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Sausage Rolls

This sausage roll recipe makes 16 golden, savory, flaky rolls. People often bake the sausage roll whole, then cut it up. But I've found that if you cut them into individual rounds first, the crispier results more than make up for the extra work.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine british
Servings 16 people
Calories 4754.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing Bowl For combining the sausage ingredients.
  • 1 Fork For mixing the sausage filling evenly.
  • 1 Rolling Pin For gently rolling out the puff pastry.
  • 1 Baking Sheet For baking the sausage rolls.
  • 1 Whisk For preparing the egg wash.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
  • 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry partially thawed
  • 2 teaspoons Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place ground pork, onions, garlic, sage, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, coriander, thyme, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Mix with a fork until ingredients are evenly distributed, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide mixture in half and place each half on a length of plastic wrap. Use your damp fingers to shape each half into a cylinder, approximately the same length as the puff pastry. Roll up in the plastic and form into a round roll. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Whisk egg with water to make the egg wash.
  • Separate the semi-frozen puff pastry dough into thirds. Halve one of the thirds lengthwise. Bring pastry to room temperature. Brush a 2-inch strip of egg wash along 1 long edge of the 2 larger pastry pieces. Place the narrower pieces on the egg wash strip, overlapping about 1 inch, to make a wider piece of pastry dough. Press lightly to form 2 wide lengths of pastry dough.
  • Transfer 2 sheets of dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper; dust tops lightly with flour. Cover with another sheet of parchment. Roll gently to achieve an even thickness. Remove top sheet of parchment. Flatten the longs edges of the dough slightly about 1 inch wide so that when the roll-up is completed, the seam side won't be thicker than the rest of the dough. Place a sausage log at the end of a pastry sheet. Begin to roll the sausage log in the pastry, brushing the far edge with egg wash before sealing the edges together. Place seam side down on parchment and place on a dish. Repeat with 2nd sausage roll. Freeze until dough firms up, about 10 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
  • Place rolls on a lightly floured surface. Lightly brush top and sides with egg wash. Cut each roll into 8 pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on prepared baking sheet seam-side down (standing up). Lightly press each roll to flatten it slightly so they don't fall over when baking.
  • Place in preheated oven; bake until nicely browned, pastry is cooked through, and bottoms are browned, about 30 minutes. Chef John

Notes

Achieving perfectly flaky sausage rolls starts with a well-mixed and thoroughly chilled sausage filling; ensure spices are evenly distributed for consistent flavor. When working with puff pastry, partial thawing is key – too soft, and it's difficult to handle; too frozen, and it will crack. The technique of overlapping pastry pieces to create a wider sheet is clever for larger rolls, ensuring a substantial casing. Chilling the assembled rolls before cutting is crucial for clean, sharp edges. Don't skip the egg wash for that beautiful golden sheen and the sesame seeds for an aromatic finish. Flattening the individual rolls slightly prevents them from toppling during baking, ensuring even browning and a professional presentation.