Revealed: The nation's perfect sausage sandwich

Revealed: The nation's perfect sausage sandwich

Direct Line for Business research discovers what the Nation rates as its favourite sausage sandwich recipe.

• The nation's perfect sausage sandwich recipe: a grilled Cumberland sausage in a buttered plain white bap with ketchup and fried onions
• Ketchup is the condiment king, outranking HP sauce and English mustard.
• For one in 12 (eight per cent) a vegetarian banger is their favourite.
• Scots, meanwhile, show their national pride by opting for Lorne (square) sausages.
• Construction workers' ultimate sausage sandwich features a grilled Cumberland sausage on slices of a warmed, buttered, farmhouse white loaf with ketchup, bacon and egg.
• Check out our DLSausageSandwich infographic

London, 20^th October 2017: The nation has spoken and declared the perfect recipe for a sausage sandwich – and the findings may be surprising. New research¹ from Direct Line for Business, who provide Tradesman and Van Insurance, has revealed Britons' favourite ingredients to create the perfect sausage sandwich. The winning recipe calls for a grilled Cumberland sausage in a buttered plain white bap with ketchup and fried onions.

A speciality of the Cumbrian region for over 500 years, the Cumberland sausage, was voted the favourite banger for almost one in five (19 per cent) people. Top Chef Tom Aikens, the Michelin Star winning proprietor of Tom's Kitchen, also backs the Cumberland in his ultimate sausage sandwich recipe², though the nation doesn't agree with his preferred suggestion of using milk bread or unsweetened brioche.

The Cumberland beats off stiff competition from the generic pork sausage (16 per cent) and Lincolnshire (nine per cent) variety. Interestingly for one in twelve (eight per cent) people, a vegetarian banger is their taste of choice. Frankfurters, the traditional filling for a hot dog, only secured just three per cent of the vote.

When it comes to cooking up the perfect banger the preferred method by far was grilling (43 per cent), followed by fried (23 per cent) and oven baked (18 per cent). An unusual two per cent like their sausage microwaved, while an unhealthy four per cent like their banger deep fried.

Sausage sandwich fans like to keep it simple and traditional with their choice of bread with 18 per cent choosing a white bap to surround their sausage, followed by sliced white bread (15 per cent), farmhouse white loaf (10 per cent) and baguette (10 per cent). Healthier options such as brown farmhouse loafs (seven per cent), brown bread (six per cent) and brown baps (five per cent) fared poorly. When it comes to preparing their bread people also like to keep it simple, voting to keep it plain (53 per cent), compared to warm (29 per cent) or toasted (18 per cent).

Ketchup is the condiment king outranking all the other contenders by far. Almost half (46 per cent) think nothing accompanies a sausage sarnie like ketchup, though one in five (20 per cent) opted for HP sauce and English mustard (18 per cent). Only nine per cent wouldn't use any condiment on their banger sandwich. The perfect accompaniment, as voted by the nation, was fried onions, with a third (32 per cent) adding them to the perfect sausage sandwich.

Matt Boatright, Head of Direct Line for Business commented: “The public have voted and we finally have the nation's definitive recipe for the perfect sausage sandwich. In an age of deconstructed small plates and gimmicky unicorn flavoured drinks, Brits highlighted their love of traditional hearty fare, preferring a classic sausage sandwich recipe with a white bap and ketchup. Millions of Brits rely on a sausage sandwich to fuel them through the day, from tradies to van drivers, this is the breakfast of choice.”

While one in six (17 per cent) wouldn't put anything other than a sausage in the perfect butty, others love some weird and wacky combinations. One in twenty (five per cent) would put baked beans in their sarnie and six per cent would add raw onions. Other peculiar additions included pease pudding, homemade rhubarb chutney and pickle. Creating a mighty meat feast also proved popular, with a fifth (21 per cent) adding bacon to the perfect butty, while 6 per cent would add also add black pudding.

The research also looked at the perfect sausage sandwich to fuel Britain's construction workers; brickies, plasterers and electricians. When asked for their take on the perfect sausage sandwich, tradies said their version would feature a grilled (32 per cent) Cumberland sausage (16 per cent) on warmed (39 per cent) buttered (49 per cent) slices of farmhouse white loaf (16 per cent) with ketchup (29 per cent), egg (32 per cent) and bacon (29 per cent).

City statistics

The research also analysed city residents' preferences for the perfect sausage butty. Bristol residents' highlight once again the city's independent spirit, backing the national trend, opting for a buttered baguette with a grilled Cumberland sausage, ketchup and fried onions, while residents of Edinburgh and Glasgow stay true to their roots by favouring a grilled Lorne (square) sausage in a buttered white bap with ketchup and fried onions. London meanwhile shows itself as one of the least healthy cities as nine per cent of residents think the perfect banger for their sarnie should be deep fried.

City preferences for the perfect sausage sandwich

Source: Direct Line for Business 2017

For further details on Direct Line for Business' Public Liability Insurance, please visit: https://www.directlineforbusiness.co.uk/public-liability-insurance

Notes to editors

Please note additional industry and regional breakdowns for the perfect sausage sandwich are available upon request.

¹ Direct Line for Businesses' research conducted 14^th – 18^th April 2017 by Opinium Research amongst a representative sample of 2005 UK adults.

² https://www.lovefood.com/recipes/56532/tom-aikens-ultimate-sausage-sandwich

For further information please contact:

Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Antonia Green
Tel: 020 7282 2967
Email: antonia.green@citigatedr.co.uk

Direct Line Group
Jade Trimbee
PR Manager
Tel: 01372 839 452
Mobile: 07825 315 931
Email: jade.trimbee@directlinegroup.co.uk

Direct Line for Business

Launched in 2007 Direct Line for Business provides a range of insurance products for the small business sector direct by phone or on-line.

Direct Line for Business insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line for Business and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

Customers can find out more about Direct Line for Business products or get a quote by calling 0345 301 4827 or visiting www.directforbusiness.co.uk

Public Liability Insurance Press Release

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Added: 20th October 2017