Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, 50g

Walkers Max is the deep ridged range from Walkers, and Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak is its smoky, savoury flavour: the taste of a chargrilled steak on a thick, ridged crisp. This is the 50g grab bag, one bag and one serving by the pack. The full product name on the pack is Flame Grilled Steak Flavour Ridged Potato Crisps.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, vegetable oils (sunflower and rapeseed, in varying proportions), a flame grilled steak seasoning and antioxidants: rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, a tocopherol rich extract and citric acid. The seasoning lists flavourings, onion powder, potassium chloride, sugar, salt, smoked salt and paprika extract for colour.

Steak flavour, no steak

The steak taste comes from flavourings, onion powder and smoked salt; no meat is on the list, and the listing says the crisps are suitable for vegetarians.

Smoked salt

Smoked salt is salt that has been smoked over wood. It carries the flame grilled note, the smell of a barbecue, in the seasoning.

Onion and sugar

Onion powder gives the seasoning a savoury base, as a fried onion does next to a steak, and a little sugar rounds it off. The label gives 0.6g of sugars in the bag.

Potassium chloride

Potassium chloride sits in the seasoning beside the salt. It tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium.

The colour

Paprika extract gives the crisps their warm colour, and the listing says there are no artificial colours.

No added MSG

The listing says there is no added MSG, and no flavour enhancer is on the list.

Deep ridges

Max crisps are cut with deep ridges, thicker than a classic crisp, so each one has a firmer crunch and the ridges hold more seasoning.

Two oils

The crisps are cooked in sunflower and rapeseed oil, in varying proportions, as the listing puts it.

The antioxidants

Rosemary extract, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), a tocopherol rich extract (vitamin E) and citric acid protect the oil in the crisps from turning stale.

Numbers for one bag

The pack gives 253 kcal (1057 kJ), 14g of fat, 1.1g of saturates, 27g of carbohydrate, 0.6g of sugars, 2.3g of fibre, 3.1g of protein and 0.34g of salt for the 50g bag. That is about 13% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 6% of the salt.

Numbers per 100g

Per 100g the label gives 506 kcal (2113 kJ), 29g of fat, 2.2g of saturates, 53g of carbohydrate, 1.2g of sugars, 4.6g of fibre, 6.2g of protein and 0.67g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 29g is red, as it is for fried crisps generally. Saturates at 2.2g are amber, sugars at 1.2g are green and salt at 0.67g is amber.

Salt

At 0.67g of salt per 100g, Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak is one of the least salty Walkers Max flavours we stock; only Punchy Paprika, at 0.65g, has less.

Fibre and protein

The label gives 4.6g of fibre and 6.2g of protein per 100g, and 2.3g and 3.1g in the bag, from the potato.

Allergens and diet

No allergen is highlighted in the published ingredients. The allergy advice says the crisps may contain milk, soya, mustard, wheat and other cereals containing gluten. The listing says they are suitable for vegetarians; no vegan or gluten free claim is made. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

A grab bag

At 50g, this is a bigger bag than a 25g lunchbox packet and nearly twice a 27g Max multipack bag. The pack counts it as one serving, so the numbers above are for the whole bag.

Packed in a protective atmosphere

The listing says the crisps are packaged in a protective atmosphere, which keeps oxygen away from the oil until the bag is opened.

Who it suits

Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak suits anyone who likes a meaty, smoky crisp without chilli, and vegetarians who miss the taste of a barbecue.

With a sandwich

A bag of steak crisps goes with a cheese and pickle sandwich or a tomato and onion roll, where the smoke and onion fit right in.

At a barbecue

A smoky steak crisp suits a barbecue: tip a bag into a bowl beside burgers and grilled vegetables, or crumble a few into a burger bun for crunch.

With a burger

Serve a bag beside a veggie burger, where the smoked salt and onion fill in the flame grilled taste.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a smoky topping for a cauliflower cheese or a crumb for chicken strips.

Other sizes

We stock the same flavour in a 140g sharing bag and a multipack of six 27g bags, and Walkers Max Punchy Paprika in the same 50g grab bag.

Storage

The listing advises a cool, dry place. Finish the bag once it is open.

Sizes of Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak Crisps 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.