McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, 45g

This is the single bag of McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak: 45g of thick, ridge cut crisps with a rich, grilled meat seasoning, for one person at lunchtime or with a drink. The full product name on the pack is Flame Grilled Steak Flavour Potato Crisps.

What gives a crisp a steak flavour

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, sunflower oil and a flame grilled steak flavour seasoning of lactose (milk), salt, dried onion, dried yeast extract, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate and disodium guanylate), potassium chloride, flavouring (containing milk), maltodextrin, dried skimmed milk, citric acid and paprika extract.

Three things build the flavour. The first is savour: yeast extract and monosodium glutamate both supply glutamate, the compound behind the savoury taste of cooked meat, gravy and aged cheese, and disodium guanylate multiplies that effect. The second is the grill: dried onion gives a sweet, browned note, and the flavouring carries the charred aroma. The third is balance: lactose and dried skimmed milk round the flavour off, and a little citric acid lifts it so it does not taste heavy.

Flavour enhancers on the label

Some crisp packs say no added MSG; this one lists it openly. UK labelling rules require a flavour enhancer to be named by its function and its name or E number, which is why the list reads flavour enhancers followed by monosodium glutamate and disodium guanylate. Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid that occurs naturally in foods such as tomatoes, mushrooms and Parmesan.

What the bag adds up to

The label gives 236 kcal (984 kJ), 14g of fat, 1.1g of saturates, 24g of carbohydrate, 1g of sugars, 1.8g of fibre, 3.1g of protein and 0.68g of salt for the 45g bag. That is about 12% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 20% of the fat and 11% of the salt. Per 100g it is 524 kcal, 31g of fat, 2.5g of saturates, 2.3g of sugars and 1.5g of salt. On the UK front of pack scale fat is high, saturates medium, sugars low, and salt medium at the very top of the band.

Front of pack, per 100g

Fat at 31g sits in the red band, far above 17.5g, as it does for fried crisps generally. Saturates at 2.5g are amber, between 1.5g and 5g. Sugars at 2.3g are green, below 5g. Salt at 1.5g is amber, sitting exactly on the top edge of the band; anything higher would be coloured red. For a single bag, the 0.68g of salt is the number to note.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight milk, in the lactose, flavouring and dried skimmed milk. The allergy advice says the crisps may contain cereals containing gluten, mustard and soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians. No vegan claim is made, and with milk in the seasoning they are not vegan; no gluten free claim is made. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

How the crisps are made

McCoy's are ridge cut. Washed potatoes pass through a corrugated blade that cuts thick, ridged slices, which are rinsed and fried in sunflower oil until firm. The seasoning is tumbled on while the crisps are warm, and the grooves hold it. The pack says the bag is packaged in a protective atmosphere, which keeps oxygen away from the oil.

Sunflower oil and a thick slice

McCoy's lists a single oil, sunflower, rather than a blend. A thicker ridged slice takes longer in the fryer than a thin one, so it comes out firm through the middle rather than glassy, and that firmness is what gives McCoy's its heavier crunch. It also means the crisps break into chunks rather than shards, so less of the bag ends up as crumbs.

In the kitchen

Crushed, this crisp makes a savoury crust. Scatter it over a cauliflower cheese or a macaroni cheese before the final few minutes in the oven, or press it onto cheese on toast just as the cheese melts. The meaty seasoning suits both.

When to reach for it

A meaty crisp suits a cheese and pickle sandwich, a ploughman's, a pork pie or a pint. It is also a good bag for a vegetarian who likes a meaty taste, since the pack says it is suitable for vegetarians. For a milder option in the same size, McCoy's Cheddar and Onion has less salt per 100g, 0.97g against 1.5g.

Other sizes and flavours

The same flavour comes in a six bag multipack of 25g bags and a 140g sharing bag. In the same 45g size we stock McCoy's Cheddar and Onion, Salt and Malt Vinegar, Thai Sweet Chicken and Hot 'n' Spicy.

The packet and storage

The published listing says the whole packaging can be recycled with bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling. The pack advises storing it in a cool, dry place; once opened, finish the bag the same day.

Sizes of McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak Crisps we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

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