Sausage rolls are a British staple, and you cannot have a picnic without them
Sausage rolls are a quintessentially British treat, and no picnic would be complete without them — but which supermarket actually produces the finest ones? With spring well and truly here, and temperatures set to reach 20°C in parts of the UK this week, most of us will be heading outdoors to make the most of the sunshine.
When you can’t face cooking, a spread of picky bits is hard to beat, so I took it upon myself to pick up sausage rolls from five major supermarkets to find out which reigns supreme at the picnic blanket. I grabbed own-brand sausage rolls from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Lidl, Aldi and Marks & Spencer to determine which offered the best bang for your buck. Each one was baked for 15 minutes until perfectly golden, then put through its paces on taste, texture and ease of eating al fresco.
What supermarket has the best sausage rolls?
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s sausage rolls arrive in a 270g pack containing three full-length rolls, which can be sliced into nine bite-sized pieces.
These turned out to be the most underwhelming of the entire bunch. The meat filling was noticeably tasteless and woefully under-seasoned compared to its rivals.
They came across as rather flat in flavour, and the pastry fared no better — considerably thicker than anticipated and missing the rich, buttery quality you’d expect from a decent sausage roll, reports the Express.
They’d also prove rather tiresome to eat outdoors, as the pastry was prone to crumbling and showering flakes everywhere with every bite. At £1.29, these were the most affordable sausage rolls I purchased, yet I wouldn’t consider them worth it — you’d be far better off spending a similar amount on a Greggs sausage roll instead.
All things considered, these sausage rolls disappointed on both taste and texture. I wouldn’t recommend them and certainly wouldn’t be picking them up again.
Lidl
Lidl’s sausage rolls are sold in a 350g pack of six medium-sized rolls, requiring no slicing or dividing before eating.
While I’m generally a fan of Lidl’s own-brand products, these sausage rolls let me down, with a frustratingly excessive amount of pastry relative to the filling.
Although the sausage meat itself was tasty, there simply wasn’t enough of it, resulting in a rather lopsided experience with every bite.
The pastry also appeared noticeably pale and less appealing than the rival sausage rolls, despite being baked for an identical amount of time.
On the whole, the poor ratio of pastry to filling made these considerably less satisfying than anticipated, so I’d advise giving them a miss.
Aldi
Aldi’s sausage rolls arrive in a 360g pack of six medium-sized rolls, ready to eat straight away without any preparation needed.
I found the Aldi sausage roll thoroughly tasty and outstanding value for money, offering more bang for your buck than any other supermarket rival.
That said, the pastry was slightly too brittle, leaving a considerable amount of flakes scattered across my plate.
Perfectly acceptable at home, but eating one outdoors at a picnic could prove rather messy, with crumbs inevitably ending up all over your clothing. They were satisfying to eat, and the flavour was genuinely impressive, but the crumbly texture was off-putting, and would likely prove a real headache when eating outside, potentially drawing in unwanted pests.
Tesco
Tesco’s sausage rolls come in a 270g pack of three large rolls, which can be cut into nine smaller portions.
These sausage rolls boasted a rich golden pastry and a hearty amount of filling in every bite. The pastry was marginally thicker than the rest, yet rather than being a drawback, it actually enhanced the overall texture.
The filling was beautifully seasoned and bursting with flavour, making them well worth trying if you get the chance, as they proved thoroughly satisfying to eat.
These sausage rolls were the priciest of the bunch, but the superior quality justified the extra cost, which is why they earned second place.
That said, breaking them apart was somewhat tricky owing to the thick crust, and attempting to slice them up at an outdoor picnic could prove rather frustrating. If you’re planning to pick these up, it’s best to cut them into portions at home before heading out.
Marks and Spencer
Marks & Spencer’s sausage rolls come in a 180g pack of three medium-sized rolls, which can be divided into six smaller portions.
These sausage rolls were the undisputed star of the lineup, with a light, buttery pastry that was an absolute delight to eat. Boasting a delicate, wonderfully crisp pastry and a hearty portion of well-seasoned, lightly herbed sausage meat, the M&S sausage rolls proved to be a real treat. They tasted noticeably rich and felt far more indulgent than the rival options on test. A Greggs sausage roll will now set you back £1.35, and while this pack costs 65p more, it would be my pick every time — you simply get more bang for your buck, and the flavour is superior. All things considered, the M&S sausage rolls delivered the finest taste and texture for a picnic spread, and they’ll certainly be making a return appearance in my basket as the warmer months roll in.
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