A Family Tradition
For as far back as I can remember, my Mum made the best sausage rolls every Christmas. I can still picture Christmas morning — sneaking one (or two!) before the main event and risking a telling-off for spoiling my appetite.
As the years passed and Mum got older, it fell to me to carry on the tradition. After plenty of testing, tweaking, and tasting, I created the recipe I’m sharing with you today. I still only make these at Christmas — and my “orders” from friends and family start rolling in as early as August.
These aren’t everyday sausage rolls. They’re special.
Ingredients
(Makes approx. 32 sausage rolls)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 10 rashers smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
- 1 kg pork mince
- 350g sausage meat
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 75g pistachios, chopped
- 150g dried apricots, chopped
- 80g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 10 grinds black pepper
- 640g ready-rolled puff pastry
- 3 eggs, whisked
Method
Step 1: Prepare the flavour base
Cut the bacon into small pieces. Fry gently in a pan with the olive oil, onion, and garlic until the onion is soft and golden. Tip into a bowl and allow the mixture to cool completely.
Step 2: Make the filling
In a large mixing bowl, add the pork mince, sausage meat, sage, parsley, ginger, pistachios, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Add two-thirds of the whisked egg, then add the cooled onion and bacon mixture.
Mix thoroughly using your hands until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Shape the sausage rolls
Divide the mixture into four and shape into large sausage lengths.
Unroll one sheet of puff pastry and cut it lengthways into two strips, roughly 125mm wide. Place a sausage shape down the centre of each strip, fold the pastry over, and seal the edge with a little beaten egg.
Repeat with the remaining mixture and pastry.
Step 4: Cut, freeze or bake
Cut each long roll into pieces about 50mm wide.
At this stage, the sausage rolls can be frozen and defrosted when needed — perfect for Christmas prep.
Brush each roll with the remaining egg.
Step 5: Bake
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and cooked through.
Chef’s Tip
If you follow the method, everything should fall into place. The key with this recipe is quality ingredients — these sausage rolls are meant to be special, and you’ll taste the difference.
Final Thought
These sausage rolls are more than just food — they’re memories, tradition, and comfort wrapped in pastry. If you make them, I hope they become part of your celebrations too.
If you try them, let me know how they turn out — and whether they survive until Christmas Day!