The Best Pigs in Blankets with a Whiskey and Honey Glaze

An epicurean adventure to: The United Kingdom

In the realm of British Christmas cuisine, few dishes hold as much tradition and appeal as Pigs in Blankets!

The mere mention of these little meaty bites immediately brings to mind festive feasts and cosy family get-togethers. And, quite frankly, nothing surpasses the charm of making them from scratch.

But let's not be content with the ordinary. We're adding a lip-smacking, easy-peasy whiskey and honey glaze to this time-honoured classic. We'll also be using the slightly larger and more flavourful pork chipolatas instead of cocktail sausages. So, bid adieu to those sad, supermarket substitutes forever!

You can effortlessly prepare this Pigs in Blankets recipe a day in advance, which will save you precious time on the big day. Just place them in the oven along with your roast about 40 minutes before your Christmas dinner is ready to be served.

We'll lead you step-by-step through making them, supported by helpful visual clues.

Fast facts - United Kingdom

Location	The United Kingdom (UK) is located in North-western Europe, comprising four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Capital	London.
Language	In addition to English and Welsh, the United Kingdom is home to a rich linguistic diversity with twelve other indigenous languages used including Gaelic, Cornish, Manx, Scots and three sign languages. English stands as the most widely spoken language, while Cornish is among the least commonly used.
Population	Circa 66.8 million people.
Trivia	Back in the day, when England was under the tight grip of the Puritans in 1647, they did something rather Grinchy - they banned Christmas! Yes, you heard that right, they put the kibosh on Yuletide festivities because they thought Christmas was all about promoting immorality, not merriment. Talk about being a buzzkill!

What's the difference between Pigs in Blankets from the UK and the USA?

The main difference is in the choice of sausages and the wrapping. In the UK, it's small streaky bacon-wrapped sausages, often chipolatas or cocktail sausages.

In the USA, it consists of small hot dogs or 'little smokies' snugly wrapped in biscuit dough, pizza dough or crescent roll dough. They are also known as 'crescent roll pigs' or 'crescent dogs'. It's a game-day favourite in the US!

Both versions are enjoyed as finger foods in their respective countries.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Chipolata sausages

Usually, when making classic pigs in blankets, cocktail weiners are used. Most store-bought pigs in blankets come with these mini sausages too.

However, we opt for chipolata pork sausages. They are a tad larger and are usually of better quality and flavour.

If you prefer the smaller sizes of traditional cocktail sausages, you can still use this same glaze recipe to baste them.

Bacon

For this recipe, you'll want to have some smoked, streaky bacon on hand.

While you can substitute it with unsmoked bacon, be sure to stick with the streaky variety. It's thinner and has just the right fat ratio to meat, making it perfect for pigs in blankets.

Regular bacon is too thick and clunky for these delicate little bites.

Keep in mind that when you buy streaky bacon, what usually appears as a single piece is actually two strips. These two portions will naturally separate lengthwise as you handle them.

Before using the bacon, it's essential to give it a gentle stretch. We'll guide you through this step in the detailed instructions below. This stretching process is crucial and helps prevent the bacon from shrinking during cooking.

Honey

Feel free to use any honey you have in your kitchen for this recipe. If you're feeling adventurous and want to explore a different flavour, you can substitute the honey with maple syrup.

Whiskey

There's no need to break out your finest bottle of single-malt whiskey for this recipe! Just reach for the cheapest you have on hand, it'll do the job perfectly.

Some cheaper brands you can use are Famous Grouse or Grant's. Or, just sneak two tablespoons of your partner's 40-year-old Macallan, they won't notice!

(Hah! They will! Don't do that).

For those looking to explore different flavours, consider swapping out the whiskey with bourbon, known for its slightly sweeter taste profile.

Notable brands of bourbon to consider include Jim Beam and Jack Daniels (though JD technically prefers the term "Tennessee whisky").

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper is completely optional, but adding just a tiny pinch provides a subtle, very distant simmer in the background. The goal here isn't to make your pigs in blankets spicy, rather, it enhances the overall flavour experience with a subtle warmth.

