If you’re a Brit living in America or an adventurous foodie with a love of British culture, walking down the meat aisle of a US grocery store can be heartbreaking. In a sea of brightly coloured hot dogs and tough-skinned “brats”, your cravings for a plump, succulent, juicy British sausage can strike harder than ever.
With grilling season in full swing, let's ditch the dog and the brat, and level up your sausage game with our traditional British sausages.
American Hot Dogs vs British Sausages
We’re not saying there isn’t a time and a place for an all-American hot dog (150 million get eaten in the USA on 4th July alone), but when it comes to a proper meal with quality ingredients, there is no competition.
A hot dog is a highly processed, heavily salted, pre-cooked meat stick. Yes, it tastes great layered in sauce and is the perfect football game snack, but it could be so much more. A traditional British sausage, on the other hand, is made with finely ground, quality cuts of pork, creating a softer, more succulent texture. Their natural casing offers a lovely “snap” as you bite into it. They have less added salt and come in a variety of regional flavours, shapes and sizes, making them more versatile and more delicious than a traditional hot dog.
A British Sausage is not a Brat or a Breakfast Sausage!
Something we hear a lot from Americans when talking about British sausages is, “Oh, so it’s like a bratwurst or a breakfast link?” In short, no. No, it is neither.
British sausages are more delicate and finely milled than a German, Italian or Polish-style bratwurst. And unlike a breakfast link, British sausages are traditionally made from pork or sometimes beef, very rarely chicken.
Four ways NOT to cook British Sausages
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Do NOT boil your British sausages. Boiling British sausages in water will make them fall apart; they are not like a hot dog! The best way to cook British sausages is to use your grill or a fry in a pan with a splash of oil on a medium heat.
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Do NOT soak your British sausages in beer. Unlike tough brats, our sausages are juicy enough already and don’t require any tenderising or flavour preparation that you might be used to having to do with a brat.
- Do NOT cook your sausages on a high heat - this will cause the natural casings to split or “bang” (hence the old-fashioned nickname bangers!). Keep the grill or stove heat on medium to ensure the natural casings of the sausages do not split and “bang”.
Find your flavour: The Jolly Posh sausage lineup
Our sausages are our pride and joy. Expertly prepared, we guarantee you a taste of home with our selection of proper British pork sausages.
Traditional Pork Bangers: If you’re looking for an authentic British sausage, then start here. Perfect for breakfast, dinner or tea, these mildly seasoned sausages are a great step up from the humble hot dog. Our bestsellers for good reason.
Pork & Herb Bangers: hugely herby with sage, thyme and parsley, this is a versatile option that’s great with a pile of mash or served in a bread roll.
Lincolnshire Bangers: Seriously sagey, these classic bangers are a taste of the British countryside. Aromatic and rustic, available in butcher's size and chipolata links as well as gluten-free.
Cumberland Sausage: Properly peppery with black, white and cayenne peppers, this flavour hails from the north of England. Nothing beats our classic Cumberland sausages.
Cumberland Coil: A true showstopper in looks and taste, the coil is a traditional recipe best served straight off the grill as part of a summer cookout.
Pork & Leek Bangers: If you’re looking for something a little different, this classic Welsh flavour combination creates a subtle sweetness to your bangers that is great in a sandwich or as part of a meal.
Pork & Apple Bangers: Another example of sweet meets savoury, enjoy real bits of apple blended perfectly with the pork meat. A true family favourite.
Beef & Onion Bangers: If you’re not a pork lover, these hearty all-beef sausages are a great alternative, offering a rich, comforting flavour.
Chipolatas: If you just can’t shake the skinnier hot dog vibe, why not try a chipolata? Quicker cooking time without the compromise on flavour, quality or texture.
How to Cook Sausages - Oven, Pan or Grill?
Another common misconception is that you can’t cook sausages on the grill. Well, we are here to officially bust the myth and confirm - British bangers are absolute perfection on an outdoor grill.
Whilst they are a solid part of a Full English Breakfast fry-up or Bangers and Mash, sausages are so much more than just a breakfast food and can be eaten at any meal, any time and cooked in so many different ways.
The secret to grilling a perfect banger is patience. Because they are packed with natural juices and wrapped in a delicate ‘skin’, you don’t want to blast them over an open flame or at too high a heat, as they will burst and ruin. Instead, add them on a cooler grill with the lid closed and allow them to cook through slowly and then, if you wish, pop them on a higher heat of the plan for a minute or two at the end to get the perfect char on the outside. We promise, you’ll never look back!
The Best Way to Serve Sausages
There are endless ways to serve British sausages and all of them are great. But some of our favourites include:
Sausage Sarnie
Elevate your summer grilling with two or three English chipolata sausages wrapped in a buttered l, Flour-Dusted Soft White Bap topped with caramelised onions and your favourite sauce.
The Full Monty
A farmers market bestseller, think of this as an elevated and infinitely more satisfying hot dog. Our special Petite French baguettes are designed to be the perfect size for one hearty butcher's-sized sausage and two rashers of back bacon (smoked or unsmoked).
An iconic English meal that isn’t complete without a sausage or two. Start your weekend off with this classic dish and experience sausages at their best.
If you’re feeling homesick, this is the comfort food solution to all of your problems. A hug on a plate: sausage, mash and gravy (or baked beans!) is a classic dish that everyone needs to experience.
It doesn’t get much more British than Toad in the Hole. A ridiculous name for a fantastic dish, a Yorkshire pudding filled with sausages and gravy is another winter classic that brings comfort and nostalgia in equal measure.
English Sausages in the US
At Jolly Posh Foods, all of our sausages are lovingly crafted in small batches using premium, hormone-free Midwest pork and authentic, time-honoured British seasoning recipes. We blast-freeze them to lock in absolute freshness and ship them nationwide in temperature-controlled thermal packaging right to your doorstep.
Don't settle for boring franks this summer. Browse our full selection, stock up the freezer, and get ready to host a truly elite summer cookout!
