Classic English Sausage Rolls
I think most Americans, if asked, would think a sausage roll is nothing more than pigs in a blanket? Even though the sausage roll has been popular at pubs and throughout Europe for decades, the fad never caught on here.
These little guys are the perfect, tastiest, and EASIEST classic sausage roll you will find, and I dare say could fool the English in thinking that these sausage rolls were made in a kitchen in London and not in a small-town America.
I am new to sausage rolls. I have seen them but never had a traditional one. I started researching other sausage roll recipes and found that the supply of recipes is endless.
It depends on many factors as to what goes into these delicious sausage rolls. Those factors include where you are from and family recipes handed down from past generations.
My sausage roll starts with a homemade puff pastry. You can go with store-bought, but puff pastry is easy and very fun to make.
I recommend grinding your sausage. I use pork shoulder, which is lean, and also pork belly. The two types of meat create the best combination, and I use fresh herbs and fennel seed to season the sausage.
Brits reading this are probably rolling their eyes or getting fired up, thinking, “Hey!!! WE invented Sausage Rolls!”
OK, very true, but One might say America has adopted it as our own. We are not just the land of pigs-in-a-blanket anymore
Classic English Sausage Rolls
Sausage Rolls are VERY English. I hadn't even heard of them until a few years ago. My Sausage Rolls are incredible. They have a flakey puff pastry filled with a savory sausage filling. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or a snack.
Ingredients
rough puff Ingredients
- 175 grams unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
- 350 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 to 4 tbsp iced water, to mix
- 1 Egg wash (beaten egg mixed with a splash of milk) to glaze
- Fennel seeds and flaky sea salt, to finish
sausage filling ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs ground pork, a mixture of shoulder and pork belly is best
- 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp sage leaves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 100 grams fresh white breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
sausage filling instructions
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For the filling, mix the pork with the herbs, spices, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Break off a little piece and fry it so you can check the seasoning.
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Set filling in refrigerator for at least 30 mins.
rough puff filling
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Combine the butter cubes in a bowl with the flour and salt, then add just enough water to bring together into a fairly firm dough.
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On a floured surface, roll out the dough in one direction, away from you, to a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
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Fold the two short ends into the middle, so they overlap, like an envelope.
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Give the pastry a quarter-turn and repeat the rolling and folding process five more time
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Wrap the pastry in cling film, then rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes–1 hour.
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Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to an oblong, about 17" x 124.5" and 1/4" thick.
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Lay the sausage along one long side of the pastry, about 1.5" in from the edge. Brush this pastry edge with a little egg wash and fold the other side of the pastry over the top of the filling to enclose it. Crimp the edges together well to seal.
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Lightly brush the pastry with a little of the egg wash, then scatter over the fennel seeds and a light sprinkling of flaky salt. Place the sausage roll in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to firm up. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F
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Using a serrated knife, cut the sausage roll into eight pieces and place on a baking tray lined with parchment.
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Bake in the oven for 35–45 minutes, until golden brown.
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Remove the sausage rolls from the tray to a wire rack to cool. Eat warm or leave to cool before serving.
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