Kettle Sea Salt and Crushed Black Peppercorns Potato Chips, 130g

Salt and black pepper is the seasoning every kitchen has, and Kettle turns it into a crisp flavour with a proper peppery kick. This is the 130g sharing bag, which the label suggests serves five. The full product name on the pack is Hand Cooked Potato Chips with Sea Salt and Crushed Black Peppercorns Seasoning.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from select potatoes, vegetable oils (rapeseed and sunflower, in varying proportions), potato starch, potato maltodextrin, crushed black pepper, dried yeast extract, sugar, sea salt, natural sea salt, citric acid and black pepper extract. The label notes that the chips may be fried in either oil or a blend, depending on supply.

Two kinds of pepper

The pepper comes in two forms. Crushed black pepper, high on the list, gives visible flecks and bursts of heat and aroma as you bite. Black pepper extract, at the end of the list, gives an even warmth across every chip. Black pepper's heat comes from piperine, which gives a warm, tingling bite that is different from the burn of chilli: it builds gently and fades, rather than lingering.

What else is doing the work

Potato starch and potato maltodextrin carry the pepper and help it stick to the chip. Dried yeast extract gives a savoury base, so the chip tastes seasoned rather than just peppery. Two sea salts, sea salt and natural sea salt, supply the salt, a little sugar rounds it, and citric acid adds a small lift.

Hand cooked in Norfolk

The pack says the chips are hand cooked in Norfolk with British potatoes, and it states absolutely nothing artificial. Batch cooking gives a thick, hard, curled chip, and the crushed pepper sits in the folds and curls, which is part of why this flavour tastes so peppery.

Numbers per 100g

The label gives 485 kcal (2027 kJ), 23.5g of fat, 2.7g of saturates, 58.4g of carbohydrate, 0.9g of sugars, 4g of fibre, 8.1g of protein and 0.63g of salt per 100g. With five servings in the bag, a serving is about a fifth of the bag.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 23.5g is red. Saturates at 2.7g are amber. Sugars at 0.9g are green. Salt at 0.63g is amber, in the lower half of its band.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the published ingredients, and the published listing gives no may contain advice. The pack says the chips are suitable for vegans and vegetarians and carries a gluten free claim. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

How hot is it

Pepper heat is warm and tingling rather than burning. With crushed pepper and pepper extract both listed, expect a noticeable, building warmth that fades between handfuls. Anyone who finds pepper too much should choose Kettle Lightly Salted.

Why pepper suits a thick chip

Crushed pepper needs somewhere to sit. A thin, flat crisp sheds loose pieces into the bag, while the curls and folds of a hand cooked chip catch them, so more of the pepper ends up in your mouth rather than at the bottom of the bag. The thick chip also stands up to the pepper's heat without tasting of seasoning alone.

Serving the bag

A peppery chip suits a steak sandwich, a burger, a plate of cold roast beef or a cheeseboard with a creamy cheese. It is a good match for a pint of ale or a glass of red wine, and it pairs well with a cool soured cream dip that softens the pepper.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the chips make a peppery crust for a steak or a piece of salmon, or a crunchy topping for a creamy mushroom soup or a cauliflower cheese. Because the pepper is already there, you only need to add salt sparingly, if at all.

Two sea salts

The label names sea salt and natural sea salt. Sea salt comes from evaporated seawater, often in larger, flakier crystals than ordinary table salt, which suits a crunchy chip. Together they give 0.63g of salt per 100g, a moderate figure that lets the pepper lead.

Storage and packaging

The pack's own storage advice is a cool, dry place away from bright light. The published recycling guidance says the whole packaging can be recycled with carrier bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling. The pack names Kettle Foods Ltd as the maker.

Other Kettle flavours

In the same 130g bag we stock Kettle Lightly Salted, Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Mature Cheddar and Red Onion, Brie and Caramelised Onion and Honey Dijon Mustard.

Other 130g packs of Kettle Chips we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The published listing gives the United Kingdom as the country of origin. The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.