A note from our recipe tester
“I always preheat my oven for at least 15-20 minutes before baking these sausage rolls (or any recipe with puff pastry in fact). Puff pastry relies heavily on even heat to rise and puff, so a well pre-heated oven is essential. I also space out the sausage rolls 2cm apart on the baking tray, as this lets the heat circulate between the pastries to allow for even browning. You can also make mini sausage rolls using this recipe, if you prefer.” - Michelle Southan, Food Director
What is sausage meat?
Sausage meat (the meat used in sausage rolls) is usually made from well-seasoned and spiced minced pork, beef, or veal. It has more flavour than regular mince thanks to the high-fat content and seasonings added, giving sausage rolls that moreish flavour. You can buy sausage mince from most butchers, but if it's unavailable, use thick beef sausages and remove the skins. Pork and veal mince also make great substitutes for sausage mince in this sausage rolls recipe. The result? Incredibly good sausage rolls.
Why do my homemade sausage rolls have soggy bottoms?
To prevent soggy sausage rolls, make sure your oven is preheated before cooking. Ensure to space out the sausage rolls on the baking tray when cooking to ensure there is enough room for the air to circulate and allow them to crisp up. Once cooked, transfer from the baking tray to a wire tray to cool. A key tip is to use cold baking trays as they will stop the puff pastry at the bottom of the unbaked sausage rolls from softening before they're cooked.
And, as we mentioned above the recipe, you can freeze unbaked sausage rolls to get ahead.
Do you put egg in a sausage rolls mix?
Egg is added to the sausage rolls mix as a binding agent, helping to keep the filling moist and holding it all together. If you are looking for an egg-free sausage roll recipe, this five-star rated sausage roll recipe does not contain eggs but instead uses sauces and sausage mince to ensure moisture. You can also use an egg wash to make the puff pastry more golden brown (as we do in this recipe). And, you can sprinkle sesame seeds over the top of your unbaked sausage rolls for extra texture. Serve sausage rolls with a generous dollop of tomato sauce.
Are sausage rolls junk food?
Sausage rolls aren't particularly healthy as they are quite high in fat, sodium, and calories due to the fatty meat filling or sausage mixture and pastry. However, you can make your sausage rolls healthier by using a lean mince such as chicken beef, packing them with some grated veggies, or eliminating the meat altogether. Check out these healthier sausage roll recipes:
For smaller bites, you can roll your mixture into mini sausage rolls too.
Why do you put breadcrumbs in sausage rolls?
Breadcrumbs soak up all the juices that escape from the meat to lock in the flavour and moisture. They create a softer texture to the mixture and prevent the mix from becoming dry or dense.
