Image credit: Saga Magazine
There's something about sausages sizzling over a BBQ, whether they are meat or vegetarian, that sums up the essence of summer in the back garden.
Whether you stuff them into a finger roll, fold them in a wrap or cover them with sauce, they have a universal appeal.
But with a bewildering array of candidates filling the supermarket shelves, which are the best to cook over charcoal?
To find out we put more than 20 varieties of sausage to the test from all the big supermarkets - not just traditional porkers, but flavoured and vegetarian versions too.
With so many shapes, sizes and flavours of sausage to choose from, our test focussed in on standard size bangers, eschewing the temptation of the chipolata on this occasion.
Those sampled were luxury, standard, flavoured and vegetarian varieties. All are available in supermarkets across the UK. The test was carried out in one sitting and all the sausages were cooked on the same BBQ over charcoal. They were then tasted without any accompaniment by our tasting team of hardened foodies.
In true British style, the weather was mixed, with our team members having to dash for cover several as showers tried to put an occasional damper on the tasting.
It was a close race between our biggest bangers, with a heated discussion about our first and second places.
But in the end Sainsbury Taste the Difference Pork Sausages won the day with an ideal balance of flavour and texture. Second was Lidl's Deluxe Pork Sausages, the favourite of some of our panel, but deemed too greasy for others. Aldi Exceptional Pork Sausages were a very deserving third.
Top of the flavoured was Exceptional by Asda 6 Cumberland Pork Sausages, while for vegetarians, This Isn't Pork Sausages won by the narrowest of margins.
With more than 20 varieties tasted which one proved to be more of a damp squib than a banger?
The wooden spoon (or should that be fork?) went to Waitrose Essentials Higher Welfare Pork Sausages which were voted bland and tasteless by all our tasting panel.
400g. RRP: £3
The winning Sainsbury's sausages contain 93% meat and had a loose texture and a soft skin.
They were moist with a good amount of fat which wasn't overwhelming and no one had a bad word to say about them. Universally popular and just pipped it to the number one spot.
400g. RRP: £2.49
These RSPA assured pork sausages contain 90% meat and were the favourite of some of our team.
They were very rich sausage and a lot greasier and fattier than many of the others tested. It was that greasiness that was loved by some testers, that meant it lost votes for others who felt they were just a bit too rich for them.
But a great banger for the BBQ and only just pipped into second place.
400g. RRP: £2.49
Aldi's offering contains 90% meat and proved to be slightly drier than the two two choices.
These British farm assured pork sausages are blended with herbs and a pinch of ginger which our team all enjoyed. A well-deserved bronze for this.
The premium sausages proved to be most popular with our panel who appreciated the higher meat content in each banger.
400g, 90% pork, RRP: £2.98 - A good taste and texture but slightly too tasty for some of our panel.
400g, 90% pork, RRP: £3. Okay but not memorable.
400g, 86% pork, RRP: £5.35. The panel agreed that these had too much sage in them which overwhelmed them. Quite a coarse sausage.
360g, 85% pork, RRP: £4. These bangers were bigger than the others on test and divided our testers. Some liked the taste, but others felt the taste was too sweet.
400g, 98% pork. RRP: £4.75. The highest percentage of pork in all the meat sausages tested and one of the most expensive. They were good, but weren't standout sausages, with testers finding them a little dry.
400g, 84% pork. RRP: £4. Testers complained that they had a sharp taste with too much sage.
All these essential varieties have a lower percentage of pork and our tasting team could tell the difference between these and the more expensive offerings.
They found them in general slightly drier and less juicy.
454g, RRP: £1.79
These have 72% pork and were the best of the bunch. They had a nice pork taste, balanced with some herbs and spices and not too sweet or salty.
A good budget buy for the BBQ.
Greasy, with some gristle in places, definitely tasted like an economy sausage, containing 72% pork. Weight 454g. (RRP £1.79)
These were more processed than the Tesco bangers, but once again tasted like an economy sausage. Pork 72%. Weight 454g. (RRP: £1.79)
With 70% pork these were a sweeter than than their rivals, but tasted like they had been artificially sweetened. The skin on these were very sticky and stuck to our taster's teeth. Lower in fat perhaps but not a popular sausage. Weight 454g. (RRP: £2.25)
A well-known budget brand, but with just 42% pork content. Testers said they had a crisp exterior but were like mush inside.
One of our panel disagreed, preferring them to the other budget brands because they reminded him of childhood holidays with his grandparents. Weight 410g. (RRP: £2.30)
At the risk of sounding like a snob, our team had expected more from Waitrose. These budget bangers, with 65% pork, were the worst on test with our panel pronouncing them bland and having a loose consistency.
"Tasteless" said one. Weight 454g. (RRP: £2.15)
400g. RRP: £3.50
The Heck gluten-free sausages boast 97% pork shoulder content.They are gluten free, dairy free, high in protein and low in sugar and the casings are collagen.
Our testers liked their peppery flavour and wouldn't have guessed they were any different to a normal banger, other than being a tiny bit dry. But a great option whether you have an intolerance or not.
Our team tested a handful of the flavoured sausages on offer and found some more successful than others.
400g. RRP: £2.98
A popular sausage and the favourite flavoured on test. Our team enjoyed the taste of fennel and pepper in these.
They also had a good amount of fat, which added to the taste and a good texture.
These were sweet with an oniony taste. Very popular among some members of the panel, but others felt they were too sweet.
400g, RRP: (gluten-free) Like the Aldi offering, our tasters found these very strong, and a few complained they were still tasting them several hours later.
The chefs among the panel felt these could work well cooked on a BBQ and then added into a rice or pasta dish. The consensus was no one would want to eat a whole one.
400g, RRP: (Glute-free) Sweet and spicy. A similar offering to the Lidl sausage but slightly sweeter and our team had a similar verdict for these, but they weren't quite as popular as their rivals.
270g, RRP: £3.75
This was the closest in texture to a meat sausage, both with the look and the shape.
It had a softer texture with a slight pepper and spice taste, it tasted great straight from the grill or else with sauce.
276g, RRP: £3.10
These were slightly dry with a herby taste, chewy and with a nice flavour. These didn't try to pretend to be meat and our tasters appreciated how they weren't trying to mimic a meat sausage.
300g. RRP: £2.95
These sausages lost points for getting stuck in the packet and then breaking up when they were put on the BBQ.
But saying that, they had a nice taste when cooked and the team could taste the mushroom and the leek. Nicely caramelised on the grill.
Thank you to Goytre Hall, in Abergavenny, for hosting our tasting session.
Enjoy the convenience of premium wines delivered direct to your door - Join our wine club today and save £84 on your first case
Celebrity chef James Martin shares his recipes for Valencian Beans and Prawns and Creme Caramel with Spiced Seville Oranges.
As summer approaches, our expert says it’s time to reappraise rosé and seek out more robust styles.
From parties to picnics, mini sausage rolls are the perfect snack. But which ones are our experts’ favourites?
Both sit nicely atop your kitchen counter, but is one better than the other?
