Do I have to cook smoked sausage or just heat and eat it?

You could eat that right out of the package if you wanted to and it wouldn't hurt you.

Fully Cooked Sausage

The smoking gives them the flavour and are normally cooked in the smoke.

They say you should cook them just to be on the safe side.

I put them into a pot of cold water and bring them up to the boil. I then just turn down the heat until the water is just simmering.

That is all of the cooking the need, just to get hot.

As a kid when I went to the shop with Mum I would be given one to eat on the way home

Centuries ago smoking was a way of curing meat to preserve it (also it killed bugs). These days it's just for the taste.

Some sausage is pre-cooked and only needs to be heated up. Hot dogs (of course), and chicken sausage, and kielbasa (usually). Other sausage needs to be cooked. Generally if it's firm it's cooked, if it's mooshy it's raw. It should say on the package also.

Smoked sausages are usually fully cooked. As such, just heat and eat the sausage. Of course, you should check the package of sausage to determine if it is fully cooked. Sausages are smoked to give it flavor.

Smoking cooks the sausage meat safely.

Smoking is done to add flavour to the meat.

Heating through is all that's required.

Most smoked sausage has been cured, and curing meat cooks it. So it is safe to eat at any temperature, assuming that it has been stored properly. It is smoked to add the smoke flavor.

If they are fully cooked, they are safe to eat. They might taste a little greasy if eaten cold, but they are safe. I think it's funny that some people insist you have to cook hot dogs before eating them, but think nothing of making a cold bologna sandwich. Same meat! I ate cold hot dogs my whole life, with no ill effects. Smoked meat IS cooked meat.

just heat and eat ...

they call it smoked even though it really isn't smoked. It just has smoked flavoring in it somewhere ... but it is fully cooked.

I eat the polish kielbasa right out of the package cold ... mmmmmm

Yes, Billy if it is not precooked, u need to cook it - on both sides.

Prick w fork to let gas escape and ensure for nice presentation.

Turn broiler on.

:) A few mins per side.

Smoked is simply a reference to how they were made - delicious.

Really good in gumbo. :) Or plain w mayo or ketchup, Dijon, or yellow mustard.