with my grandkids. Head to my about me page to learn more about the woman behind the food! You can find my Facebook here