The countdown to Christmas is officially here and with the BIG news that Greggs have released their festive bake, it’s time to look at sandwiches. We were having a chat with a friend (Lee) a few weeks ago and he let slip that he rated the Christmas sandwiches in a top 10 list. I never thought anyone else got as excited as me about bread and merriment!
So this year I present my ultimate rundown of Festive sandwiches from as many places as I can get to.
***Updates added to the Bottom***
Aldi
Brie & Spiced Cranberry Chutney on Malted Bread Sandwich
Although the packaging boasts deep filled, I’m not exactly sure what they mean as I would rate it as standard filled. Starting from the bottom bread slice there are layers consisting of mayonnaise, 6mm slices of Brie, topped with spinach leaves, Cranberry, Orange and Ginger Chutney followed by a top slice.
I love Brie all year long but feel that sometimes a sweet chutney can lift the claggy nature of it. Unfortunately, I felt that the cranberry chutney was a little on the sparse side. I’d have liked a little more of a feature from it. Likewise, I only realised there was mayonnaise on the other side as it was listed on the box.
Price £1.69
Festive Rating 6/10
Ham Hock with Farmhouse Cheddar, Plum & Apple Chutney on Malted Bread Sandwich
The box is printed in Aldi’s festive branding. The side of the box says “Our Christmas Sandwiches are full or Incredible Festive Flavours…”, but I can’t help but initially think that this is a Ploughman’s Lunch sandwich. However, I’m trying to be open-minded.
The layers from Base layer were mayonnaise, ham hock pieces, mature cheddar, spinach leaves topped with plum and Bramley apple chutney followed by the top slice or malted bread. Unlike the Brie Sandwich, there was lots of mayonnaise, with a decent amount of Ham pieces covering the entire slice. The ham is moist, which is countered with the mature cheddar. Again I like chutney to help ease the cheese along. The chutney was thinly spread, but as a whole, the Ham Hock sandwich was moist enough to be balanced.
I closed my eyes and tried to taste festive flavours, but I pictured pub lunch ploughman’s. The only thing missing was some celery sticks. It’s a good sandwich, but it doesn’t say Christmas to me
Price £1.69
Festive Rating 5/10
Marks & Spencer
Three Bird Roast Sandwich
Initially, I’m super excited about this. Christmas is always about excess in our house and a three bird roast says it all. Although we’ve never had one. The box contains 3 sandwiches; Roast Turkey & Stuffing, Roast Chicken Dinner, and Duck & Plum Chutney.
Roast Turkey & Stuffing sitting on the top of the pile consists of Sliced Turkey Breast, pork, sage and Onion Stuffing, spinach leaves, Cranberry Chutney, mayonnaise on a malted bread. All these ingredients remind me of stacking up the plate at Christmas. The meat is sitting on the mayonnaise layer which sort of made it taste like a chicken mayonnaise sandwich. The Stuffing isn’t strong as a flavour, but noticeably there.
Roast Chicken Dinner is the next on the pile. I feel that the name is quite ambitious to pull off, so we’ll see how it goes. Consisting of Chicken breast, Roasted vegetables, onion and chicken stock mayonaise and Spinach leaves on malted bread. When picking up the sandwich to bite, the “dinner” splits into two layers, meat vs veg. The roasted vegetables are finely shredded almost like stirfry. A few strands leaped from the sandwich. The sandwich on a whole does give that Chicken dinner concept, but it was by far the driest sandwich I’ve tested. Maybe a little mayonnaise between the chicken and the veg may have held it together!
Duck & Plum Chutney is the last from the pack and potentially a highlight. Duck is one of my favourite meats, but something that we rarely have. It reminds me of special occasions and Chinese banquets. The Sandwich consists of Duck, plum and Port Chutney, seasoned mayonnaise fried oniums, spinach leaves on a white bread. The Duck is shredded to almost a chunky paste, which is absolutely delicious. The flavours of the plum and the duck are combined to say festivities. The seasoned mayonnaise leaves a light pepper aftertaste.
As a triple combo sandwich pack, I realise it isn’t a like for like comparison, but all three offerings were carefully designed to say Christmas and M&S have pulled it off.
