Tuesday 8 June 2010

Impson's of Swaffham - Super Sizzler Pork Sausage


As well as these peculiarly named sausages, Impson's also make the superb Pork & Mustard sausage, which we raved about a few months ago. The review can be re-read here: Impsons_Pork_And_Mustard. First question must be "Why call them Super Sizzlers"? Are they made specifically to provide that sudden, busy sizzling sound when you stick them in the frying pan? Maybe....


As you know, Rate My Sausage fries all its sausages in one tablespoon of oil for the sake of equality in the testing. Sometimes the sausages split a little and spit some fat out, sometimes they don't. I prefer it when they do, as I reckon that is what a proper sausage should do - not explode all over the kitchen, just a tiny puncture in the skin somewhere, enough for some of the inside to become some of the outside.



The Super Sizzlers ticked that box emphatically. During cooking it became apparent that there seemed to be more than the usual amount of pockets of melted fat under the skin, trying to find a way out - do Impsons include more fat for this reason? Who knows? Shortly afterwards it also became apparent that previously-mentioned pockets of fat WERE breaking free, as a crescendo of mouth-watering, hissing sizzles filled the kitchen. Do Impsons use different casings, ones that break open a little more easily? Again, who knows? If you read this Mr Impson, what's the answer?


The result is that the Super Sizzlers do sizzle in a super way. Whether that's by design or by coincidence, frankly, who cares?



Meat Content:74% meat. I didn't ask, but it's in the photo. These don't appear to be the biggest banger on the block but they're chunky and firm and full of meat. The filling is up to the high standard of the Pork & Mustards, and that can only be a good thing. Kerry Foods take note, MORE MEAT MAKES BETTER BANGERS!




Flavour:This is quite a light and delicate flavour for such a solid bruiser of a sausage. The pork meat tastes deliciously sweet and was a real treat to bite into and chew, and left the subtlest spicy aftertaste. They also tasted fabulous when eaten cold, which isn’t always the case. These are a real Grant Mitchell of a sausage, rough and tough on the outside but tender on the inside.

Texture:Phat! For anyone older than 13, that means “spiffing“ in old English. I like my filling to be slightly on the larger side (just how I like my women too, Dawn French, be mine?) and the Super Sizzlers have a coarseness that feels good while you’re slicing through it, and even better on the tongue.




Shrinkage:Average weight uncooked - 63g
Average weight cooked - 56g

Shrinkage - 11% A terrific figure, only ever bettered twice in the entire Rate My Sausage pantheon.

Value For Money:
£2.26 for 6 sausages weighing 377g = this works out as a price of £5.99 per kg = 38p per snorker - this is superb VFM.

5 comments:

Z said...

Sizzling is fine as long as a sudden jet of fat doesn't suddenly squirt to besmirch eye or trousers.

jordan said...

got some when at swaffam last week bought 3 trays BEST I HAVE TASTED the only thing is with living at co / durham you are too far to drive to. wish you did online orders .

AS YOU LOT SAY THEY ARE BEAUTFUL

AND WE SAY////////
THEY ARE BLODDY LOVLEY

PETER /ELAINE

Anonymous said...

i live in london and someone bought some back, they r the buisness, never tasted anything like them, i'm even thinking of driving up there to get a few trays. i wouldn't eat any other sausage again.

Rate My Sausage said...

Thanks for the comments everyone, these are very good sausages. If you DO visit Swaffham to buy some may I suggest you cross the market place and try some from Papworth's too?

Johnny Norfolk said...

Also try their Castle Acre sausage the have lots of pepper.