Tell an American you’re serving pigs in blankets for Christmas dinner, and they might picture little sausages tucked inside pastry. Tell a British person the same thing, and they’ll be expecting sausages wrapped in bacon. Same name, two very different dishes!
In Britain, pigs in blankets are practically compulsory at Christmas. Those little pork sausages, wrapped in streaky bacon and roasted until golden, sit alongside the turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing and gravy. And there’s usually a bit of competition over who gets the last one.
Fortunately, they’re one of the easiest parts of a traditional British Christmas dinner to recreate in an American kitchen. All you need are small pork sausages, ordinary American bacon and a hot oven. They’re also brilliant for Sunday roasts, holiday buffets and parties.
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What Are British Pigs in Blankets?
Traditional British pigs in blankets are small pork sausages wrapped in thin strips of bacon and roasted until golden.
In Britain, they’re usually made with cocktail-sized pork sausages and streaky bacon, which is the British term for the fatty, striped bacon most Americans simply call bacon.
That makes this one British Christmas dish that translates particularly easily to an American kitchen.
And unlike Sausage Rolls, which wrap seasoned sausage meat in flaky puff pastry, pigs in blankets rely on just two basic ingredients: sausage and bacon.
British Pigs in Blankets vs. American Pigs in a Blanket
Despite the nearly identical names, these are two different dishes.
British pigs in blankets: pork sausages wrapped in bacon.
American pigs in a blanket: small sausages or hot dogs wrapped in pastry or crescent-roll dough.
So if a British person tells you pigs in blankets are essential at Christmas dinner, they probably aren’t suggesting you put crescent rolls next to the turkey!
What Kind of Sausages Should I Use?
Traditional British versions use small pork cocktail sausages.
These can sometimes be difficult to find in American supermarkets, so there are several good alternatives.
Look for small uncooked pork breakfast sausages that aren’t strongly flavored with maple syrup or other sweet seasonings.
You can also use good-quality regular pork sausages and cut them into shorter pieces before wrapping them.
If you have access to British-style pork sausages, they’re ideal.
For another classic British sausage dish, try Toad in the Hole, where sausages are baked inside a crisp, golden Yorkshire pudding batter.
What Kind of Bacon Should I Use?
American bacon works beautifully.
Choose regular-cut rather than very thick-cut bacon. Thick bacon can take too long to crisp and may overwhelm the small sausages.
In Britain, the bacon traditionally used for pigs in blankets is streaky bacon, which is essentially the same cut Americans usually think of when they hear the word bacon.
Avoid very heavily maple-flavored bacon unless you deliberately want a sweeter version.
Traditional British Pigs in Blankets Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, or lightly grease a roasting pan.
- Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise, or into thirds for particularly small sausages. You need enough bacon to wrap once around each sausage with a slight overlap.
- Wrap each sausage snugly with bacon and arrange seam-side down on the prepared pan, leaving a little space between each one. Season with black pepper and scatter thyme or rosemary around the pan if desired.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, turning once about halfway through, until the bacon is browned and beginning to crisp and the sausages are cooked through to 160°F (71°C).
- For the optional glazed version, lightly brush with maple syrup or honey during the final 5–8 minutes, watching carefully because the sugars can brown quickly.
- Serve immediately while the bacon is crisp and the sausages are hot.
Notes
Can I Make British Pigs in Blankets in an Air Fryer?
Yes.
Arrange them in a single layer in the air-fryer basket and cook at approximately 375°F (190°C) for 12–16 minutes, turning halfway through.
Exact cooking time will depend on the size of the sausages and your air fryer, so make sure the centers reach 160°F (71°C).
Can I Prepare Them Ahead of Time?
Absolutely, and this is particularly useful at Christmas.
Wrap the uncooked sausages in bacon, arrange them in a covered container or on a covered baking sheet, and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before roasting.
That means one less job to do while you’re juggling the rest of Christmas dinner.
If you’re planning a full British-style holiday spread, Traditional British Trifle is another excellent make-ahead recipe because it actually benefits from time in the refrigerator.
Can I Freeze Pigs in Blankets?
Yes.
Freezing Before Cooking
Wrap the sausages in bacon, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.
Freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
Freezing After Cooking
Cooked pigs in blankets can also be frozen, although the bacon is usually crispest when they’re freshly roasted.
Cool completely before freezing and reheat thoroughly before serving.
Variations
Honey-Mustard Pigs in Blankets
Mix a little honey with Dijon or English mustard and brush it lightly over the sausages toward the end of roasting.
Maple Pigs in Blankets
Brush with a small amount of maple syrup during the last few minutes of cooking.
This isn’t the most traditional British version, but the salty-sweet combination works particularly well for holiday parties.
Herb Pigs in Blankets
Tuck a tiny rosemary or thyme leaf beneath the bacon before wrapping.
Don’t use too much rosemary — its flavor can quickly dominate the sausage.
Larger Pigs in Blankets
You can use full-size pork sausages instead of cocktail sausages.
Wrap each sausage with one or two strips of bacon and increase the cooking time as necessary until the sausages reach 160°F (71°C).
How Do I Get the Bacon Crispy?
The biggest mistake is overcrowding the pan.
If the sausages are packed tightly together, the moisture they release can cause the bacon to steam.
Use a large baking sheet and leave space between them.
Brit & Skillet Tip: A roomy baking sheet makes it much easier to leave enough space around each sausage for the bacon to roast rather than steam. Fat Daddio’s Natural Aluminum Baking Sheet Pans are a useful option for pigs in blankets and plenty of other oven-roasted dishes.
Regular-cut bacon also crisps more easily than very thick-cut bacon.
If the sausages are cooked but you’d like the bacon a little crispier, place them briefly under the broiler at the end. Watch them closely — bacon can go from browned to burned surprisingly quickly.
What Do You Serve With British Pigs in Blankets?
At Christmas, they’re traditionally served as part of a full roast dinner alongside turkey, roast potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and plenty of gravy.
They would also be right at home beside Yorkshire Puddings, particularly if you’re making a roast beef dinner rather than turkey.
For a less formal meal, serve them with mashed potatoes and vegetables, or put out a platter with mustard for dipping at a Christmas party.
They also work brilliantly as part of a Boxing Day buffet using leftovers from Christmas dinner.
Are Pigs in Blankets Only for Christmas?
Not at all — although that’s when they’re most strongly associated with British food.
You can serve them with any roast dinner, make them for parties, or use them as an easy savory appetizer.
But there is something particularly British about seeing a pile of bacon-wrapped sausages arriving at the Christmas table.
Pair them with something sweet afterward, such as our Traditional British Rum Truffles, and you’ve got two wonderfully nostalgic British Christmas favorites that are surprisingly simple to make in an American kitchen.
Brit & Skillet Tip
If you’re making these for Americans who haven’t had British pigs in blankets before, tell them what they are before serving them.
Otherwise, someone may spend the first few minutes wondering where the pastry went!
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover cooked pigs in blankets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat them in a 375°F (190°C) oven until piping hot.
An air fryer also works particularly well for leftovers because it helps the bacon crisp again.
The microwave will heat them, but the bacon will be softer.
A British Christmas Classic
British pigs in blankets prove that some of the best holiday foods don’t need complicated ingredients. Pork sausage, smoky bacon and a hot oven are enough to make one of Britain’s most loved Christmas side dishes.
They’re easy to prepare ahead, simple to scale for a crowd and especially useful for American cooks who want to add a genuinely British touch to Christmas dinner without hunting down difficult-to-find ingredients.
For more traditional dishes adapted for an American kitchen, explore the rest of our British Recipes at Brit & Skillet.
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