Why does my sausage casserole always get a greasy layer on top making it inedible?

[Geepers]

I have tried various sausage casserole recipes in a bid to combat this, but can't seem to solve the problem.

I always brown the sausages first, draining away any water/fat, but when the casserole comes out of teh oven it has a thick, greasy layer on it rendering it uneatable. I know this isn't normal as it never used to happen but can't work out what I was doing differently back then.

I have tried various types of sausage, both fresh and frozen.

Maybe it's a sign I shouldn't be feeding my family sausages ;)

You can get the greasy layer off by letting a sheet of kitchen roll sit on top to soak it up. Might need several sheets. Works best if you let it get a little cold, do the fat-soaking, then heat again.

PS - I was so sure your title said greasy lawyer !!

It's also down to the quality of the sausages - frozen ones are pretty crap tbh. If you use the more expensive ones (finest, etc) it's not so bad, though it slightly defeats the frugality objective, doesn't it?

I brown my sausages in a frying pan and then transfer them to the casserole dish where I've been sweating the vegetables or whatever. That seems to work for me.

Try grilling the sausages first? i do this before putting in a casserole and never had a problem

to echo onebat i think its probably the quality of the sausages - good ones shouldn't give out any type of watery stuff really.

i like the duchy organics ones which are about £2.75 got six - i then do a sausage casserole using lentils, butternut squash, tomatoes and herbs - absolutely delicious

It is the fat that has come out of the sausages.

If you put "pre-packed" sausages - irrespective of quality IMO - then you get oodles of fat out on a George Forman type griddle. You also get a layer of fat on the top of a casserol.

If I put butchers sausages on the griddge - I get no fat. Not a drop. Same in casserole.

Thanks everyone. Will give sausages from the butcher's a go, too, as not tried that.