These simple instructions for How to Air Fry Thick Irish Pork Sausages like Richmond and other brands will give you perfect and evenly cooked smooth pork sausages from both fresh and frozen. Perfect for bangers and mash, a “fried” breakfast, simple sausage sandwiches or a classic sausage, egg and chip tea!
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Some people can be snobby about Richmond style sausages but I am not one of them. Of course there is a time and a place for an artisanal butcher’s coarse ground Lincolnshire sausage in all natural casing. But there is also a time for an old school smooth banger and I am a big fan, especially with my breakfasts.
A thick Irish sausage, thick back bacon and fried egg sandwich on white sliced Warburton’s toastie is my ultimate comfort food – I simply cannot go for more than a couple of weeks without one.
Why Air Fry Sausages?
Historically I’m a sausage fryer, not an oven cooker. I often find that oven cooked sausages develop quite a tough skin. But pan frying does require you to pay very close attention to the pan and almost continually move the sausages to ensure an even cook.
Air frying is of course significantly more like oven cooking than pan frying so how have I become converted to air frying them? The answer includes a few reasons:
Firstly, the cook is so even on the sausages, it cannot be beaten. This super even cooking in one of the reasons I almost solely cook my pork steaks and chops in the air fryer.
Secondly, it is hands off. I can be preparing my beans, my bread, chopping my mushrooms or emptying the dishwasher while the sausages cook – this is especially helpful when I’m tired and cooking breakfast in the morning.
Lastly, I’ve worked out how to stop the sausage skins from getting horribly tough as they air fry. The trick is simple – copy the natural release of oils that the sausages would normally fry in after a minute or two. By adding a very light layer of neutral oil, the sausages sizzle rather than dry out.
Oh and one, no two extra reasons – sausages air fry very quickly, And it is much easier to air fry sausages from frozen then it is to pan fry them.
How to Serve
For me, thick Irish style sausages are mostly a breakfast food but you can of course eat them at any time of day. As a family we’re quite partial to cooking extra and then just eating them as snacks straight from the fridge. I think it might be an acquired taste so try that at your peril. For the most part, you’re going to want to serve these sausages hot.
- Serve as part of a fried breakfast with bacon, eggs, sliced mushrooms, “grilled” tomatoes, baked beans, hash browns and fried bread.
- Make bangers and mash with creamy mashed potatoes, boiled peas and onion gravy.
- Create a twist on sausage, egg and chips by subbing in garlic sweet potatoes.
Air Fryer Full English Breakfast Recipes
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Featuring thick and thin back bacon, tasty sausages, simple hash browns, delicious mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.
Ingredients
Thick Irish Sausages
I will be upfront from the start here, I have never been to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. I really don’t know if this style sausage is very common there or not. But “Irish style sausages” is how this particular style of smooth pork sausage is sold here in the rest of the UK.
The most common and recognisable brand here is Richmond. Walls sausages are very similar and can be cooked like this too. And most of the supermarkets have their own brand version with a made up Irish name. They’re not all created equal, this is one food where I usually stick with the branded option.
You can buy Irish Sausages in various pack sizes and they come in thick, thin and skinless varieties. (Amongst other options like chicken, BBQ pork (?!) and their plant based version that I used in my Gregg’s copycat vegan sausage rolls). You can also buy them fresh and frozen.
These cooking instructions are focussing on the thick option. They’re around 50g or just under 2oz each.
Oil
I usually stick with neutral vegetable oil when cooking sausages. You can use something like olive oil if you prefer but for me it isn’t a flavour I generally want to add to a breakfast.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy and nuts. But you must thoroughly check the ingredients of the sausages you buy to check this.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Thick Richmond Pork Sausages
I simply air fry Irish sausages for 12 minutes. They don’t need turning so the cooking process is super simple.
How to Air Fry Thick Irish Pork Sausages From Frozen
I’ve been surprised that many of the meats that I’ve air fried have cooked in roughly the same amount of time as they cooked perfectly from fresh. But these thick sausages do need a little longer. They cook in 15 minutes from frozen.
It is important to separate the sausages before adding them to the air fryer. Running them under cold water will usually be enough to prise them apart. It is a good idea to give them a quick rinse and then a good dry anyway.
I find this makes it easier to give them their light coating of oil and ensures that there is no water on the surface to prevent the browning process.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Cooked Richmond sausages will keep for around 3 to 4 days in an air tight container in the fridge.
They can be reheated in the air fryer in around 4 to 5 minutes. Do check they’re piping hot all the way through and give them a couple more minutes if needed.
You can also pop them in the microwave for a couple of minutes if you prefer.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
How to Air Fry Thick Irish Pork Sausages (Richmonds)
Ingredients
- 8 Thick Irish Pork Sausages
- ¼ tsp Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, Start this setting now.
- Take 8 Thick Irish Pork Sausages out of the packet and place on a plate, board or bowl. Give them a pat dry with kitchen paper if they are at all wet.
- Drizzle over ¼ tsp Oil and move the sausages around so they are all coated all over with a very thin layer of the oil.
- Place the sausages into the air fryer basket. Leave a little space between each so the air can circulate.
- Cook for 12 minutes at 200c/390f.
- If you want to turn them after 8-10 minutes, you can do – I don't need to using the rack in my air fryer.
- And serve!
To Cook From Frozen
- Prepare 8 Thick Irish Pork Sausages by making sure they are all separated. If there is any ice on them at all, give them a quick run under the cold tap to remove it and they dry them thoroughly with a towel.
- Drizzle over ¼ tsp Oil and move the sausages around so they are all coated all over with a very thin layer of the oil.
- Place the sausages into the air fryer basket. Leave a little space between each so the air can circulate.
- Cook for 15 minutes at 200c/390f.
- If you want to turn them a couple of times as they cook then you can do – I don't need to using the rack in my air fryer.
- Serve!
Notes
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can easily fit 8 thick sausages in the basket at a time. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate. I have tried cooking 12 and that was just fine. Any more and they may take longer to cook and need to be turned more.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Cat says
I’ll never go back to oven cooking my sausages, air frying all the way!
Graham says
Thank you so much for this! We love a chunky sausage in this house and it’s great to be able to whip them up in the air fryer.
Lesley says
Quick and easy instructions, I cooked from frozen and they worked a treat.
Janice says
I’m so impressed by cooking these sausages from frozen! That’s such a great tip and I’d never have though it would work. I also love cold sausages from the fridge 😀