How to Make Homemade Lorne Sausage (Scottish Square Sausage)
Homemade Lorne sausage, or Scottish square sausage, is extremely easy to make. If you’re missing this Scottish breakfast staple and sandwich filling, this recipe is for you!
I’ve been meaning to share this homemade Lorne sausage recipe for a very long time. It’s a very basic Scottish sausage that is usually either served on a roll, or as part of a full Scottish breakfast.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Some people may have a hard time with the shape of this sausage for a couple of reasons: it’s not in the shape of a “normal” sausage, and even though it’s called square, it’s truly never exactly square.
From the top, going clockwise: Heinz beans, bacon, toast, fried egg, black pudding
(with HP Sauce nearby), grilled tomatoes, potato scones and Lorne sausage in the center.
Let me assure you, though, it really is sausage. Sausage doesn’t have to in a link form or in casings to be considered “sausage.” This Scottish recipe is very simple to make, just mix all the ingredients together, push the mixture into a loaf tin, freeze for a few hours then slice. You are then ready to have homemade Lorne sausage in your full Scottish breakfast (or in a roll)! Don’t forget to make tea!
Can you Freeze Lorne Sausage?
Once the sausage is sliced, I like to freeze it completely, then keep them in the freezer. This is a handy way to make the recipe once, and be able to cook them several times (unless you have a huge or very hungry family)!
You could even use it to make Scotch eggs.
Here’s a more traditional British sausage: try my Cumberland sausage recipe
According to Wikipedia, ads for “Lorne Sausage” appeared in newspapers as far back as 1896, and the name is thought to originate from the region of Lorne, in Scotland. Square sausage and Lorne sausage are just two different names for the same thing. If you ask for either one or even, “sliced sausage”, in Scotland, you’ll be fine.
Homemade Lorne Sausage
(Scottish Square Sausage)
recipe slightly adapted from Rampant Scotland (makes approximately 14 slices)
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Prepare a loaf tin by lining it with wax paper or by using an aluminum tin (reusable). Plastic wrap works great, but I’m trying to cut down my use of it for environmental reasons. Thanks to Jaydee for the suggestions in the comments below.
Mix the meat together in a large bowl until it forms a uniform consistency.
Combine the breadcrumbs with the spices and salt, and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the meat mixture.
Then add the water.
Using a fork or your hands, mix all the ingredients together until it is evenly combined. This may take a few minutes.
Put the meat into the lined loaf tin and push it against the bottom and sides of the tin to try to avoid any air gaps. You’ll end up with holes in the sausage if they aren’t removed. When it’s completely tight, cover the top of the sausage with plastic wrap and place the loaf tin in the freezer for about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Don’t freeze it too long or you won’t be able to cut the meat.
Remove the tin from the freezer and the sausage from the tin. Place on a cutting board, and remove the paper.
With a sharp knife, cut into slices. You can make them as thick as you like, but they shouldn’t be extremely thick.
Place on a plastic cutting mat or tray and freeze until hard, then put into a freezer bag or container to keep frozen.
How to Cook Homemade Lorne Sausage
Remove the number of slices you want to cook and allow to thaw in the fridge. Once thawed, fry in bacon fat, or a little olive oil, as part of a full Scottish breakfast.
This includes: eggs (as desired), buttered toast, bacon, Heinz beans, potato scones, grilled tomatoes, black pudding and don’t forget a nice hot, steaming mug of tea (with milk)! Haggis can also be added, but there’s plenty on the plate without it.
Here’s a great article that will help you not to feel guilty about eating this sort of breakfast occasionally! And trust me, if you eat this for breakfast, you won’t need or want to eat lunch! However, a full Scottish fry up also makes a great weekend lunch. Just don’t eat breakfast!
How to Make Homemade Lorne Sausage (Scottish Square Sausage)
Special Equipment
- 1 loaf tin
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 ½ cups fine breadcrumbs
- 1 ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp Diamond Kosher salt (do not use 2 tsp of table salt or it will be too salty)
- 5 oz water
Instructions
- Prepare a loaf tin by lining it with plastic wrap. (I wish there was something else to use, but I can't think of what will work in its place.)
- Mix the meat together in a large bowl until it forms a uniform consistency.
- Combine the breadcrumbs with the spices and salt, and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the meat mixture, then add the water.
- Using a fork or your hands, mix all the ingredients together until it is evenly combined. This may take a few minutes.
- Put the meat into the lined loaf tin and push it against the bottom and sides of the tin to try to remove any air gaps. These will be holes in the sausage if they aren't removed. When it's completely tight, cover the top of the sausage with plastic wrap and place the loaf tin in the freezer for about 3 hours.
- Remove the in from the freezer and the sausage from the tin. Place on a cutting board, and with a sharp knife, cut into slices. You can make them as thick as you like, but they shouldn't be extremely thick.
- Place on a plastic cutting mat or tray and freeze until hard, then put into a freezer bag or container to keep frozen.
To Cook:
- Remove the number of slices you want to cook and allow to thaw in the fridge.
- Once thawed, fry in bacon fat, or a little olive oil, as part of a full Scottish breakfast.
