Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, 6 x 27g

This is Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak in a six bag multipack: 27g bags, 162g in all, each a single portion of the deep ridged range. The seasoning is the same as the 140g sharing bag, built from flavourings, onion and smoked salt, with no meat on the list.

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 (flavourings, onion powder, potassium chloride, sugar, salt, smoked salt and paprika extract for colour), and antioxidants (rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, tocopherol rich extract and citric acid).

Where the flame grill comes from

Smoked salt is salt that has been smoked over wood, and it gives the charred, smoky note of a grill in a dry seasoning. The flavourings carry the meaty, steak like depth, onion powder a browned sweetness, and a little sugar the caramelised edge of seared meat.

What this listing does not say

The published listing for this multipack gives the ingredients and nutrition but no diet statements, no country of origin and no allergy advice. The 140g bag of Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak, with the same ingredient list, says it is suitable for vegetarians and may contain cereals containing gluten, milk, mustard and soya. Read the pack in your hand for its own statements.

No steak

No meat of any kind is listed. The steak character is built from flavourings, onion and smoke, as it is on the sharing bag.

Sugar

A little sugar gives the caramelised note of seared meat, but the label gives just 0.3g of sugars in a bag, because the seasoning is a small part of each crisp.

Compared with the sharing bag

The 27g bags carry the same ingredient list as the 140g sharing bag of Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak and the same 0.67g of salt per 100g. A 27g bag gives 137 kcal, against 152 kcal for a 30g serving from the sharing bag.

Deep ridges

Max crisps are cut with deep ridges, which makes each slice thicker and stiffer than a classic crisp. The ridges hold more seasoning and give a heavier, more pronounced crunch, the texture of a chunky chip rather than a thin crisp.

Potassium chloride and the salt figure

Potassium chloride comes before salt in the seasoning. It tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium. The label gives 0.67g of salt per 100g and 0.18g for each bag.

Numbers for one bag

The label gives 137 kcal (571 kJ), 7.8g of fat, 0.6g of saturates, 14g of carbohydrate, 0.3g of sugars, 1.2g of fibre, 1.7g of protein and 0.18g of salt for each 27g bag. That is about 7% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 11% of the fat and 3% of the salt. Per 100g it is 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. Salt at 0.67g is amber, in the lower part of its band.

Allergens

None of the 14 UK allergens appears in the published ingredients. The listing for this multipack carries no allergy advice, so the may contain statement from the 140g bag of the same recipe, cereals containing gluten, milk, mustard and soya, is the best guide until you read the pack. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Antioxidants

Rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, which is vitamin C, and a tocopherol rich extract, a source of vitamin E, are there to protect the oil from going stale, not to flavour the crisps.

How hot is it

There is no chilli on the list. The seasoning is savoury and smoky rather than hot.

Six bags for the week

Six bags cover a working or school week with one to spare. A 27g bag of thick, ridged crisps travels better in a lunchbox than a thin crisp, and it goes with a cheese, ham or steak sandwich.

Who it suits

A savoury, smoky crisp with no chilli suits anyone who wants a meaty flavour without heat. Check the pack for its vegetarian and allergy statements before relying on them.

Serving ideas

A steak flavour goes with a pint of bitter, a steak or beef sandwich, or a bowl of French onion soup. For a picnic, pair a bag with a pork pie and pickle.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a smoky crumb for a steak and ale pie or a baked mushroom, adding a grilled note to the dish.

Storage

Keep the bags in a cool, dry place and finish each bag once opened.

Other sizes and flavours

For a sharing bag, we stock Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak at 140g, which the label suggests serves four to five. In the same six bag format there is Walkers Max Punchy Paprika, and in 140g bags Walkers Max Strong Jalapeño and Cheese and KFC Original Chicken.

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.