British Pigs In A Blanket Are Quite Different From The American Variety

Pigs in a blanket are tasty little snacks that have graced many a buffet table, from Christmas brunch to Super Bowl parties. And what's not to love about little cocktail sausages, usually of the hot dog kind, encased in a flaky pastry and baked to a golden brown? They are easy and inexpensive to make, and dangerously addicting to eat. There are many ways to upgrade pigs in a blanket to create variations on the classic appetizer, but the British have a whole other idea when it comes to these treats.

If you find yourself in the United Kingdom, particularly around Christmas time, you'll soon find that pigs in blankets are a different thing, starting with the subtle change in the name; it's pigs in a blanket in the U.S. vs. pigs in blankets in the UK. In Britain, a sausage of any size wrapped in pastry is — unequivocally — a sausage roll. Pigs in blankets, on the other hand, are sausages wrapped in streaky bacon, pan-fried or baked to crispy perfection. They are a traditional addition to the Christmas table as a side dish to go with the turkey-based meal, and are also often served as part of a Boxing Day brunch buffet. They are usually made with pork chipolatas or Cumberland sausages, and can be enhanced with the addition of a glaze, such as honey-mustard, or a sprinkling of fresh rosemary or thyme. 

While some credit a 1957 Betty Crocker cookbook as the first appearance of the pastry-wrapped sausage treat, the truth is that they were around long before that. According to printed evidence, the name pigs in blankets can be traced to the first half of the 20th century; however, various dishes such as bacon-wrapped oysters, sausages encased in potato, cocktail wieners wrapped in bacon, and frankfurters inside a pastry roll all shared the same denomination. The pigs in a blanket known and loved in the U.S. today descend from 19th century British sausage rolls, which were documented as early as 1874 in "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management," which, incredibly, is still in print and available on Amazon. 

Bacon-wrapped pigs in blankets are so popular in the UK over Christmas that grocery stores sell various ready-made and packaged brands, including vegan varieties, ready to pop in the oven. They are usually served plain — bacon and sausage together should need nothing further — but you could accompany them with a dipping sauce such as barbecue sauce if you're cooking them as party food or a snack. But since they're mostly eaten at Christmas, a savory cranberry sauce is the most delightful pairing for these salty, smoky, gorgeous little bites.