How to Grill Italian Sausage Without Bursting

Ingredients

• 6 fresh Italian sausage links (about 1½ lbs)
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil for the grates
• 1 cup water or beer (optional gentle poach)
• Split rolls, peppers and onions for serving

Instructions

1. 01

   Build two zones. Bank the coals to one side, or leave half the gas burners off. You need a hot side for color and a cool side where nothing splits.

2. 02

   Never pierce the casing. Every fork hole is an escape hatch for fat. Casings burst because steam builds faster than the fat can render — the fix is lower heat, not a fork.

3. 03

   Start on the cool side. Lay the links on the indirect side, close the lid, and let them come up slowly for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 5. They should reach about 150°F.

4. 04

   Finish over direct heat. Move them to the hot side for 2 to 4 minutes total, rolling a quarter turn every 45 seconds until the casing is taut, blistered and brown.

5. 05

   Pull at 160°F. Check the thickest link with an instant-read thermometer. 160°F, then off. Anything past 170°F is when casings split and the link goes chalky.

6. 06

   Rest and serve. Rest 5 minutes on a board or in a warm pan with grilled peppers and onions before slicing or stuffing rolls.

Larry’s rule: Flare-ups split more sausage than bad timing. Keep the lid ready and move links to the cool side the second the fat starts flaming.