John's of Downham Market - Pork Sausage

We’ve reviewed sausages from John’s Quality Butchers of Downham Market before, and enjoyed them (check the review of their Old English banger in the sidebar on the right). They are a much-loved and very busy part of the market area in Downham Market. If you’re in the area, please pop in for a visit, I dare you to walk away having bought nothing….


Last time we looked at John’s Old English sausages, and I am still unsure of the true definition, or recipe for, an “Old English”. Would any passing butchers care to inform us? Please do….

Meat Content:No stated figure as these were bought yonks ago. It seems that there is a fair proportion of pig inside though. Like their Old English there were a couple of pieces of gristly stuff, but I’m not against that in a rough-hewn pork product - in fact I actually quite like it as a mark of a rough cut banger. These sausages are more on the Phil Mitchell side as opposed to a Kenneth Williams. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Flavour:Warm, hearty, a cosy taste that will remind you of your mum’s cooking. Considering the sheer size of these sausages the initial flavour is quite delicate, with porkiness to the fore. As you chew through there is a sage influence and something just a little bit hot/warm….what is it? You can chase bits of these sausages around and the nice flavour keeps on coming – but I wanted more here!

Texture:
These bangers cooked up big and the casings crisped up very well indeed. The filling is roughly chopped which I prefer. They were big bangers too – well. For the most part. I wonder if it’s the way that the butcher wraps his sausages together, but these six specimens gave me four that were about 10cm long, and two at about 7cm. For those of you still reading in old measurements, one centimeter is equal to 0.71 groatlings, or 33 fieldfarts. Do all butchers wrap up their links in the same pattern? I must find out....

Shrinkage:
Average weight uncooked - 77g
Average weight cooked - 62g

Shrinkage - 20%


Slightly higher than average. I gained a decent amount of liquid to help feed the birds.

Value For Money:
Confession time – I haven’t kept the pricing info for these specimens, sorry. But there are only three sausages so far reviewed which weight in heavier than John’s Porks….why not give them a try?