What is a pinch? We measured our pinch. Turns out it's about 1/18th of a teaspoon. So if you have a quarter measuring spoon, it's half of that.

You can replace cayenne pepper with a few drops of Tobasco sauce.

How to make Pigs in Blankets: Step-by-step

1. Line a medium-sized baking tray with foil. Careful not to tear or poke any holes in the foil - the lovely glaze will escape onto the baking tray beneath.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F/gas mark 4.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, whiskey and cayenne pepper (if you are using it). Set aside.

4. Place your first bacon rasher on a chopping board. Using a large, sharp knife, stretch the strip of bacon from end to end. We find it easier to lift and hold one side of the bacon, keeping the knife in one place and pulling the bacon from underneath it.

5. See above for the difference between a stretched and unstretched piece of bacon. Stretched bacon won't shrink as much during cooking, so don't skip this step.

6. Place a chipolata sausage on one end of the stretched bacon and start rolling it up.

7. Spiral the bacon around the whole sausage.

8. Turn the pig and blanket around so the loose end is on the bottom. This will help hold it in place during the first half of the cooking.

9. Place the pigs in blankets on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they're evenly spaced. Leave some space between each sausage so they can cook evenly.

10. Drizzle spoonfuls of the whiskey and honey glaze over each sausage.

11. Gently rotate each sausage to ensure it's completely coated in the glaze.

12. Optional: Tuck a few sprigs of rosemary in between for a herby kick.

13. Bake for 40-45 minutes, turning and basting them halfway through the cooking process, until they're golden brown and sizzling hot.

14. Serve with a drizzle of the pan juices for extra flavour.

Variations

• Wrap a sage leaf around the sausage before adding the streaky bacon.

• For a vegetarian version, use plant-based sausages and vegetarian bacon.

• If you don't eat pork, you can use lamb, beef or chicken sausages instead.

• Replace streaky bacon with pancetta.

• When using it as an appetiser or starter, pair your pigs in blankets with an array of delicious dipping sauces like honey mustard sauce, BBQ sauce, spicy mayo, dijon mustard or tzatziki.

• Thread the sausages and bacon onto mini skewers or cocktail sticks for a fun presentation and easy handling.

Serving suggestions

Pigs in blankets are a great addition to Christmas turkey along with all your favourite side dishes:

• Roasted potatoes, like Parmentier potatoes and the ultimate, crispy, roast potatoes.

• Roasted vegetables like Broccoli with pine nuts and parmesan.

• Carrot and swede mash.

• Honey-roasted carrots and parsnips.

• Sausage meat, cheesy, stuffed courgettes.

Make ahead

By prepping ahead of time, you'll save valuable time on the day of your meal.

• You can assemble the pigs in blankets a day in advance. Follow the recipe up to the point of wrapping the sausages in bacon, don't add the glaze. Store them in a sealed container in the fridge.

• Prepare the whiskey and honey glaze in advance and store it in a separate container.

• On the day, simply take the sausages and glaze out of the fridge. Allow them to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

• Line the tray with foil and follow the baking instructions from the original recipe. Remember to drizzle the glaze over the sausages before baking.

Storage

To store leftover pigs in blankets, allow them to cool to room temperature first. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. Store them in the fridge for up to three days. Avoid stacking them too tightly to maintain their shape and prevent sticking.

You can freeze cooked pigs in blankets for up to 3 months. Use an airtight container or a freezer bag to store them in. Thaw overnight in the fridge and follow the reheating instructions below.

Another option is to prepare the pigs in blankets by wrapping them in bacon and freezing them without the glaze. You can do this up to 3 months in advance of Christmas. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, prepare the glaze and follow the instructions from that point as per the original recipe.

Reheating

When it's time to reheat, you have a couple of options.

• To maintain their crispiness, place the pigs in blankets on a baking sheet and warm them in a preheated oven at around 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for about 10-15 minutes. Keep a close eye on them to prevent overcooking.

• Alternatively, you can reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, though this method may result in slightly softer bacon.

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