Sausage rolls are a perennial favourite at many a buffet but they can often leave you feeling a little disappointed, to say the least. Not so these Pork and Cranberry Sausage Rolls.

Filled with a really simple to make pork sausagemeat mixture, the addition of cranberry sauce really makes the flavour zing.  Put these on your party table and they will disappear in a flash and leave your guests wanting more.

But don't just save them for party food sausage rolls make great snacks anytime. They are ideal for lunch boxes and picnics.

The key to making the best sausage rolls

Is quite simply good ingredients

The Pastry

When it comes to making party food there is often a lot to be done. Given that you don't want to spend too long in the kitchen, I have opted to use ready rolled puff pastry.

One sheet is just right for making 16 mini sausage rolls.  You could make your own puff pastry, but I'm inclined not to bother. I used ready rolled because that is what I can get in my local store, but you could also use blocks of puff pastry which tend to be a bit cheaper.

If you  choose to roll your own, roll out to a rectangle of about 25 x 35cm (10 x 14in) and the thickness of a £1 coin roughly 3mm (⅕in). For the best flavoured puff pastry use an all butter variety if you can get it.

Alternatively, sausage rolls are also delicious made with short crust pastry, which is easy to make yourself.

The Sausage Meat

A sausage roll is only as good as the sausage in it.  You could buy sausagemeat, or remove the skins from sausages buy the best you can afford. But it is equally easy to make your own and usually cheaper.

And you don't need any special equipment, I used minced pork and simply added a finely chopped shallot ( or a little onion would do) and some dried herbs. The result was a really meaty sausagemeat perfect for the filling.

The Cranberry Sauce

The cranberry sauce really lifts the flavour of these sausage rolls to the next level. I used my own home-made cranberry sauce which has a real tang. It is easy to make and only takes minutes, so when you can get hold of cranberries, I strongly urge you to make your own.  

The flavour is so much better than shop bought cranberry sauce.  You only need a few tablespoons for the sausage rolls but it freezes well. Make it and freeze the rest for Christmas and it will be one more task ticked of the list for Christmas.

What can I use in place of cranberry sauce?

These sausage rolls would work really well with some unsweetened apple sauce. A little onion chutney would also work well.

Can I freeze sausage rolls?

Absolutely, sausage rolls freeze well both before and after baking. Open freeze on a tray then once frozen pack into a freezer proof container or a strong freezer bag. You will now be able to easily remove the number you need at any one time.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

To cook from frozen

How to reheat sausage rolls

Reheat by placing on a baking sheet in the oven  180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4 for 10 – 15 minutes until piping hot.

Can they be prepared ahead?

Sausage rolls can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Do not keep sausage rolls out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Step by step Pork and Cranberry Sausage Rolls

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Baking the Pork and Cranberry Sausage Rolls.

One sheet of pastry makes two long sausage rolls. I cut each roll into 8 individual mini sausage rolls that are just a couple of bites each, perfect for parties.  You can do this either before or after baking. Bear in mind thought that the cranberry sauce does tend to leak out a bit during baking. Not the end of the world, but make sure you remove the sausage rolls from the tray before they cool or they will stick.

Pork and Cranberry Sausage Rolls

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The addition of cranberry sauce to the humble sausage roll lifts them to another level. Perfect for any party spread, picnics or lunch boxes

Course Baking

Cuisine British

Keyword party food, picnic, snack

Skill Level Easy

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 16 sausage rolls

Calories 174

Author Jacqueline Bellefontaine

Ingredients

• 350 g minced pork
• 1 small shallot finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 320 g sheet of ready rolled puff pastry
• about 4 tablespoon cranberry sauce
• 1 beaten egg to glaze

metric - US cups

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan)/400°F/gas mark 6.
• Place 350g (12oz) minced pork in a mixing bowl. Add one chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon each dried thyme and mixed herbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Cut the pastry sheet in half lengthways. Shape half the meat mixture into one long sausage and place in the middle of one piece of the pastry.
• Spoon a little cranberry sauce along the length of sausagemeat.
• Brush along the edge of the pastry with a little beaten egg, then fold the pastry over to enclose the filling. Press the pastry together with a fork to seal.
• Cut into 8 pieces and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat to make another 8 sausage rolls.
• Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

Freeze for up to 3 months in a sealed container. Defrost fully before serving.

Nutrition information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only. (It does not include seasoning with salt and pepper.) 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sausage roll | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 80mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.8mg

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This post was originally posted in December 2016