Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, Waitrose went head to head in our taste test
In the same way there’s no such thing as a bad pizza, I made the mistake of assuming the same of pigs in blankets.
It’s a cocktail sausage wrapped in bacon – at its fundamental level, it’s a delicious bite of food we’re all happy to see at Christmas dinner. Like beans on toast or Scotch eggs, it’s much of muchness that just works; meat wrapped in meat, stodge on stodge.
Worried there would be little to say on the matter, I picked up a sampling from my local shops – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer. I assumed such a simple side could neither be that good or bad until I tried Sainsbury’s – the very worst of the bunch.
Testing four supermarket pigs in blankets
To keep the playing ground fair, I sought out the standard pack of each supermarket’s offerings, avoiding both the cheapest or the finest. Here’s how they ranked from best to worst.
Marks and Spencer – the easy winner
Rating: 9/10
This year M&S is wrapping all its pigs in blankets in a full rasher of bacon, rather than half. And even though it’s got twice the meat, it’s somehow the nicest and tidiest looking of them all and the extra serving doesn’t overwhelm.
At first glance, Marks and Spencer’s pigs in blankets looked like a winner – and it happened to taste like one too. The cocktail sausage’s subtle snap and peppery, rich taste plays off the double helping of bacon nicely.
Though it’s the second oiliest – Sainsbury’s beating it hands down – I don’t mind it and it’d be my pick for Christmas dinner.
M&S British Outdoor Bred Pigs in Blankets, £4.75 from Ocado or £5.50 from M&S (check your local shops for a 4 for 3 deal)
Waitrose – one that shines on its own
Rating: 8.5/10
It turns out pigs in blankets can be quite elevated, so of course it’s Waitrose offering the most interesting and expensive of the bunch.
Waitrose’s pigs in blankets does what I didn’t realise pigs in blankets could do – offer heaps of flavour. Herby, juicy and well seasoned, the sausage is the most flavourful I’ve had.
However, the maple element of the bacon doesn’t shine through, and it’s a less than generous serving of bacon that doesn’t fully cover the sausage. Even though the bacon is a bit torn and scant, the overall effect is still nice as the edges crisps up nicely.
If pigs in blankets are being passed around as an appetiser at your festive do, these would be the perfect pick. A bit smaller than the others, they’re easily eaten in two bites without having to tear through stringy bacon. Though if you’d rather they play a supportive role on your dinner plate, its bolder flavour could be divisive.
Waitrose Christmas 12 Pigs in Blankets, £6
Tesco – a solid pick, but watch your bite
Rating: 7/10
Tesco’s pigs in blankets remind me of a hot dog, which from me is only a compliment. Costco hot dogs are a once-a-year treat when I’m able to go with my brother, a card-carrying member, and I love them as much as any fancy food.
These are a solid pick, a well browned rasher of bacon enveloping the aforementioned hot dog-like sausage. This pick was a strong contender for second place until an alarming crunch revealed a hard bit of cartilage hidden within.
Tesco 12 British Pigs In Blankets 222G, £2.50
Sainsbury’s – hot, oily cat sick
Rating: 1/10
This is the one that dashed my assumption that all pigs in blankets are more or less fine. Dripping with oil and appallingly overprocessed, Sainsbury’s pigs in blankets are an assault on the senses.
The bad taste doesn’t greet you at first – the wretched mouthfeel beats it to the punch. One bite and a hot coating of grease blankets the mouth, lingering even after I grimace and quickly rip off a paper towel to dab at the kiss of oil on my lips.
I pull back and examine the sausage itself, so smooth it brings cat sick to mind. And a particular one at that – not the chunky sick that comes up after cats scoff their meal too quickly, but the well regurgitated vomit that arrives hours later.
Even my meat-loving husband struggled to finish this, saying: “The sausage feels and tastes bad more than anything.”
So save your pennies this Christmas – don’t buy this.
Sainsbury’s Butcher’s Choice British Pork & British Bacon Pigs In Blankets x12 260g, £3.25 or £2.50 with Nectar Card
