Right, let’s cut the faff. You’ve had enough of those cardboard-tasting supermarket sausage rolls that taste like regret and sawdust. It’s time to make your own – proper, flaky, buttery, herby, and so good you’ll be hiding them from the kids. These are the sausage rolls that make people go quiet when they bite in, then immediately demand the recipe.
This is dead easy if you’ve got a bit of patience (and a fridge). We’re making a rough puff pastry from scratch – none of that shop-bought nonsense that tastes like plastic. Trust me: once you’ve made these, you’ll never look back.
Makes 12–16 decent-sized rolls (or 24 cocktail ones if you’re feeling generous)
Prep 45 mins (plus chilling) | Bake 18–20 mins
Cost about £5 for the lot – bargain
Ingredients
- 250g plain flour (sift it, don’t be lazy)
- 250g unsalted butter – proper cold, straight from the fridge (I use this Kerrygold)
- 250ml ice-cold water (keep a jug in the freezer for 10 mins)
- 450g good sausage meat (I get mine from the butcher – proper pork, not 60% filler)
- 1 heaped tsp dried sage (or mixed herbs if you’re feeling fancy)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (be generous)
- 1 beaten egg for glazing (this is the one that makes them golden)
Method – Step-by-Step, No-Nonsense
Pastry time. Sift the flour into a big mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt and a crack of pepper. Cube the cold butter into small chunks and chuck it in. Get your hands in and rub roughly – you want big lumpy bits of butter, not breadcrumbs. This is rough puff, not shortcrust. Leave it rustic.
Bring it together. Slowly pour in the ice-cold water with one hand while mixing with the other (use a knife or your fingers). Stop as soon as it forms a shaggy dough ball – don’t overwork it. Wrap in cling film and shove in the fridge for 30 mins minimum. (This is where the magic happens.)
Sausage prep. While the dough chills, mix the sausage meat with the sage (or mixed herbs), a decent pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Fry off a small spoonful in a pan, taste, and adjust seasoning. You want it properly herby and savoury – this is your only chance to get it right.
Lamination time. Flour your work surface generously. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1cm thick. Fold it into thirds like a letter (bottom up, top down), then give it a quarter turn. Roll out again into a rectangle. Repeat this folding and rolling twice more (three turns total). This is what gives you those beautiful layers. Pop it back in the fridge for 10–15 mins if it’s getting sticky.
Assembly. Flour the surface again. Roll the dough into a long rectangle about 30cm x 20cm. Roll the seasoned sausage meat into a long sausage shape with your hands (divide into two if it’s easier) and lay it down the length of the dough. Brush one long edge with beaten egg, then roll the dough over the sausage meat like a giant sausage roll duvet. Seal the edge firmly with a fork or your fingers.
Cut and glaze. Slice into your desired size – 8–10cm for big ones, 4–5cm for cocktail bites. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper (this one is non-stick and reusable). Brush the tops with more beaten egg for that glossy finish.
Bake. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional, gas 6). Bake for 18–20 minutes until deep golden brown and the sausage is cooked through (no pink). You’ll smell them before they’re ready – pure heaven.
Serve. Let them cool for 5 mins if you can bear it (I never can). Eat warm with HP sauce, ketchup, or just on their own like a civilised savage.
Why These Sausage Rolls Are Worth the Effort
- Flaky, buttery pastry that shatters when you bite
- Proper sausage meat that’s seasoned to perfection
- Freezes brilliantly (uncooked or cooked) – batch them up
- Cheaper and tastier than anything you’ll find in a packet
Go on, make a double batch. Your future self will thank you when you’re raiding the freezer at 11pm.
My Amazon kit for perfect sausage rolls
→ Kerrygold unsalted butter – the gold standard
→ Reusable silicone baking mats – no more burnt paper
→ Sharp paring knife for clean cuts (this set is a steal)
→ Rolling pin that actually works (I use this one)
Get stuck in, you beautiful bakers. Share a pic if you make them – I want to see those golden beauties.
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