I Tried the Heck Brussels Sprout Sausages, and Even Big Sprout-Haters Will Love Them

I love sausages. Pork sausages, chicken sausages, cocktail sausages, foot-long hot dog sausages, pigs in blankets, you name it. I also love Brussels sprouts. Not only because they are packed full of nutrients, but because they are a Christmas dinner staple. So, when I saw Heck were giving away the "Brussel Sprout Sausage" on Instagram, I knew I had to get my hands on them.

While they weren't available to buy at local supermarkets this year, I did manage to get my hands on one pack of the very limited supplies. And let me tell you, waiting for the sausages to arrive was the longest two days of my life. Rumour has it, if the initial limited run proves a success, the brand might consider them for Christmas 2024. So are they really worth a spot in your festive feast? Or is the pork-sprouts hybrid a flash-in-the-pan idea? Read on for my honest review.

Heck Brussels Sprout Sausages Review

As soon as the Heck-marked box arrived on my doorstep, I tore it apart like a kid at Christmas to reveal the beautiful green packaging, covered in little cartoon Brussels sprouts. The front of the box promised me that each bite would deliver "holiday cheer" and that the sausages were a "festive twist on a Christmas classic".

There were six sausages in the packet, slightly on the thicker side, unlike the Heck chicken sausages which are more like chipolatas. A quick skim of the back of the packet revealed that the sausages were 80 percent pork, 10 percent Brussels sprouts, and 4 percent dark maple syrup. I was slightly disappointed to see such a small percentage of sprouts included in the sausage, but I wasn't going to let it dampen my festive spirit.

After removing the packaging and bunging them in the air fryer on 200°C for the time it takes to sing Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas is You" approximately 2.5 times (10 minutes), they were ready to eat.

Juicy. Sprouty. Heaven. Those were the three words that came to mind after my first bite. After inspecting the filling of the sausage, I could see small bits of sprout scattered throughout the pork and, while the sprout taste was on the subtle side, there were definitely sprouts in every bite. The sweetness of the maple syrup really came through as well, bringing it together nicely.

While I'd love to replace all my vegetables with the infused-sausage version, I don't think I'll be skipping my famous pan-fried brussels sprouts this Christmas as there's something about the original that you just can't beat. However, these sausages would be a great way to level-up your pigs in blankets. They'd make the perfect sausage for a Christmas sandwich or even mixed in to bubble and squeak, so this is our official plea to Heck to bring them back in time for Christmas 2024.