Pigs in Blankets

Name: Pigs in Blankets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 12 slices of Bacon; 12 leaves of Sage; 12 Chipolata Sausages

Pigs in blankets are chipolata sausages wrapped in smoked streaky bacon and roasted until crisp, a favorite trimming of British Christmas dinner.

Difficulty Easy
Preparation 15 minutes
Cooking 30 minutes
Servings for 12 pieces

Pigs in blankets are small chipolata sausages wrapped in smoked streaky bacon and roasted until the bacon is crisp and the sausages are juicy. In Britain and Ireland they are part of the trimmings of Christmas dinner, served around the turkey with stuffing, roast potatoes and gravy, and in surveys they regularly rank among the most loved things on the plate.

In the United States the same name usually means little sausages baked in pastry; the British version is only sausage and bacon. A sage leaf tucked under the bacon is a simple addition that suits the pork.

They can be wrapped a day ahead and kept in the fridge on their tray, ready for the oven.

Ingredients for 12 pieces

12 slices of Bacon smoked streaky, thin-cut
12 leaves of Sage fresh
12 Chipolata Sausages pork

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Method

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Lay a slice of bacon on a board and run the back of a knife firmly along it to stretch it a little longer and thinner: it will wrap more easily and turn crisper.
Lay a sage leaf at one end of the bacon, put a chipolata on top and roll it up so the bacon wraps around the sausage in a spiral, finishing with the end of the slice underneath. Repeat with the rest.
Arrange the pigs in blankets in a roasting tray, seam side down and a little apart, and roast for about 30 minutes, turning them once, until the bacon is crisp and golden and the sausages are cooked through.
Serve them hot, piled around the turkey or in a warm dish next to it. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

For a sticky finish, take the tray out at the end, add 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey and bubble everything on the hob, shaking the tray, until glossy. For bite-size canapés, twist each chipolata in the middle and cut it in two, cut the bacon in half lengthways and roast for about 20 minutes.

Tips

Choose good pork chipolatas with a high meat content and thin-cut smoked streaky bacon. Stretching the bacon stops it shrinking and slipping off during cooking. The sausages are done when the center reaches 71 °C (160 °F), or when the juices run clear and there is no pink inside.

Storage

Wrapped and uncooked, they keep covered in the fridge for up to 1 day, within the use-by date of the sausages, or in the freezer for up to 1 month; thaw them in the fridge before roasting. Cooked leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days: reheat them until piping hot.