British Sage and Fennel Sausage Rolls

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Sausage rolls are one of the best meaty appetizers you can make!  These tasty morsels have a flavorful meat filling and flaky, buttery pastry.  Better yet, they can be made ahead of time and enjoyed whenever you're having company!

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Questions

What are sausage rolls?

They are similar to the U.S. version of pigs-in-a-blanket, but more customizeable.  These delicious morsels are traditionally made in the U.K. from puff pastry and ground pork mixed with spices instead of crescent rolls and pre-cooked sausages like in the U.S.

They can be made in small pieces as an appetizer, or in larger rolls for a main course.  With one taste, you'll understand why one bakery chain in England sells about 140 million of these per year!

Are they healthy?

Although they aren't the healthiest snack, sausage rolls are actually not extremely unhealthy.  Each one made from this recipe is 175 calories and contains 12.9g of fat and 165.6mg of sodium.  Scroll down to the bottom of the recipe card to read the full nutrition facts.

Are sausage rolls British?

Yes, they are British.  Early versions were around in Greek and Roman times, but precursors of the modern type came from France.  It was recognized as a British food in the 1800s, and has been popular ever since.

Can sausage rolls be made in advance?

• Yes, you can make them  in advance.
• Assemble them and freeze them before baking them.  They definitely taste better the same day they are baked.
• See the directions below for freezing and baking frozen ones.

Can sausage rolls be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze them.  Here's how to do it!

• Place the unbaked rolls on a baking tray and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Don't brush with egg wash yet.
• Flash freeze for a couple hours until fully frozen.
• Seal the rolls inside of a zip-top freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
• There's no need to defrost before reheating.

How do you bake frozen ones?

• Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
• Place the frozen sausage rolls on a parchment-lined baking tray and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake at 400 F for 50-60 minutes, until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the meat is cooked.
• Immediately place the baked sausage rolls on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Can sausage rolls be left out overnight?

• No, they cannot be left out of the refrigerator overnight.
• Once cooked and cooled, the meat must be kept in the fridge to prevent foodborne illnesses.
• Cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Reheat in the oven at 375 F or in the microwave until hot.

Can they be reheated?

• Reheat leftovers in a 375 F oven for 10-20 minutes or until they are the desired temperature.
• If you just want to reheat a few, microwave them for 30-40 seconds, or until they are the desired temperature.

How long will sausage rolls keep?

• Baked ones will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.
• Unbaked ones will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.

Which pastry do you use?

Puff pastry is definitely the pastry of choice.  Shortcrust doesn't puff up in flaky, buttery layers like puff pastry does.  You can use store-bought puff, or if you're feeling ambitious, you can make your own rough puff.

What to Eat with Sausage Rolls

They're typically served on their own, but here are some sauces and dips you can serve them with to add additional flavor.

• HP sauce (my personal favorite)
• English mustard, such as Colman's
• Chutney, such as Branston pickle
• Piccalilli
• Applesauce

How to Make

Gather the ingredients: ground pork, fennel seeds, ground sage, dried thyme leaves, ground nutmeg, salt, pepper, puff pastry, and a beaten egg.

Mix the meat and spices together with a fork until well blended.

Divide the meat between two large pieces of plastic wrap and use the wrap to shape the meat into two logs about 1 ½ inches in diameter.  Twist the ends of the wrap and chill the meat in the fridge.

Roll out the puff pastry on a large cutting board to make a rectangle that's just a bit longer than the sausage logs (approximately 10x18 inches).  Split it down the middle.

Unwrap the sausage logs and lay each one on a rectangle.  Brush one edge of the pastry with beaten egg.

Roll up the logs in the pastry and pinch the seam to seal.  Trim off the ends to neaten the edges.  (Save the offcuts; you can bake them on the same tray.)

Place the logs on a small baking tray and freeze for 10 minutes to harden the pastry.

