For The Best Sausage Sandwiches, Keep It Simple And Skip The Flavored Links

In a world that has no shortage of sausage sandwiches, the classic British sausage sarnie stands out as a testament to simplicity. Not much more than two griddled sausage links slathered in brown sauce and sandwiched between two slices of spongy white bread, the sausage sandwich is nothing short of an institution in the U.K. and Ireland. That being said, the sandwich's success hinges on choosing the right sausage. And while it's tempting to go for the most flavor-packed sausage there is, it is better to keep things simple and skip the flavored links.

Unlike Italy or Spain, where sausages are dry-cured and meant to be served cold, British and Irish sausages need to be cooked in order to be consumed. There is no shortage of flavor-packed sausages to choose from. However, the reason you'll want to use a more neutral-flavored sausage is that it allows the fattiness of the pork to really shine through. Plus, it serves as a great base upon which to build flavor to your liking.

With an overly seasoned sausage, you will need to go heavy on the other flavors to allow them to compete against the strength of the flavored meat. A straightforward plain Cumberland pork sausage, which is seasoned only with salt and pepper, provides you with that foundation of flavor that you can begin to layer onto. Don't go too crazy, however. The sausage sarnie is not about exuberance. It's about keeping things simple and tasty.

There are a lot of different ways you can flavor a sausage sarnie, from liberally buttering the bread to frying onions in the leftover sausage fat for extra flavor. Mostly, however, flavoring the sausage sarnie should be done modestly. After all, the sausage is the star of the show, and there shouldn't be too many things layered on to overpower it.

The classic condiment used for a sausage sandwich is HP Brown Sauce. This vinegary, sweet, and tangy sauce helps elevate the saltier flavors of the sausage. Ketchup and mustard are less commonly used, mostly because one is considered too sweet and the other too spicy. Now, if you are really looking to pack on the flavor, you can take your cue from some other sausages.

Sage is the predominant herb in a Lincolnshire sausage and can be added in along with the griddled onions for an extra herbaceous, earthy flavor. Some sausages are even stuffed with garlic, apples, or blue cheese. You'd probably be judged by purists for doing it, but a drizzle of blue cheese dressing in place of brown sauce could also be an option. However, there is no need for excess here. Going too over the top will drown out the natural fatty goodness of the sausage. The purer and simpler the sausage, the more concentrated the flavor will be. And that's the whole point of a good sausage sarnie.