Notes
- A full Scottish breakfast includes: eggs (as desired), buttered toast, bacon, Heinz beans, potato scones, grilled tomatoes, black pudding and don't forget a nice hot, steaming mug of tea (with milk)! Haggis, clootie dumpling or soda scones can also be added, but there's plenty on the plate without them. 😎 You can plan on skipping lunch!
Nutrition
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
I have tried a few of the recipes that you have published and this is one of your best
Instead of using a loaf tin with cling film might I suggest you use one of the disposable foil trays that you often get carry out food in
They are flexible enough to remove the content easily and if necessary can be disposed of
Another option is to use grease proof paper instead of cling film
Awesome tips, Jaydee! I will add these into the post as I hate cling film, and wasting plastic, too! Thank you!!
What’s best, Lean ground beef?, Medium ground beef?
Thanks
I think a 15% fat content is a good choice. Not too lean as you want fat in sausage.
If I promised to stay away from Scotland, could I make this up and put it in small aluminum loaf pans, vacuum seal each one and cook it sous vide? Sounds like it would make 2 small loaves, so I could freeze one and leave the other out to eat. From the various comments, it doesn’t sound like it would go bad before it could be eaten, and reheating to get a grilled edge would be a snap.
Promising to stay away from Scotland? Why? Regarding the sausage, I would think that would work fine, although I’ve not tried it myself. Enjoy!
Being a Scottish chap, finding himself, living in Virginia, there are many things I miss off the menu from home. Lorne Sausage was one of those. I am not what you would consider a ‘cook’, but such was the desperation of some home cooking, I ventured into your recipe.
Outstanding. Before I even had spices mixed with the ground meat, my senses were hit with a very familiar smell. I was excited. I mixed up everything, as directed, and placed into the freezer. My only downfall, due to early excitement, was maybe slicing a little generous slice.
They tasted absolutely perfect. I could not have believed it had I not have tasted it myself. The whole day, I was bouncing with happiness.
Thank you Christina, you have truly transformed a life. I will be diving into tattie scones very soon, with my new found culinary confidence.
Oh Alan, this is one of the BEST comments I’ve ever received (in almost 10 years of having my site, so that’s saying something)! Thank you SOOOOO much for letting me know you loved the square sausage recipe. In all honesty, it’s not my recipe and many recipes on my site are not my creations, but I just love sharing my favorites with everyone, breaking them down and showing step by step photos that make them all do-able for anyone.
I’m delighted you’re going to make the tattie scones, too! I have many more Scottish recipes, so maybe this can be a trend? Haha!
Thanks again, Alan, and enjoy! xx
Same boat… I too live in Virginia and soooo miss Scottish foods. I’ve made 2 batches of this recipe and loving it. Sausage in a roll with onions, sausage eggs n beans ( Heinz of course) sausage in a full breakfast. Thankful for this great recipe, can’t wait to try others.
I’ve read that Scottish butchers add the water, work the meat to stickiness then add the rusk ( or crumbs or panko) to give it a chance for protein to be helpful to final consistency. Any thought on how this would be a different from your recipe?
Oh goodness, I honestly don’t know. I would do a batch using each method and compare if you really would like to know the difference. Let me know what you think if you give it a try, PJ!
Never seen Lorne sausage made with pork – bad luck. The Scots rarely eat pork, and as it was not a dairy area there was Little spare stuff to feed them on
Hi Patrick, I think the all beef version is probably the original and authentic Lorne sausage recipe, but through the years, many recipes for Lorne sausage have come to include pork. Possibly because it’s more tasty and less dry than all beef because it doesn’t have a lot of spices like other sausages. Pork definitely has been incorporated into modern day cuisine in Scotland, though.
I lived in Scotland for 30 years and ate pork and pork sausages regularly. As did everyone I knew. If my sausages had beef they were always pork and beef.
Scotland was, and is, most definitely a dairy area. I grew up among dairy farms and fields full of cows. Ayshire is another area with plenty of dairy farms, and I think maybe Forfar/Angus? Anyway, plenty of dairy, which is why Scotland used to be famous for Dunlop cheese (not to mention crowdie).
You’re right about the pork, historically, as cattle herds were the hallmark of most Celtic societies, certainly in the British isles. But I don’t think that is the case any more, and pork is plentiful in Scotland, as in the UK as a whole. Probably mostly imported from Denmark!
Pork might be cheaper nowadays?
I’m originally fay Ayrshire, Kilmarnock (Killie), we blended a Scottish and Ulster fry – Egg, BEANS, slice, Ayrshire gammon, black puddin, white puddin, tatty scotes, a pancake, soda scone and a slice of clooti dumplin – pint of tea and 15 hours on Kilmarnock market (the a bottle of bucky and a haggis supper)
You are a true connoisseur.
The bottle of Buckie is the pièce de résistance !
Haha!
Hi Christina! You have outdone yourself with the Lorne (Square Sausage) recipe
I have tried different recipes and none as good as yours.
I made it and it is delicious!
Next time I will double the recipe so that I get bigger slices
I made some potato scones this morning, so this will be for dinner tonight!
Thank you SO much for all your wonderful recipes
Oh that makes me so happy, but I’m just the messenger! I pick all the best recipes, so you don’t have to! :) Enjoy, Marion! Thank you!