Price £3.80
Festive Rating 8/10
Turkey Feast on Soft Malted Brown Bread Sandwich
Through the open sliced sandwich, this looks very appetising. The multiple layers of filling are visible and it looks like Christmas. It’s hard to separate the layers to see them separately as they are staying unified as one filling. However, the filling consists of Turkey breast, pork, sage and onion stuffing, cranberry chutney, smoked bacon, mayonnaise, and fried onions.
All the flavours come out with the first bite. I wondered what the fried onions would add, but I think it gives an onion aftertaste. Again the stuffing isn’t a strong flavour, but adds a nice depth to the contents. The bacon layer is across the full slice of bread, not just in the visible middle section. Again this is an outstanding Christmas Sandwich.
Price £3.50
Festive Rating 8/10
One Stop
Turkey and Trimmings Sandwich
I was surprised to spot a Christmas Sandwich at One Stop. Although they do offer a decent range of packaged sandwiches, they tend to be a little bland. However Turkey and Trimmings the name suggests Christmas.
The Bread is Malted Brown Bread, which seems to be the bread of choice this year. Inside is Turkey Breast, Chicken Stock Mayonaise, Pork Sausage, Cranberry Sauce, Sage & Onion Stuffing, and Smoked Bacon. All the components of a dinner minus the veg. The contents were quite full and evenly spaced. However, the first mouthful didn’t erupt flavour. It was more texture than flavour. The second and third bite very much the same and the best I got was an aftertaste of sage and onion stuffing.
I won’t say I’m shocked as the past few sandwiches I’ve had have been low on the flavour scale. They fill a gap but leave a whole lot of disappointment. *Sad Times!
Price £2.80
Festive Rating 5/10
Greggs
Christmas Lunch Sandwich
Christmas Sandwiches started with Greggs for me about 10 years ago. I used to work near Gosforth High Street and it was an easy option for lunch. However we moved location and I’m miles from a Greggs, so visiting is now just a treat.
Their Christmas Lunch sandwich is based within 2 slices of malted Brown Bread. Unlike the other sandwiches that have their contents on the box, as Greggs make fresh daily, they only have a name sticker. To find the ingredients list you have to go online. Which is… Turkey Breast, Sage and Onion Stuffing, Cranberry and Port Sauce, Spinach and Mayonnaise.
The filling seems really well stacked up and slightly drier than the pre-packaged ones. The first bite releases the Cranberry tang, with more of a crunch. The salad leaves inside add a bit more texture than the others, so far. Gregg’s have used slightly chunkier slices of Turkey and bacon, that’s not listed on their website. The Bacon has to be bitten through where other sandwiches have bacon that has no substance to them. I feel that the quality is better in the Christmas Lunch Sandwich, but it could have been lifted a little more to be perfect.
Price £???
Festive Rating 8/10
Asda
Pulled Pork and Stuffing Sandwich
Out of the sandwiches I found in Asda, this one looks like the least visually appealing. It sort of looks like a tuna mayonnaise filling between two slices of white. However, the pulled pork idea sounds interesting.
The filling is made up from Pulled Pork, Seasoned Mayonaise, Bramley Apple Sauce, pork, sage, and Onion Stuffing, fried onions and parsley. The first bite released the surprise of tangy apple sauce. Something I hadn’t realised was in there. The pork didn’t seem pulled as much as it was mashed into a meat paste. As previously mentioned the sage and onion stuffing doesn’t have a huge flavour, but you know its there and I think that’s the way it grinds on your teeth!
Overall I think it has the making of a good Christmas Sandwich, but I would have liked more of a meat texture in the pork.
Price £2.00
Festive Rating 7/10
Turkey & Trimmings Wraps
This is the only wrapped Sandiwch I have found so far and Asda did have the same filling in bread, but I chose differently. I am a fan of a pre-packaged wrap sandwich as you seem to get more filling in your bite. This is also the first time I’ve seen 3 wraps in one package.
The tortilla wraps are filled with, Turkey Breast, Pork Sausage in a beef casing, sage and onion mayonnaise, cranberry and port sauce, smoked bacon, pork, sage, and onion stuffing spinach and fried onions. The contents list sounds like it should pack some delicious flavours. The sage and onion are doubled up here.
