Top 8: These Irish-made sausages offer up pork on a fork

Handy for the barbecue, picnics and more

Pic: iStock

Sausages must be one of the most versatile products to have in the fridge or freezer. 

We can celebrate the end of summer with a barbecue, but it would be no trouble at all to convert ingredients to a warming dish of tomatoes, onions, celery, and garlic with the raw sausages added to a sauce bubbling gently for about 20 minutes until they are cooked through. 

Cut them up in the pot, not worrying about even sizes. Serve with a small handful of pasta per person (cooked separately while the sauce is thickening). 

Use small pasta shapes such as farfalle, penne, orecchiette (small ears), fusilli, ditalini, or my current favourite Casarecce (translates as homemade) (Tesco €1.75/500g), which has a rough surface and is good at holding heavy sauces. 

Long pasta is messier but can be broken up before cooking if it’s all you have. Make a pasta bake with sausages, cheese and penne - an economical dish.

Thinking ahead to back to school, sausage sandwiches are popular in this house. 

Cook the sausages the night before while doing dinner prep in the kitchen. 

Slice the sausages lengthways so small bits don’t fall out of the bread easily, or try them in pitta or bread rolls. 

These are also good for end-of-season picnics and barbecues and take the opportunity to add vitamins – lettuce, tomato, cucumber, ready-roasted red peppers, gherkins, and chutney.

Caherbeg Free Range Pork Sausages. Food photos: Arna Crowley

Caherbeg Free range pork sausages 300g €4.55 (€15.16/kg)

This meaty sausage has 70% pork with a lightness due to the addition of rusk. “An honest sausage”, said one taster and the others unanimously agreed. The nicely mild herbs and spicing were a hit. Protein a decent 13.8%, fats a low enough 8.8% with salt 1.4%. Produced in Rosscarbery. In selected SuperValu stores, Ballymaloe Garden Shop, we bought in Pigs Back, English Market, Cork.

Score: 9.5

M&S Collection 6 Aberdeen Angus Beef and Pepper Sausages.

M&S Collection 6 Aberdeen Angus Beef & Pepper sausages 360g €5.75 (€15.97/kg)

Beef of 80% is generous, with 5% red onions, gluten-free crumb, black and white peppers, dried red and green peppers to make a well-rounded, balanced spiciness good for grilling (or air frying) and adding to sauces for a change to pork. Protein a satisfactory 14.5%, fats a reasonable 16.9%, salt not overdone at 1.13%. From a very good range.

Score: 9

Lidl Deluxe 12 Irish Hand Tied Pork Sausages

Lidl Deluxe 12 Irish hand-tied pork sausages 492g €2.99 (€6.07/kg)

A good, meaty sausage with an even texture beat the obvious rivals for its place in our Top 8.

The generous 80% Irish pork delivers 14.4% protein, fats 16.5%, salt 1.35%. Good value. Add to sauces, grill and air fry – rub a light coating of oil first to ensure colour.

Score: 8.75

Rudd's Hand-Tied Irish Pork Sausages

Rudd’s Irish pork sausages 330g €3.30 (€10/kg)

Pork content is 75%, delivering a fair 11.1% protein. Fats are on the high end of the scale at 21.2%. Salt is 1.6%. MSG is the flavour enhancer, but like many of the essential preservatives such as sulphites used in sausages, can cause a reaction in those sensitive to it. Tasters liked them. Widely available.

Score: 8

The Butcher's Daughter Gluten Free Irish Pork Sausages

Butcher’s Daughter gluten-free 340g €3.49 (€10.26/kg)

New to tasters, Una O’Dwyer is the daughter of butcher Martin O’Dwyer in Cashel Co Tipperary. Their product delivers 73% pork, high protein at 15.3%, fats 21.6%, salt 1.6%. The six juicy sausages have a mellow spicing and no dryness in the gluten-free crumb made from pea starch and protein. A hit with non-coeliac tasters. Widely available, we bought in Dunnes Stores, Bishopstown Court, Cork.

Score: 8.75

O'Flynn's Gourmet Sausage Companu Sweet Italian Sausages

O’Flynn’s Gourmet Sausage Co Sweet Italian 360g €4.50 (€12.50/kg)

Gluten-free crumb made with rice flour (no dryness resulting), is mixed with 70% pork with a good 12.7% protein, fats quite low at 12.4% and salt 1.4%. An interesting flavour from spices, including paprika, which also adds colour. Slightly sweet (1% sugars). Tasters also liked the Traditional Breakfast sausages (454g €3.90).

Score: 9

Clonakilty Ispini Irish Pork Sausages

Clonakilty Ispíní Irish Pork Sausages 454g €3.90 (€8.59/kg)

A popular sausage in many of our tasters’ households, despite having a relatively low 55% Irish pork with 8% pork fat with a low 8.7% protein. Tasters liked the flavour and texture. Fats are a high 27.4% and salt content is 1.9%. MSG is added. 

Score: 9

Tesco Finest Traditional 10 Hand Tied Irish Pork Sausages

Tesco Finest Traditional 10 hand-tied sausages 454g €2.99 (€6.58/kg)

With a good 85% Irish pork, these have a firm meatiness and an even texture without gristle (unlike many of those that didn’t make the cut). Mild, peppery spicing appealed to all tasters who gave top scores. Protein a decent 11.4%, fats 20.5%, salt 1.48%.

Score: 9