Sausages are greater than the sum of their elements – a mix of custom, approach, ethics and flavour. I’ve all the time most popular correct butcher’s sausages, that includes hog casings crammed with well-seasoned pork shoulder, then linked and set (I used to like making them with butcher Ray Smith on River Cottage’s common Pig in a Day programs). Farmer’s markets and butchers are the most effective locations to search out them, however supermarkets now have a variety, too.
Texture is vital: a great sausage ought to have chew and a little bit of snap, with a juicy, meaty inside, quite than pasty from an excessive amount of rusk (a crumb sometimes made with flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda) within the filling. Then there’s flavour: an honest sausage must be wealthy in umami, well-seasoned however not overpowering, so you may truly style the meat, and never be too candy or filled with preservatives.
Sourcing issues, too, each from the attitude of style and private and planetary well being. The RSPCA has several welfare concerns about pork manufacturing within the UK, however higher choices do exist, and never all the time at a premium. Supermarkets do reply to buyer suggestions, so name or e-mail in case your native one doesn’t inventory good-value, high-welfare meat. Riverford, Pipers Farm and my native farmers’ market are my go-to suppliers, however I additionally purchase from supermarkets after I must. If free-range or natural sausages are too costly on your price range or not out there to you domestically, search for ones labelled RSPCA Assured or outdoor-bred or -reared, and test the superb pork labelling information at Farms Not Factories.
Let’s not overlook the casings, both, as a result of they’re additionally essential. Pure pork casings brown and crisp up superbly, which helps give the banger that all-important snap; alginate casings (derived from seaweed) are ultra-processed however use renewable assets, and likewise supply an honest pop. Collagen casings, nevertheless, that are produced from beef cover or bone, may be rubbery and don’t caramelise as nicely.
The ingredient lists assorted broadly throughout manufacturers, however all of the sausages I examined contained sulphites (used to protect color and lengthen shelf life, although they will trigger opposed reactions in people who find themselves delicate to them); some have been additionally stuffed with ultra-processed components reminiscent of stabilisers, emulsifiers and preservatives. For those who’re curious or involved about what’s in your sausage, the Yuka app is a great tool – it scans product barcodes and offers easy-to-understand scores primarily based on elements, components, saturated fats, salt and sugar ranges.
As for the cooking, the most effective method, in my ebook, is low and sluggish with just a little oil and, primarily, some butter as nicely, as a result of that helps them caramelise and go sticky. A excessive warmth will break up them, leaking valuable fats and leaving them dry, which is a travesty.
This was a captivating tasting, and proof which you could nonetheless get an honest sausage at a good value – and be ok with consuming it, too.
Greatest total:
Waitrose No 1 British free-range pork sausages
£4.75 for 400g at Waitrose (£1.19/100g)
★★★★☆
Made with 98% pork, these had the best meat content material of the entire take a look at group. That they had a juicy, coarse texture and well-balanced flavour, seasoned with mace, sage and onion. The aroma is recent and welcoming, and the flavour holds its personal with out being overpowering. The vegetable-based casings imply they don’t brown as readily, however that may be rectified by including just a little butter to the pan. Free-range outdoor-raised pork and strong animal welfare credentials, too, alongside a completely recyclable tray and sleeve – solely the movie tray cowl just isn’t. Whereas not essentially the most placing in look, they’re a traditional, high-welfare banger with robust provenance.
Greatest cut price:
Sainsbury’s Style the Distinction British pork sausages
£3 for 400g at Sainsbury’s (75p/100g)
★★★☆☆
A high-quality banger for the worth. A definite, herby aroma with a touch of nutmeg, whereas the coarse texture is true to the standard British banger. Made with 93% pork and utilizing alginate casings, they didn’t color nicely, however saved their form. Accommodates sodium metabisulphite and vitamin C, however in any other case free from ultra-processed components. Out of doors-bred and RSPCA Assured, this can be a first rate grocery store possibility.
And the remainder …
Farmison & Co the Nidderdale sausage
£6.95 for 400g at Farmison & Co (£1.74/100g)
£6.95 for 400g at Ocado (£1.74/100g)
★★★★☆
A well-crafted sausage made with native-breed pork and a mixture of wonderful and coarse textures that delivers on each flavour and provenance. It has a traditional linked form and caramelises properly, though it did lose some form throughout cooking, which suggests it might have been overfilled. The aroma is nostalgic and welcoming, with balanced seasoning and tremendous umami. Though made with solely 78% meat (79% if purchased instantly from Farmison), these have great flavour and texture. Farmison stands out for its dedication to conventional strategies and clear sourcing, with full particulars on breed and origin clearly laid out on its website. Free-range pork, recyclable packaging other than the movie, and a give attention to heritage make this sausage really feel definitely worth the premium. A powerful contender with a transparent mission to assist British smallholdings and culinary heritage.
