Pork Sausage Rolls

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Here it is, the classic Australian dish known as Pork Sausage Rolls. These are as common in Australia as a Bacon, Egg and Cheese is in NYC, or a Breakfast Taco is in Austin. Pork Sausage Rolls are consumed in their millions every day by hungry Australians, who wash it all down with a big serving of Tomato Ketchup (or Tomato Sauce in Australia!)

The closest thing I can compare an Australian Sausage Roll to in the USA would be a Pig in a Blanket. Sausage meat encased in flaky Puff Pastry and served alongside a dipping sauce (typically Ketchup)

What is the Difference Between Ketchup and Tomato Sauce?

So not a lot in all honesty. Living in the US we’ve grown a strong affinity with Ketchup. We love that stuff. The main difference between the two is US Ketchup is slightly sweeter than the Australian Tomato Sauce. Ketchup is very readily available in Australia now so the sweeter variety is clearly catching on there. It all comes down to personal preference at the end of the day. I’ve got to say though for what it’s worth – I prefer Ketchup on the Pork Sausage Rolls over Tomato Sauce!

Meat in Pastry – It’s a Global Thing

This dish is also hardly a revelation across the world. It seems like almost every culture has their own version of meat stuffed into pastry. India has it’s Samosas, Spain and South America has their Empanadas, Russia has their Piroshki, and the US of A has their Chicken Pot Pie. They’re all delicious no matter how they’re served. The simple combination of a meaty filling stuffed into Pastry just cannot be beat

When it all comes down to it, the simplicity of a hand-held pastry packed with wonderfully flavored ingredients is all about convenience. It’s no wonder these types of dishes are so popular all around the world. No matter where you are, and under almost every circumstance, eating a dish like this is enjoyable. The ingredients are usually very simple, and local to that area which gives each cultures version of the ‘meat in pastry’ such a uniqueness

The secret ingredient in great Pork Sausage Rolls is Fennel

What separates these Pork Sausage Rolls from the many recipes out there is the use of Fennel Seeds. Even if you are not a huge fan of aniseed flavor (that licorice type taste) trust us, it works an absolute treat in this dish. The Fennel Seeds add so much depth of flavor that just elevates the overall Pork Flavor in the Sausage Roll so much

To extract the best flavor from the Fennel Seeds, we simply toast them in the frying pan over a medium heat for 1 minute. No need to add any Butter or Oil, just the Fennel Seeds. This process of toasting the Fennel Seeds releases all their flavor, and you’ll notice it straight away. The immense smell that the Fennel Seeds produce will immediately remind you of that familiar, and wonderful aniseed flavor

We then mix the beautifully toasted Fennel seeds into the Pork mixture and begin the process of making these delicious Pork Sausage Rolls!

No need to make the Puff Pastry from scratch (unless you absolutely want to)

There is really no need to make the Puff Pastry from scratch, as the store-bought stuff is actually pretty good in this recipe. You will still achieve that wonderful lamination effect and the beautiful layers of crispy, flaky Puff Pastry in these Sausage Rolls. Making Puff Pastry from scratch is quite an arduous task, however if you’re a die-hard pastry fan then by all means go ahead

You will likely need to add a few hours of cooking time onto this recipe if you do make the Pastry from scratch. So, if you’re looking to whip up a great batch of Pork Sausage Rolls in under 1 hour, we’d recommend following this recipe and simply using the store-bought stuff!

This is a fantastic recipe to serve as an appetizer for your guests at a dinner party. It is also a brilliant lunch snack, which is primarily how the Australians eat them. They are also completely beloved by children so if you’re looking for something a little different to feed the kids, give these a try. We guarantee no matter how you serve them; they will go down a treat!

Pork Sausage Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Ground Pork (higher fat % preferable)
• 4 Sheets of Puff Pastry
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp. Milk
• 1 Brown Onion, finely diced
• 3 Garlic Cloves, finely diced
• 3 tbsp. Fennel Seeds
• 1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Pepper
  
  

Instructions

1. Toast the Fennel Seeds by placing them in a dry pan over medium heat for about 1 minute. Set aside
2. Add a little bit of Vegetable Oil to the pan then add the Brown Onion. Cook for 8 minutes, then add the Garlic. Cook for a further 2 minutes then remove from pan and set aside
3. Mix the Ground Pork, Fennel Seeds, Salt and Pepper in a large bowl. Combine well so that the Fennel Seeds are evenly distributed among the Ground Pork
4. Place a Sheet of Puff Pastry on a Chopping Board and roll it out to a rectangular shape. Place ¼ of the Ground Pork mixture in a row lengthways along the bottom 3^rd of the Puff Pastry. You want the Pork to be about 1 ½ inches thick in both height and width
5. Whisk the Milk and Egg together to form an Egg Wash. Brush a layer of egg wash lengthwise across the top of the Puff Pastry then carefully roll the Puff Pastry over the top of the Pork mixture. Continue to roll until both ends of the Puff Pastry overlap so you can encase the filling within the pastry. The Egg Wash will help the two ends of the pastry to Stick
6. Brush the outside of the rolled-up Pastry with Egg wash then cut into individual squares about 2 inches thick
7. Repeat this process for the remaining mixture
8. Place the Individual Sausage Rolls on a baking tray lined with non-stick Aluminum Foil. Be sure to leave a bit of space between each Sausage Roll so they can all cook evenly. Place in a pre-heated Oven at 375 degrees
9. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes until the Puff Pastry is a beautiful dark-golden color. Remove from the Oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving
10. Serve alongside a generous portion of Tomato Ketchup for dipping and enjoy!
    
    

Save some for Later

This recipe provides quite an ample amount of Pork Sausage Rolls. We’d recommend only baking what you plan on eating immediately and then freeze the rest for later use. They freeze exceptionally well and can be thrown straight into the oven from Frozen to cook when you’re hungry. They can keep in the freezer for about a month

We hope you enjoyed this recipe. Why not check out some of our delicious Dinner recipes to pair with these amazing Pork Sausage Rolls

If you’re looking for more hand-held party type foods such as this, we’ve got plenty of them on this recipe! Here are our favorite dishes that we recommend you give a try if you like these delicious Pork Sausage Rolls

• Flat Iron Steak Tacos
• Spicy Kale Chips
• Puff Pastry Stromboli
• Filo Lamb Sausage Rolls with Homemade Gravy
• Air Fryer Chicken Spring Rolls
• Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
  
  

Happy Cooking!