Pringles Texas BBQ Sauce Crisps, 165g

Texas barbecue sauce means sweet, smoky and tangy, and Pringles Texas BBQ Sauce puts that combination on the stackable Pringles crisp. This is the 165g tube, which the label suggests serves five to six. The full product name on the pack is Texas Barbecue Sauce Flavour Savoury Snack.

The crisp, and a different oil

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from dehydrated potatoes, vegetable oils (sunflower, palm and corn in varying proportions), wheat flour, corn flour, rice flour, a barbecue seasoning, maltodextrin, an emulsifier (E471), salt and a colour, annatto norbixin.

The oil is the detail to notice. Several of the Pringles we stock list sunflower oil, sometimes with rapeseed, but this tube lists a blend of sunflower, palm and corn oils. Palm oil is richer in saturated fat, and the label shows it: 6.3g of saturates per 100g, against 2.7g for Pringles Cheese and Onion, which lists sunflower and rapeseed oils.

The barbecue seasoning

The seasoning lists sugar, lactose (milk), salt, onion powder, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate and disodium 5'-ribonucleotides), tomato powder, paprika powder, yeast extract, flavourings, smoke flavourings, carob powder, an acidity regulator (sodium diacetate), acids (malic and citric), garlic powder, sunflower oil, corn starch, paprika extract for colour and maltodextrin.

Sugar and lactose give the sticky sweetness of the sauce. Tomato powder, onion, garlic and paprika are the base of a barbecue sauce, and smoke flavourings carry the smoke. Sodium diacetate, a salt of the acid in vinegar, gives a soft vinegar tang, with malic and citric acid for extra sharpness. Carob powder, from the pods of the carob tree, adds a roasted, cocoa like depth. No chilli is listed, so the flavour is warm and smoky rather than hot.

Numbers per serving

The label gives, per 30g serving, 156 kcal (652 kJ), 8.7g of fat, 1.9g of saturates, 17g of carbohydrate, 1.4g of sugars, 1.1g of fibre, 1.8g of protein and 0.36g of salt. That serving is about 8% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 10% of the saturates and 6% of the salt. Per 100g it is 520 kcal, 29g of fat, 6.3g of saturates, 57g of carbohydrate, 4.6g of sugars, 3.5g of fibre, 6.1g of protein and 1.2g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 29g is red and saturates at 6.3g are also red, since anything above 5g is coloured high. Sugars at 4.6g are green, just under the 5g line. Salt at 1.2g is amber. Two reds for fat and saturates is the thing to know if you compare labels.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight cereals containing gluten, from the wheat flour, and milk, from the lactose. The allergy advice says the crisps may contain soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians. They are not vegan, because of the milk, and not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

The tube and its recycling

The label says the tube is packaged in a protective atmosphere. The published recycling guidance says the lid can be recycled and the seal should not be. The pack names Kellogg's, at MediaCityUK in Salford, as the distributor.

Serving the tube

Barbecue flavour belongs at a barbecue: next to burgers, sausages and corn on the cob, or on a table with coleslaw and potato salad. It also suits a film night, poured into a bowl, and a stack makes a crunchy side for a pulled pork or pulled jackfruit bun, or for a plate of hot dogs with onions.

In the kitchen

Crushed, these crisps make a smoky, sweet crumb for chicken drumsticks before baking, or a crunchy topping for a baked bean and sausage casserole. Add the crumbs in the last few minutes so they stay crisp.

Who it suits

It suits a family barbecue, where children often prefer a sweet, smoky flavour to a hot one, and a vegetarian guest, since the pack says the crisps are suitable for vegetarians. It does not suit anyone avoiding gluten or milk, and anyone watching saturated fat may prefer a Pringle made with sunflower and rapeseed oils, such as Cheese and Onion.

Other Pringles flavours

For barbecue with heat, Pringles Hot Smokin' BBQ Ribs comes in a 160g tube with cayenne, chilli and black pepper. In the same 165g tube we stock Pringles Original, Sour Cream and Onion, Cheese and Onion, Salt and Vinegar, Paprika, Smokey Bacon and Prawn Cocktail.

Storage

The label points to the base of the tube for the best before date. Store it in a cool, dry place and press the lid on firmly once opened.

Other 165g packs of Pringles we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.