The Black Farmer premium pork sausages
£3 for 400g at Ocado (75p/100g)
£3.50 for 400g at Tesco (88p/100g)
★★★☆☆
These sausages brown properly with a great caramelised color and a traditional butcher’s form. The coarse texture provides them a satisfying chew, whereas the aroma is pleasantly delicate, with hints of nutmeg and sage. Effectively balanced with good seasoning. They’re made with 90% pork and pure pork casings, however include sodium sulphites and stabiliser triphosphates. Whereas there’s no clear animal welfare normal, the packaging is usually recyclable. The meat is British however prone to be intensively reared. Total, a strong all-rounder with first rate credentials and honest worth for cash.
The Jolly Hog outdoor-bred correct porkers
£4 for 400g at Sainsbury’s (£1/100g)
£4.25 for 400g at Waitrose (£1.06/100g)
★★★☆☆
Brown superbly with nice caramelisation and a traditional banger form. The feel is juicy, combining each wonderful and coarse meat for a satisfying mouthfeel. The aroma is nice with hints of white pepper and mace. Effectively seasoned, with a balanced depth of flavour. Made with 84% pork and encased in pure pork casings, however they’re extremely processed and include sodium metabisulphite, emulsifiers (mono- and di-glycerides) and stabiliser diphosphates. Out of doors-bred (born outdoor, fattened in sheds) and RSPCA Assured, and packed in a recyclable card sleeve and plastic tray, this can be a conventional British banger of OK provenance and high quality.
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M&S Assortment Olde English farmhouse pork sausages
£4.00 for 400g at Ocado (£1/100g)
★★★☆☆
Properly formed, and browned superbly within the pan. Very coarse and conventional, with a savoury, extremely seasoned flavour led by herbs, spices, onion, and a contact of lemon. Made with 90% pork in pure pork casings, these are a traditional, less-processed banger. Recyclable tray and sleeve. Out of doors-bred (born outdoor, fattened in sheds) and RSPCA Assured, giving them a extra accountable edge, and provenance is affordable. Not low-cost, however a strong grocery store possibility with good flavour and the RSPCA’s stamp of approval. (For simply 50p extra, you may get licensed free-range sausages from the M&S Collection vary, which is a good funding in high quality.)
Daylesford natural outdoor-reared pork sausages
£7.50 for 400g at Ocado (£1.88/100g)
£7.50 for 400g at Daylesford (£1.88/100g)
★★★☆☆
A premium sausage with excessive welfare credentials and good flavour. These have a traditional form and color, however did lose some construction when cooked, in all probability because of the pure casings or air pockets within the filling. The wonderful texture and lightweight, peppery seasoning give a clear, delicate style. Licensed natural and made with outdoor-reared native breed pork sourced from Gloucestershire, these are packed in a recyclable tray and sleeve. Include sulphites and fortified wheat flour (gluten), however are in any other case minimally processed. A powerful sustainability story and provenance make this a standout selection for moral customers, albeit at a value.
Tesco Most interesting pork sausages
£3 for 400g at Tesco (75p/100g)
★★☆☆☆
These sausages have a rough texture and a recent aroma with a powerful trace of sage. They’re on the saltier finish and fairly plain in style, with a contact of white pepper. Produced from 90% pork shoulder and stomach, encased in vegetable casings, they didn’t color too nicely. They’re extra processed than some manufacturers and include sodium metabisulphite, calcium lactate and diphosphate stabilisers. The packaging is recyclable, apart from the movie. Total, a primary grocery store sausage with modest provenance and processing credentials.
Heck 97% pork gluten-free sausages
£3.25 for 400g at Sainsbury’s (81p/100g)
£3.25 for 400g at Ocado (81p/100g)
★★☆☆☆
With a medium coarse texture, these are fairly plain in style. They’re much less processed than some, and made with 97% pork shoulder, however with beef collagen casings. Lacks clear animal welfare requirements, although a lot of the packaging is recyclable and the model discloses a carbon footprint of two.4kg CO₂, which does add some kudos. Higher than some price range choices, however a quite middling product with few redeeming qualities past their pork content material.
Richmond thick pork sausages
£2.18 for 410g at Asda (53p/100g)
£2.30 for 410g at Tesco (56p/100g)
★☆☆☆☆
Much less sausage and extra processed meat-like substance wrapped in a reconstituted casing. These shrank and wrinkled within the pan, and have a pasty, floury texture typical of an emulsified product with very low meat content material. The aroma is faint and sterile, whereas the style is nice and lacks depth. Made with simply 42% pork and encased in beef collagen casings, in addition they include soya protein, stabilisers reminiscent of guar gum, diphosphates and sulphites, firmly putting them within the ultra-processed class. The packaging goals for full recyclability by 2025, however the provenance is unclear, with no traceability or UK meat assurance. Accommodates gluten. The most affordable possibility, however exhausting even to name this a “sausage”.
