If there is one opinion that I am willing to fight for, it's that sausage rolls are the absolute backbone of a good snack.
We're either eating them piping hot from Greggs or grabbing a pack from the supermarket for our summer picnic. Honestly, the popularity of sausage rolls isn't an opinion, it's a solid fact.
Not just a fan favourite, as the iconic sausage roll is also a versatile little guy that can be scoffed either hot or cold, depending on your fancy.
For me, I personally prefer them cold and they are usually always a staple in my picnic. Actually, no picnic is complete without a good packet of sausage rolls to tear into. Again, I don't make the rules, it's just a fact.
But what makes a really good picnic sausage roll?
A bite into a good sausage roll should have flaky, buttery pastry and lightly spiced sausage meat inside that just tastes like summer with every mouthful.
A bad sausage roll gives me visions of stodgy pastry and a lacklustre filling that has more fat than actual meat. You all know the ones I am talking about.
And because I don't want anyone to be caught out with a lacklustre sausage roll this year that tastes like dashed hopes and dreams, I have decided to do the ultimate picnic taste test.
That's right, I decided to try a few different supermarket own-branded sausage rolls to find which ones would be worthy of a place in the picnic basket.
I picked up own-branded sausage rolls from Tesco, M&S, Morrisons and Sainsbury's. And to really top it off, I picked up a packet from the popular Scotty Brand, just to see how a big branded name compared.
Unfortunately, Greggs did not make the list and I hope that you all can truly forgive me.
Without further ado, this is how I got on with each sausage roll.
M&S
There's rarely a supermarket that promises to beat M&S in terms of quality. The retailer's focus on great tasting good has basically become their marketing at this point.
Granted, it usually comes with a higher price point.
That being said, M&S know how to do a good sausage roll.
The pastry was light and flaky. I did notice that it was a bit on the drier side, but not enough to make a bite get stuck in my throat, so no full complaints there.
The sausage meat also had a good hint of herbs and had been seasoned quite well. None of that lumpy and unseasoned mush that you can get with some supermarkets.
Overall, a decent start. M&S have earned a place in my picnic basket.
Price: £1.05
Rating: 4/5
Tesco
If there's one supermarket that I rarely visit, it's Tesco. Before any fans come at me, the only reason is mainly down to the fact that I don't have many close enough to me.
That being said, I do have a few smaller stores in town, which is exactly where I headed to for a pack of their 2 pork sausage rolls.
And I have a few comments on what they think is a sausage roll.
The pastry was decent enough, though I felt like it wasn't as buttery or flaky as M&S' sausage rolls. I did find that it was a bit more on the thicker side.
As for the sausage meat, well it was a little bland and tasteless. Nothing like the spiced and seasoned filling that I just had.
I must admit, I can't say I would purchase these ones again.
Price: 70p
Rating: 2/5
Sainsbury's
Over the past couple of taste tests, Sainsbury's has been the one supermarket that I end up having thoroughly mixed feelings for.
When it comes to their sausage rolls, they looked fairly similar to Tesco's. I did think that the pastry looked a bit on the darker side, compared to a nice golden shade, but I am always willing to be proven wrong.
I was not wrong.
After one bite I felt like putting the sausage roll down and not continuing. The pastry was solid and dry, there was no flakiness or crumbs that you get with a mouthful of sausage roll.
The filling itself was also quite stodgy and tasted like it had been frozen instead of chilled. Overall, this one was the most inedible of the bunch so far.
Price: 80p
Total rating: 0/5
Morrisons
Up next on the list was one of the UK's most debated about supermarket's, Morrisons. I managed to pick up a packet from their budget range Greenside Deli and I have some thoughts.
And they are, unfortunately, once again not the good kind.
The pastry was a bit thin, dry and more soggy than buttery. The filling also tasted as though it had never been seasoned and I want to ask Morrisons if they know what salt and pepper is. You don't need to give me all the fancy ingredient, just the basics!
Overall, this one tasted a bit more like nothing and the ratio of pastry to filling was out of balance. Honestly, it's mostly just pastry.
Was it as inedible as Sainsbury's? No. What I still buy them again? Also no.
Rating: 1/5
Price: 85p
Scotty Brand
They are the Scottish based brand that is well known for being a champion of top quality local produce. So, naturally, I wanted to see if they were worth it.
I can safely say I have never tried their sausage rolls before and I have a few things I want to set straight.
The pastry? Butter, crumbly and light. The filling? Peppery, powerful and melt in the mouth. The pastry to filling ratio? The best out of the bunch.
To put it simply - I could see these being the sausage rolls that go in my picnic basket from now on.
Each bite packed a tasty punch and it never stinted on the overall taste. Solid points to the brand showcasing what our local produce can do.
Rating: 5/5
Price: £1.50
Overall verdict
Though the Scotty Brand were arguably the most expensive of the bunch, I found that they were definitely worth the £1.50 you would spend.
Not only were they the best of the bunch, but they were also the largest. So, really, the price cancels itself out as the others were fairly small.
M&S gave them tough competition and I wouldn't scoff at a packet of them being launched into my picnic.
However, Sainsbury's Morrisons and Tesco need to do some work on their bland and tasteless sausage rolls that I would rather leave on their shelves.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
