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The best sausages for BBQ season, from chorizo to cheese dogs
Including classic and spicy, these are the best bangers for your grill
Tested by Georgia TurnellGHI Food & Drink Tester
We think the sizzle of hot sausages on the barbecue is one of those quintessential summer sounds (and the smell’s even better). We love packing ours into buns with all our favourite sauces, grilled onions and toppings.
So, in our quest to bring you all the best BBQ food this summer, our tasting panel at the Good Housekeeping Institute has been busy tasting a range of sausages from the supermarkets, from classic to flavoured. These are the best bangers for your buck.
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This year’s line-up included everything from spicy chorizo options to cheese-infused creations, alongside crowd-pleasing classic bangers and spicy lamb links.
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Runner-up sausages
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Applewood Smoked Slow Cooked Pork Sausages 400g
Read review - 3
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Joint best cheesy sausage and best quick-cook sausage
The Jolly Hog Cheddar & Jalapeno Hot Link Sausage 274g
Read review
For more Taste Approved treats: Best burgers | Best kebabs | Best ribs | Best chicken | Best steak | Best meat-free burgers | Best meat-free sausages | Best hot sauce | Best ice cream
How we test sausages
Our tasting panel sampled 14 sausages to find the best. They were looking for richly flavoured pork or lamb with a natural grassy, slightly sweet flavour and a good level of seasoning.
Where flavours or additional ingredients had been added, these needed to be well-integrated and complement the natural flavour of the meat.
Score: 82/100
Lidl has upped the stakes with this full-flavoured, chorizo-style sausage. It’s super juicy, with notes of sweet red pepper and smoky paprika, and would be perfect in a hot dog bun with picked onions and sour cream.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Applewood Smoked Slow Cooked Pork Sausages 400g
Score: 80/100
With a unique flavour not dissimilar to a frankfurter, these juicy sausages are made with succulent slow-cooked British pork. “This is everything I want from a sausage,” one tester told us. A worthy runner-up.
Available 30 April
Score: 78/100
If you’re looking for a classic pork sausage, Morrisons’ traditional, juicy bangers are a top choice. Made with British Red Tractor-certified pork, seasoned with a hint of nutmeg, salt and pepper, they’re ideal for those who prefer to keep it simple.
Score: 77/100
ASDA has taken a classic pork sausage and combined it with salty, smoky bacon and mature cheddar cheese, to make an even better banger. Delicious loaded with fried onions, or paired with potato salad.
The Jolly Hog Cheddar & Jalapeno Hot Link Sausage 274g
Score: 77/100
Pre-cooked and hot smoked, these flavoured links take just five minutes to cook on the barbecue. You can expect a light, fresh heat from the jalapeno, gooey chunks of cheese laced throughout for juicy texture, and crispy casing. As one tester told us, “I’d be very happy if this turned up at a barbecue.”
Score: 76/100
Tesco’s super-sized sausages also have a cheesy twist, although it’s more subtle than those above. Here, the cheese complements the juicy meat, adding a creamy element without overpowering. Add it to a bun with plenty of English mustard.
Score: 74/100
Everyone knows honey and mustard are a winning combination, but our panel found the flavour difficult to detect here. That said, they described the seasoning as “perfect”. While it lacked the promised flavours, they felt this classic sausage was a versatile option – just as good served for brunch as it would be on the barbecue.
Available 30 April
Score: 74/100
Every great cook-out should feature an excellent merguez sausage, and these lamb bangers are wonderfully full-flavoured. Spicy, with a lingering heat and long-lasting saltiness, we’d serve them on warm flatbread, with pickles and plenty of salad.
Score: 72/100
Described as “a roast dinner in sausage form”, these lamb chipolatas are flavoured with rosemary and powerful garlic. While a little oily, the sausage is moist, deliciously chewy and smells amazing. Serve with a dollop of tzatziki on the side.
Georgia has been part of the hospitality industry for the last nine years. Her starting point was the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu culinary school where she gained a Diplôme de Pâtisserie. She has worked at a number of well-known restaurants and bakeries including The Club at the Ivy and Ottolenghi, Notting Hill where she was the head pastry chef. Most recently, Georgia worked at The Clink Bakery inside HMP Brixton, which aims to reduce reoffending through teaching. She is an expert in all things baked goods and holds a WSET level 2 in wine.
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