Tyrrells Smoked Paprika Crisps, 150g

Smoked paprika is the ground, smoke dried pepper of Spanish cooking, the flavour behind chorizo and patatas bravas, and Tyrrells makes it the star of this hand cooked crisp. This is the 150g sharing bag, which the label suggests serves five. The full product name on the pack is smoked paprika seasoned potato crisps.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, sunflower oil, whey powder (milk), dextrose, salt, smoked paprika powder, yeast extract, buttermilk powder (milk), garlic powder, dried spirit vinegar, ground spices (black pepper, cumin and coriander), cayenne chilli powder, ground oregano and paprika extract.

What smoked paprika is

Paprika is made from dried, ground sweet peppers. For smoked paprika the peppers are dried over smouldering wood before grinding, which gives the powder its deep red colour and a rich, smoky, slightly sweet flavour. It is a staple of Spanish cooking, where it is known as pimentón.

The spice blend

Smoked paprika leads, but it has company. Cumin brings an earthy warmth, coriander a citrus note, black pepper a gentle bite and oregano a herbal edge, a combination close to a barbecue rub or a Spanish style spice mix. Garlic powder and yeast extract add depth, and paprika extract deepens the colour.

Cooling dairy

Whey powder and buttermilk powder, both from milk, give the seasoning a soft, creamy base, and buttermilk adds a gentle tang. Dairy also helps carry spice, so the paprika and cayenne taste rounded rather than harsh. Dextrose, a simple sugar, balances the smoke and the small amount of dried spirit vinegar.

How hot is it

Cayenne chilli powder is on the list, but it comes late, after the paprika and the dairy. Expect a gentle warmth that builds slowly rather than a burn; the smoke is the main flavour, and paprika itself is sweet rather than hot.

Hand cooked

The listing describes these as hand cooked English crisps. Hand cooking means frying the slices in batches, which gives a harder, more uneven crunch than a crisp fried continuously on a conveyor. The brand describes its potatoes as carefully selected, with the skins still on.

Numbers per 100g

The label gives 507 kcal (2118 kJ), 28.1g of fat, 2.4g of saturates, 53.3g of carbohydrate, 2.8g of sugars, 6.7g of fibre, 7.1g of protein and 1.1g of salt per 100g. The published listing gives no per serving figures; with five servings suggested, a serving is 30g, a fifth of the bag.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 28.1g is red, as it is for fried crisps generally. Saturates at 2.4g are amber. Sugars at 2.8g are green. Salt at 1.1g is amber, in the middle of its band.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight milk, in the whey powder and the buttermilk powder. The published listing gives no may contain advice. The pack says the crisps are suitable for vegetarians and carries a gluten free claim; no gluten containing cereal is on the list. They are not vegan, because of the milk. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

What the brand leaves out

The pack says Tyrrells never uses artificial ingredients such as artificial flavours, colours or MSG. The colours here are the paprika itself and paprika extract. Yeast extract, which is on the list, is naturally rich in glutamates, which is worth knowing for anyone who avoids glutamates altogether.

The pack

The deep red bag uses a black and white vintage photograph, like the other Tyrrells packs we stock: a woman breathing fire at the table while another calmly drinks, which suits a spiced flavour.

Serving the bag

Smoked paprika suits a tapas spread: olives, Manchego, chorizo and a glass of chilled fino sherry or a Spanish lager. It also works beside a barbecue, with grilled chicken or halloumi, and with a smoked paprika mayonnaise dip.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a smoky crumb for chicken thighs, fish fillets or a tray of roasted vegetables. A handful over a bowl of tomato soup or a bean stew adds crunch and smoke.

Storage and packaging

The pack advises a cool, dry place and, once opened, an airtight container. The bag is packaged in a protective atmosphere, and the published recycling guidance says the whole packaging can be recycled with carrier bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling.

Other Tyrrells flavours

In the same 150g bag we stock Tyrrells Lightly Sea Salted, Sea Salt and Black Pepper, Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar, Sweet Chilli and Red Pepper, Cheddar Cheese and Chive and Roasted Chicken and Sage. Sweet Chilli and Red Pepper has the same salt figure, 1.1g per 100g.

Other 150g packs of Tyrrells we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The published listing gives England 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.