I was born in Lincoln and spent the early part of my
childhood there. We lived in Spa Street, a neat terrace on a steep hill,
leading off the main Monks Road downwards towards the railway lines. It
therefore made sense to start my search for Lincoln sausages in a butcher on
that very road, Monks Road, just a stone’s throw from my first primary school.
Instead of writing my own background info I
will quote from the Fosters’ website. “We
are a local family run business, which has been trading from the same premises
for over 130 years through 6 generations of the Foster family. During this time
our business has changed considerably. We not only operate a top quality retail
butchers and bakers shop but we also supply a wide range of catering outlets
including pubs, restaurants, hotels, canteens, schools and nursing homes.
We also
operate our own bakery which produces homemade Lincolnshire pork pies, meat
pies, sausage rolls, homemade bread and cakes. We also produce our own top
quality Lincolnshire sausages and haslet.
We
particularly pride ourselves on the reputation that we have built up for our
Lincolnshire Beef. We still select direct from the farm, choosing local farms
that we have built up a good relationship with over a number of years. The Beef
is butchered on our premises and then most importantly matured correctly for
perfect eating quality.
The
current owners are brothers, Mark and Paul Foster who along with their skilled
and experienced staff work hard to provide all their customers with top quality
local produce.”
Where To Find Them:
The address in 111 Monks Road, Lincoln, use the
postcode LN2 5HT if using SausNav. You can park in the side road adjacent to
the shop.
Opening Hours:
Monday – 0730 to 1700
Tuesday – 0730 to 1700
Wednesday – 0730 to 1200
Thursday – 0730 to 1700
Friday – 0730 to 1700
Saturday – 0730 to 1300
Sunday - Closed
Stanwatch:
Owners Mark & Paul Foster were both a-choppin’
and a-slicin’ away when I arrived first thing on a Monday morning. They weren’t
alone, at least one other smartly overalled Stan was busy at the block. I like
to see the chaps preparing the produce fresh and on-site.
Flavour:
First note reads “spot on the money for a Lincs”. You’ll find very well combined flavours of
pork and sage with just the right amount of seasoning. There’s a very gentle
heat of pepper as an after-taste but it’s balanced out by the sweetness of the
locally sourced pork. Fosters have got the ingredients mix exactly right here,
well played lads! I did ask for the recipe but as always “It’s an ages old
secret, passed down through the generations”. Bah.
Texture:
To start, the skins here are fabulous, natural
casings and when fried have that snappy quality when you cut them. These snap
like an overweight rugby player’s jockstrap. The filling initially seems quite fine but
when you push it apart there are plenty of decent sized niblets of niceness to
keep you happy. These sausages fall apart beautifully in the mouth. I’d say “an
eight and a half, maybe a nine in a few beers time” – can you spot the music
quote there?
Vital Statistics:
Average Weight Uncooked = 64 grams
Average Weight Cooked = 55 grams
Meat Content = 65% minimum. As with any good quality
butcher they add more than this but state 65% as a safe benchmark for the Food
Standards people.
Value For Money:
£3.23 for 8 sausages weighing 512 grams. This works
out as £6.29 per kg and 40p per banger.
We rate this as fantastic value for money.
The "Aah, Bisto" Factor:
They looked a little pale and uninteresting before
cooking but bulked up manfully and impressively while browning in a most
pleasing style. Irresistible aromas wafted around the kitchen as these sausages
fried in the pan. There were also lovely bubbly sizzling sounds as the fat
content melted and did its job, moistening the filling beautifully. Cooking
them was almost as much fun as eating them.
And Finally, Esther:
These are brilliant bangers at a barmy low price.
You’ve simply got to try some as soon as you can.