Biting in the wrap it is all about the flavour and less about the bread. The tortilla wrap definitely takes the back seat, while the cranberry sauce hits out. The sausage has a slight peppery taste, but that could be from the mayo. The fried onions didn’t really show any presence. These little wraps have amped up the flavour game so far.
Price £2.80
Festive Rating 9/10
Brie and Cranberry Sandwich
One of the simpler of fillings that suggest Christmas. And this one looks like they have added a good amount of Cranberry sauce. The filling is simply French Brie, Cranberry and port sauce, spinach and seasoned Mayonaise.
There is definitely no way you’ll miss the Cranberry sauce in this sandwich. The first mouthful after the malted Brown bread is all about the cranberry. In fact, I barely tasted the Brie. The second and third bite got the brie balancing up with a bit of spinach. It is a moist mouthful and easy eating without having to wash down with a drink. The seasoned mayonnaise isn’t overpowering with only a light pepper after taste. Comparing this to the Aldi one previously, this wins hands down.
Price £2.00
Festive Rating 9/10
Sainsbury’s
Turkey, Bacon & Cranberry Sandwich
A nice simple straight to the meat and source sandwich from Sainsbury’s. Turkey and Bacon, with Cranberry Sauce. Nothing extra is added. There’s no hidden spinach leaves or spiced mayonnaise. They’ve focused on a true boxing day leftovers delight.
While positioning the sandwich on a plate, the bread splits to show drier contents. The meat is glued to the bottom slice with the cranberry (and port) sauce. The meat is dry just like a real family roast turkey! However, the cranberry that would usually balance this up is absorbed in the bread and barely noticeable. I’m not sure why this is such a common issue that the microlayer of cranberry sauce is in this year!
Although the texture is great, the flavours are a little flat.
Price £2.00
Festive Rating 6/10
*** Updated 28th November ***
COOP
Pigs Under Blankets Sandwich
I’ll admit I’ve tasted a couple of the COOP’s festive sandwiches this year already, but today I spotted 2 new ones to me. The Pigs Under Blankets looks like a game changer. Instead of the traditional waxed cardboard, it is presented in an irresistible bag style packaging. The sandwich looks less squashed and hopefully oozes flavour.
It contains Butter Basted Turkey, Cumberland Sausage, bacon, Pork, Chestnut and thyme stuffing, cranberry sauce, mayo on a Sage and Onion Bread! WOW! Hold it there they are not on malted bread!!
The First bite is a bit of a mouthful. It has the feel of a homemade sandwich that has chunkier meat pieces. The contents are moist and the sage and onion bread add a good aftertaste. The Cranberry sauce is very subtle and could have had more of a part in the offering. The stuffing gives a nice coating of stodge! However it isn’t packed full of big flavours, there isn’t much to lift the blandness of the turkey.
Price £3.50
Festive Rating 8/10
Turkey Feast Wrap
After my supprised enlightenment with the previous Wrap based Sandwich, I felt maybe wraps are where it’s at. So spotting the COOP’s version felt like a winner winner Turkey Dinner.
The Tortilla wrap contains turkey breast, mayonnaise, pork, sage and onion stuffing, cranberry sauce, spinach, and smoked bacon. Pretty much the same as the previous sandwich minus the sausage. However, the added bonus here could be the lack of bread.
The bite into the wrap revealed a squeak od spinach leaves. I like salad at the best of times, but the spinach was taking over as the main texture. So I second bit the side of the wrap to avoid the spinach. The meaty flavours mixed well with the cranberry and provided a fresher taste. I’ve decided that cranberry sauce gets absorbed in bread, so to compensate you need a lot of it. However, with a wrap, it doesn’t sink in it stays on top as an individual flavour. Although this may be controversial I think the creaminess of the wrap is adding the sandwich more than refrigerated bread can!
Price £3.00
Festive Rating 8/10
I will continue to update this list as and when I find the next Sandwich. If you’ve spotted some please comment down below to let me know where they all are. Or Where do you think the North East’s best Christmas Sandwich is from?
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