Pulled Pork and Stilton Sausage Rolls
Phil Roberts takes the humble sausage roll somewhere it’s never been before — smoky pulled pork and crumbled Stilton folded into seasoned sausage meat, wrapped in all-butter puff pastry and baked low and slow on the pellet grill with a kiss of apple or oak smoke.
Ingredients
MAKES 12 large or 24 small
400g seasoned sausage meat
250g cooked pulled pork (well drained and roughly chopped)
120g Stilton, crumbled
1 tsp dried sage
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (optional)
1 tbsp plain flour (if mixture feels too loose)
Pastry
2 x 320g packs ready-rolled puff pastry (all-butter if possible)
1 medium free-range egg, beaten (for glazing)
1 tsp sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
Method
1. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the seasoned sausage meat and pulled pork. Add the crumbled Stilton, dried sage, black pepper and mustard if using. Mix thoroughly with clean hands until evenly combined.
2. If the mixture feels very soft or wet (depending on your pulled pork), mix in a tablespoon of plain flour to help it bind. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
3. Prepare the pastry: Unroll the puff pastry sheets and cut each lengthways into three equal strips, giving six long strips in total.
4. Divide the filling into six equal portions. Shape each portion into a long sausage along the centre of each pastry strip, leaving a 2 cm border along one long edge.
5. Form the rolls: brush the exposed pastry edge lightly with beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling and press firmly to seal. Place seam-side down.
6. Cut each long roll into two equal pieces for large rolls (or smaller pieces if preferred). Transfer to a tray lined with baking parchment and chill for 15–20 minutes to firm up.
7. Prepare the pellet grill: Preheat your pellet grill to 180°C. Use a mild wood pellet such as apple or oak for a balanced smoke flavour that won’t overpower the Stilton.
8. If your grill runs hot from below, place the rolls on a baking tray rather than directly on a grill rack to prevent burning.
9. Glaze and bake: Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds if using. Cut two small slashes in the top of each roll to allow steam to escape.
10. Bake at 180°C for 30–40 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown and the internal temperature of the filling reaches at least 75°C.
More Recipes Ideas from Phil Roberts
Method
1. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the seasoned sausage meat and pulled pork. Add the crumbled Stilton, dried sage, black pepper and mustard if using. Mix thoroughly with clean hands until evenly combined.
2. If the mixture feels very soft or wet (depending on your pulled pork), mix in a tablespoon of plain flour to help it bind. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
3. Prepare the pastry: Unroll the puff pastry sheets and cut each lengthways into three equal strips, giving six long strips in total.
4. Divide the filling into six equal portions. Shape each portion into a long sausage along the centre of each pastry strip, leaving a 2 cm border along one long edge.
5. Form the rolls: brush the exposed pastry edge lightly with beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling and press firmly to seal. Place seam-side down.
6. Cut each long roll into two equal pieces for large rolls (or smaller pieces if preferred). Transfer to a tray lined with baking parchment and chill for 15–20 minutes to firm up.
7. Prepare the pellet grill: Preheat your pellet grill to 180°C. Use a mild wood pellet such as apple or oak for a balanced smoke flavour that won’t overpower the Stilton.
8. If your grill runs hot from below, place the rolls on a baking tray rather than directly on a grill rack to prevent burning.
9. Glaze and bake: Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds if using. Cut two small slashes in the top of each roll to allow steam to escape.
10. Bake at 180°C for 30–40 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown and the internal temperature of the filling reaches at least 75°C.
