How to Make Delicious Sausage Rolls with Pork Mince

Sausage rolls are a beloved snack in many parts of the world especially Australia the UK and New Zealand. The classic combination of savory pork filling wrapped up in flaky puff pastry is hard to beat. While you can buy sausage rolls at the store or bakery, making them at home takes this snack to a whole new level.

The secret to incredible homemade sausage rolls lies in the pork filling. Using fresh ground pork mince allows you to customize the seasoning and achieve ultimate juiciness. This easy sausage roll recipe will show you how to make the best ever pork mince filling, encased in golden puff pastry. They’re perfect for parties, game day or anytime you crave a meaty, comforting appetizer.

Benefits of Making Your Own Filling

There are several advantages to making your own sausage roll filling instead of using pre-made sausage meat

Flavor – You can control the exact blend of spices, herbs and other flavorings.
Quality – Starting with fresh pork mince means you know exactly what’s going into the filling.
Cost – Buying pork mince and making the filling yourself is cheaper than buying ready-made sausage meat.
Versatility – It’s easy to customize and add your own spin to the filling.

Tips for Choosing Pork Mince

Use regular ground pork, not extra lean. The fat content helps keep the filling moist and flavorful.
Opt for coarsely ground minced pork with some texture, rather than a super fine mince.
Ground pork shoulder or butt is a great choice with the right balance of fat to meat.
For convenience, choose packaged mince from the refrigerated meat section, not the freezer section.

Easy Homemade Sausage Roll Filling

Ingredients:

500g ground pork
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried sage
1⁄2 tsp dried thyme
1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1⁄4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg

Instructions:

Sauté the onion and garlic in a bit of oil until soft and translucent. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, cooled onion mixture, spices, salt, pepper, panko and egg.
Use clean hands to thoroughly mix everything together until well combined.
Cook a small amount of the filling in a pan to taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Refrigerate the filling for 30-60 mins to allow flavors to meld.

That’s all it takes to make flavorful sausage roll filling from scratch. Now let’s get it wrapped up in that iconic puff pastry…

Preparing the Puff Pastry

While pre-made puff pastry works well, making your own puff pastry is very impressive and gives superior results.

For store-bought, choose an all-butter puff pastry for best flavor. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Homemade puff pastry does require time and some skill, but yields tender, flaky layers. Find a recipe here.

No matter which puff pastry you use, here are a few tips:

Roll out to about 3mm thickness before assembling the rolls.
Work quickly so the pastry stays cool and doesn’t get soft.
Lightly flour the work surface if pastry gets sticky while rolling.

Putting It All Together

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out the puff pastry into a large rectangle, about 3mm thick. Cut in half.
Place one half of the chilled sausage filling along the long side of each rectangle.
Lightly brush the pastry edges with water or egg wash.
Tightly roll up each half into a long log, pressing to seal the seam.
Cut each log into 2-3″ pieces.
Place cut-side down on the baking sheet, evenly spaced.
Chill for 30 mins or freeze at this point if making ahead.
When ready to bake, brush with egg wash and make small slits on top.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

Let cool 5 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. Enjoy warm with ketchup, BBQ sauce or your favorite dipping sauce!

Customize Your Sausage Rolls

Once you master the basic sausage roll technique, get creative with the filling. Here are some ideas:

Add finely diced bacon for smoky flavor and extra moistness.
Use a mix of ground pork and ground beef or lamb.
Mix in shredded apple, chopped mushrooms or leeks.
Add cheese like cheddar, gouda or gruyere for ooey-gooey rolls.
Use spices like cumin, allspice, coriander or chili powder.
Swap in turkey, chicken or vegetarian sausage for the pork.

Homemade sausage rolls freeze incredibly well. Let cool completely after baking then place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Reheat straight from frozen in a 350°F (180°C) oven until hot and crisp.

Now that you know how easy it is to make your own sausage roll filling and assemble these delightful appetizers, you’ll never have to rely on the store-bought version again. Impress your family and friends with homemade sausage rolls using fresh ground pork and your signature seasoning blend.

Mince meat filling (sausage rolls)

FAQ

Can you use pork mince instead of sausage meat?

For example, you can substitute ground pork for fully-cooked link sausage or kielbasa in recipes like Chiles Rellenos with Kielbasa and Quinoa or Kielbasa Orzo and Kale Soup. You can also substitute uncooked sausage links in these recipes — you’ll just need to pre-cook them before using.

What is sausage roll mince made of?

Sausage mince is usually made from ground pork or beef, with added fat, seasoning, herbs and spices. It can be found in the meat section in your local supermarket, or from butchers.

What is the difference between sausage mince & sausage meat?

Sausagemeat is usually made from minced (ground) pork, with some pork fat, and has seasoning, breadcrumbs, herbs and spices added. However it will often contain less breadcumbs than commercial sausages and the texture is usually coarser than the texture of a regular banger-style sausage.

How to mince sausage rolls?

Start by choosing the meat cut you want to mince. It’s best to use ground pork instead of sausage meat, as it gives you more control over the flavor and texture of your sausage rolls. Cut the pork meat into cubes about 1″ chunks, and dispose of any blood vessels or little unnecessary things.

How do you make sausage mince pies?

In a large bowl combine the cooled onion and carrot mixture, breadcrumbs, tomato sauce and parsley. Stir in the sausage mince and the beef mince. Season with salt and pepper. Cut each pastry sheet in half. Arrange the mince mixture along the edge of each pastry half.

How to cook pork & apple sausage rolls?

With crispy golden flaky pastry wrapped around a soft and delicious juicy filling, these pork and apple sausage rolls are guaranteed to be eaten in minutes! Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a low to medium heat and gently fry the diced onion for 5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and grated carrot and cook for 3 minutes.

What can I use instead of pork mince for sausage rolls?

Pork mince – sausage rolls are traditionally made with pork mince (my favourite version) however, you can substitute with beef or lamb mince if you prefer. Flavourings – take these sausage rolls to the next level with garlic (optional), regular tomato sauce (ketchup) and Worcestershire sauce.