Ingredients 8 Person(s)
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Step 1: Preheat and prep the tray
Preheat the oven to 200C fan / 220C conventional / 425F and take the sausages and bacon out of the fridge 10 minutes early so they are not fan-oven cold. Line a large baking tray with foil and lightly brush it with oil, or set a wire rack over the tray so the fat drips away and the bacon crisps all round. Give yourself a tray big enough to space the pigs out, as crowding is the number one reason bacon stays soft.
Step 2: Stretch and cut the bacon
Lay each rasher of streaky bacon on a board and run the back of a knife along it two or three times, pressing firmly to stretch it by roughly a third; thinner bacon wraps neatly and crisps far better than thick. Slice each stretched rasher in half widthways so you get two short strips, one for each sausage. If you like a mustard hit, brush a thin smear of wholegrain mustard along each strip now before wrapping.
Step 3: Wrap the sausages
Take one sausage and wrap a bacon strip around it in a tight spiral, overlapping slightly so the whole middle is covered but leaving the ends of the sausage peeking out. Do not wrap so tightly that the bacon strains, as it shrinks in the oven and an over-tight wrap will split. Finish each one with the loose end of bacon tucked underneath.
Step 4: Arrange seam-side down
Place every wrapped sausage on the tray seam-side down, so the loose bacon end is pinned beneath its own weight and cannot unroll as it cooks. Leave at least 2 cm of space between each one so hot air circulates and the bacon crisps instead of steaming. Give them a grind of black pepper; there is no need to add salt, as the bacon brings plenty.
Step 5: Bake until golden
Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes, turning the tray halfway through for even colour, until the sausages are cooked through and the bacon is deep golden and crisp. If your bacon browns before it crisps, that usually means the oven was not hot enough or the tray was overcrowded. The pigs are done when a sausage cut in half is piping hot all the way through with no pink.
Step 6: Glaze and rest
If glazing, drizzle the honey or maple syrup over the pigs and return them to the oven for a final 4-5 minutes until sticky and lacquered, watching closely so the sugar does not catch and burn. Take the tray out and let them rest for 2-3 minutes, as the fat and glaze are extremely hot straight from the oven. Serve warm, piled up with cocktail sticks, alongside the roast turkey or as part of a party spread.
Pro Tips for Perfect Pigs in a Blanket
Stretch each rasher of streaky bacon before wrapping: run the back of a knife firmly along it two or three times so it lengthens by about a third, which lets it grip the sausage tightly and crisp instead of shrinking back and splitting. Always place the wrapped sausage seam-side down on the tray so the loose end is pinned underneath and cannot unravel as the bacon contracts in the heat. Space them at least 2 cm apart on a large tray lined with foil or a rack, because crowded sausages steam and stay flabby rather than going crisp. Use thin streaky bacon rather than back bacon, as the higher fat content bastes the sausage and renders down to that classic crackly finish. For extra flavour, roll the sausages through a spoonful of maple syrup or brush the bacon with a little wholegrain mustard before wrapping.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
You can wrap the sausages in bacon up to 24 hours ahead, then cover the tray tightly and refrigerate; cook them straight from the fridge, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time. To freeze uncooked, open-freeze the wrapped raw sausages on a lined tray until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months and defrost fully overnight in the fridge before baking as normal. Cooked leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a 190C/375F oven for 8-10 minutes to bring the bacon back to crisp, rather than microwaving, which turns it rubbery. Do not glaze until they are freshly out of the oven and about to be served, as reheated honey glaze tends to burn and turn bitter. Let them cool for a couple of minutes before serving, since the rendered fat and any glaze stay scorching hot straight from the tray.
Learn pigs in a blanket how to from scratch: chipolatas wrapped in crisp streaky bacon, baked at 200C until golden, with a sticky honey glaze. For more pigs in a blanket recipe inspiration, browse the full Pigs in a Blanket Recipes board — every idea there is written for real home kitchens, not professional bakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both work, so it comes down to taste. Smoked streaky bacon gives a bolder, more savoury flavour that stands up well on a rich Christmas plate, while unsmoked lets the sausage flavour come through and is milder for children. Whichever you choose, use thin streaky rather than back bacon, as the extra fat is what crisps up and bastes the sausage.
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