Slice each log into about 12 pieces and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 F for 40-50 minutes, until well browned.  It's important that the pastry is completely cooked, or the sausage rolls won't taste as good.

Let them cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving.  Serve warm with HP sauce, English mustard, chutney, or piccalilli.

Variations

• Brush mustard, jam, or chutney on the pastry before placing the meat on top.
• Mix some sautéed onions, mushrooms, or other veggies into the meat to add additional flavor.
• Always serve with HP sauce or spicy English mustard for dipping.

Pro Tips

• Short on time?  Squeeze the meat out of your favorite sausages instead of using ground pork.
• Don't over-handle the meat, or it will be tough.
• Freeze the sausage rolls for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing them and baking.  Otherwise, the pastry won't puff up as much or be as flaky.
• Prevent soggy pastry by removing the rolls from the cookie sheet as soon as they're done baking.
• Bake frozen ones without thawing.  Just remember to increase the baking time.

Recommended Tools

• Cutting Board: this board is the perfect size for rolling out pastry.
• Baking Tray: these warp-resistant baking trays bake evenly and clean up easily.
• Parchment Paper: cleanup is so easy with a sheet of parchment on the tray!
• Pastry Brushes: these sturdy brushes work very well and don't lose their bristles easily.

You could be enjoying these other hearty meat-filled appetizers too.  Check out these recipes! 

• Sloppy Joe Sliders
• Sausage Balls
• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Potato Skins
• Hawaiian Meatballs

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.

Recipe

British Sage and Fennel Sausage Rolls

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 24 sausage rolls 1x

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Description

British sage and fennel sausage rolls are made from buttery rough puff pastry and a simple pork sausage filling.  Serve this traditional British appetizer warm or cold at a party with HP sauce or mustard—they’ll disappear quickly!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 1 ½ pounds ground pork (85% meat, 15% fat) (680g)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Pastry

• 1.3 lb rough puff pastry or puff pastry (600g)
• 1 large egg, beaten

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Instructions

Preparing the Filling (10 min)

1. Place the ground pork in a large mixing bowl and add the spices.  Mix with a fork until well combined.  Don't mix any longer than necessary, or the meat mixture will get tough.
2. Cut two large pieces of plastic wrap and lay them flat on the counter.  Divide the meat mixture between the two pieces, then shape them into logs.  Make sure each log is well wrapped in the plastic wrap.
3. Chill the logs in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

Making the Sausage Rolls (30 min + 35 min baking)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Line an 11 by 17-inch rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat a fork until well blended.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it's just a bit longer than the meat logs (roughly 10x18 inches).  Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise.
3. Unwrap the meat logs, then lay them on top of the rectangles.
4. Brush one long side of the rectangle with beaten egg, then roll the pastry tightly over the sausage so it overlaps.  Pinch the seam closed, then place the roll seam side down.
5. Place both logs on a small parchment-lined cookie sheet and brush them all over with beaten egg.  Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden the pastry.  This is an important step; don't skip it.
6. Slice the roll into about 12 pieces and place them about an inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 400 F for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is well browned and the meat is cooked.  Test the meat's temperature by stacking two or three rolls and sticking a meat thermometer through the center.  The temperature should be 160 F.
8. Immediately transfer them to a wire rack to cool a little.  Serve warm with HP sauce or English mustard.

Notes

• Short on time?  Squeeze the meat out of your favorite sausages instead of using ground pork.
• Don't over-handle the meat, or it will be tough.
• Freeze the sausage rolls for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing them and baking.  Otherwise, the pastry won't puff up as much or be as flaky.
• Prevent soggy pastry by removing the rolls from the cookie sheet as soon as they're done baking.
• To freeze unbaked sausage rolls, flash freeze them on a cookie sheet, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag.  They can be baked from frozen; just remember to increase the baking time.

• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: British

Keywords: sausage rolls, sausage, recipe

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This post was originally published on May 25, 2018.