Sausage and mushrooms in mustard and cider

Ingredients

• 400 ggood-quality pork sausages (or sausage meat)
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 2onions
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 400 mlmedium-dry cider
• 175 mlhalf-fat crème fraîche
• 200 gmushrooms
• 2 tbspwholegrain mustard
• to tastesalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Shape the sausages

   Remove the skins from the sausages and shape each sausage into four balls.

2. 2

   Prepare the vegetables

   Slice the onions, roughly chop the mushrooms and finely chop the garlic.

3. 3

   Brown the sausages

   Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the sausage balls and cook until browned on the outside.

4. 4

   Set them aside

   Lift the browned sausages out of the pan and set them aside.

5. 5

   Cook the vegetables

   Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan, turn the heat to low and cook for 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the garlic

   Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute.

7. 7

   Simmer in cider

   Pour in 400 ml cider and bring it to the boil. Return the sausages to the pan, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Stir in the sauce

   Add 175 ml crème fraîche and 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard, then cook for 5 minutes.

9. 9

   Season the dish

   Season with salt and pepper.

10. 10

    Reduce the sauce

    If preparing the dish to chill or freeze and reheat later, take it off the heat now. Otherwise, continue cooking for roughly 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced.

11. 11

    Serve the sausages

    Serve the dish.

What is sausage and mushrooms in mustard and cider?

This is a homely British-style sausage dish, pairing pork with mushrooms in a cider-based sauce. Cider brings a fruity sharpness, while wholegrain mustard gives the sauce a savoury bite.

Here, the sausages are shaped into small balls so they brown before simmering in the sauce. Crème fraîche rounds out the cider and mustard, making a rich topping for mashed potatoes.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 476 calories, 19g protein, 13g carbs, 35g fat.

The sausages provide much of the protein and fat, while the cider and onions contribute most of the carbohydrates in the dish; crème fraîche adds further fat. Serve with peas and a generous portion of vegetables, and choose a moderate amount of mash to balance the plate.

Shape and brown the sausage

Sausage meat: Removing the skins lets you form the meat into balls, which cook evenly in the pan. If using sausage meat instead, shape it into similar-sized pieces.

Browning: Give the balls time to colour on the outside before setting them aside. They will finish cooking in the covered cider simmer.

Build the flavour base

Onions and mushrooms: Cook them over low heat for the stated 3 minutes so they begin to soften without rushing the process. Roughly chopped mushrooms keep some texture in the finished dish.

Garlic: Add it after the initial vegetable cooking and cook for just 1 minute. This gives it time to release its aroma before the cider goes in.

Balance cider, mustard and crème fraîche

Cider: Medium-dry cider gives the sauce fruitiness without making it overly sweet. Bring it to the boil before returning the sausages to the pan.

Mustard and crème fraîche: Stir them in after the covered simmer, then cook for 5 minutes. This keeps their flavour distinct while the sauce becomes creamy and gently tangy.

Check the sauce and sausages

Covered simmer: Cook the sausages in the cider for 10 minutes after returning them to the pan. Make sure the balls are cooked through before serving.

Reduction: If serving straight away, cook for roughly 10 more minutes after seasoning, until the sauce has reduced. For a dish being chilled or frozen, the method says to remove it from the heat before this final reduction.

Choose what to serve alongside

Mashed potatoes: Their soft, creamy texture makes a good base for the cider and mustard sauce. Spoon the sausages and mushrooms over the top so the mash catches the juices.

Peas: Add peas alongside for a fresh contrast to the rich sauce. Serve them separately rather than stirring them into the pan.

Recipe notes & tips

• Shape the sausage balls to a similar size so they cook at a similar rate.
• Use a large saucepan so the sausages can brown without crowding.
• Keep the heat low while the onions and mushrooms cook for 3 minutes.
• Cover the pan for the 10-minute cider simmer to retain moisture.
• Let the sauce reduce for roughly 10 minutes if serving immediately and you prefer it thicker.
• Season at the end, tasting before adding more salt because sausages and mustard can already be savoury.

Variations

• Add thyme: Stir in a little fresh thyme with the garlic for an herbal note.
• Try a different mushroom: Use chestnut mushrooms for a deeper, earthier flavour.
• Use sausage meat: Shape it into balls if you have sausage meat rather than whole sausages.
• Make it sharper: Use a slightly sharper cider to give the sauce a more pronounced tang.
• Serve with greens: Add steamed cabbage or green beans alongside the mash and peas.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan: The sausages may steam rather than brown; use a pan large enough to give them space.
• Cooking the garlic too long: It can turn bitter; add it after the onions and mushrooms and cook for just 1 minute.
• Skipping the covered simmer: The sausages need the stated 10 minutes in the cider to finish cooking.
• Reducing the sauce too far: It can become overly thick; stop when it has reduced to the consistency you want.
• Freezing after reduction: The method advises removing the dish from the heat before the final 10-minute reduction if you plan to chill or freeze it.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. The recipe also allows for freezing before the final reduction; thaw in the fridge and reheat thoroughly.

Frequently asked questions