Showing posts with label sausage blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sausage blog. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Jolly Hog - Pork & Caramelised Red Onion Sausage


We’ve reviewed pork and caramelised red onion bangers before. You don’t remember? Check out our opinion: Sainsburys Taste The Difference British Pork & Caramelised Red Onion Sausages
How would the second ever sausage of this type get on? Well, read on, dear sausage-lover....

Three brothers, all completely different physically, come together, and magic happens.  Millions of people become fans of the quirky trio and their success knows no bounds. There’s one VERY dodgy moustache. And one of them is deaf?


Sorry, wrong three brothers. The Jolly Hog brothers are Max, Olly and Josh, and what a fascinating story they have created.  Read all about it by popping along to their attractive website: Jolly Hog

Where To Find Them:
My lovely partner found these sausages in Sainsburys. I’m not really sure where else you can find them, maybe a click or two on their store finder page will help: Store Finder


Flavour:
In cowboy films there’s always one grizzled old sergeant in the cavalry who says “It’s quiet....too quiet....” Well my initial impression of this sausage was “It’s sweet....too sweet....” But then I don’t have a sweet tooth at all. A peek at the ingredients shows that sugar and dextrose are added, which surely bump up the sweet factor to a point that I personally don’t enjoy. But my fellow taster, who does like sugary foods a lot more than me, loved the flavour. It’s obviously a personal choice. The onion dominates these so much that the pork is swamped, and you can’t really enjoy its taste. The domination is total, akin to the All Blacks scrum taking on the St Winifred’s C of E Primary School Second XV. The onion flavour is derived from the Red Onion Relish that makes up 11% of the total ingredients. There’s nowt wrong with that, per se, but if I want so much relish with my sausages I’d prefer to spoon it out of the jar myself. And as well as the relish, extra dried onion is also added. For me, 11% relish AND dried onion is too heavy-handed, like six white cops arresting a black shoplifter.


Texture:
A finely ground filling that holds together nicely when cut. The skins offer some resistance to the knife, which is good, but lacks the snap that we all crave. Try to push your fork into the filling and there’s meaty resistance, which again sets these apart from other supermarket offerings. But we LOVE a chunky, massive filling. This filling has been chopped and chopped again, like Gabriel Batistuta trying to get past some Cameroon defenders. Ask your grandad. I’d expected to see pieces of the red onion, but sadly you can’t. Not the best texture we’ve ever found but, equally, so so far from the worst.

Stanwatch:
No stans on show, obvs. But score one for Harpo, Chico and Groucho.
Junior Sidekick's Three Word Verdict:
Young Sam wasn’t around for this review so here is the opinion of my long-suffering other half Ruth: “Firm, sweet, very tasty – would be ideal in a casserole with lots of other strong flavours”. She’s had a sausage or two so she knows her onions. Even the caramelised ones.
The "Aah, Bisto" Factor:
We broke with years of tradition when preparing these bangers – we grilled them instead of frying in oil. It’s Ruth’s influence, blame her. There was no noticeable aroma forthcoming here, but onion-y wafts aplenty when you cut them open.



Vital Statistics:
Average Weight Uncooked = 70 grams
Average Weight Cooked = 55 grams

Meat Content = 75 %


Value For Money:
£3.00 for 6 sausages weighing 418 grams. This works out as £7.18 per kg and 50p per banger.

We rate this as not bad value for money.


And Finally, Esther:

These were bought in a supermarket, and as such were treated with healthy caution before eating. But they turned out to be better than 99% of other supermarket bought bangers, which is a good result. Pop down to your local Freshco and buy some. And say hello to Reg Holdsworth while you’re there.

Friday, 21 August 2015

Friday Sausage News - Fruitpig Company Ripping Up The Black Pudding Map!

In case you didn't know, here at Rate My Sausage we ae huge fans of the splendid Fruitpig Company. The quality of their sausages is simply incredible, and they have won our Sausage Of The Year award multiple times. But they don't just make sausages....


You MUST try their black pudding! It is bloody gorgeous. But don't just take my word for it, read this article by acclaimed food writer Andy Newman. BLACK PUDDING ARTICLE


Please spread the word and feel free to spread Mr Newman;s article as far and wide as you can....



Tuesday, 21 April 2015

Ian Wright - Creake Abbey Farmers Market - Norfolk Pork Sausage


I bet you didn't know that Ian Wright's sausages have graced these porky pages once before? Way back in March 2012 they were the subject of a guest review written for us by author and sitcom genius Alex Marsh . Here's what he had to say - Jonny B's Review - a positive write-up on the whole.



Now it's time for us to run the RMS rule over Mister Wright's Norfolk Pork sausages, having found them at Creake Abbey Farmers Market, just as Jonny B described. Ian Wright is a lovely chap, gentle in nature, helpful and a pleasure to buy bangers from. Let the rating begin!




Where To Find Them:
Creake Abbey Farmers Market (satnav NR21 9LF). I don't know if they are available elsewhere.  But please do pop along, as well as Ian Wright's you'll be spoiled for choice for good produce.


Flavour:
Mildly salty, but a warm taste of home and childhood. There is more of the salt than pepper, it works quite nicely. Mellow, melting, inoffensive and.....nice.




Texture:
The skins are great, nice work Ian. The texture is quite even throughout, mid-size pieces. When you push this sausage apart you get lots of nice crumbly crumbs. Overall it's slightly disappointing, very uniform all the way through, every slice pretty much identical. Not terrible, far from it, but not mind-blowing either. Just.....nice.


Junior Sidekick's Three Word Verdict:
Not very chewy.




Vital Statistics:
Average Weight Uncooked = 57 grams
Average Weight Cooked = 50 grams
Meat Content = Don't Know - sorry, my bad, won't do it again, etc....


Value For Money:
£3.37 for 6 sausages weighing 341 grams. This works out as £9.88 per kg and 56p per banger.

We rate this as good value for money.




The Imaginatively Titled Next Day Cold Sausage Test:
There were none of these sausages left to test out in the morning. We "will" re-start this part of the reviews soon, promise.


And Finally, Esther:
Nice....

Tuesday, 14 April 2015

Creake Abbey - North Creake - Pork, Leek & Bacon Sausage


As part of our comeback series of reviews, looking at sausages harvested from Creake Abbey Farmers Market, this week we may be in for a real treat. The sausages are none other than those from Creake Abbey's own Food Hall, produced by an uproariously talented young butcher by the name of Lisa Scothern. It should be no surprise that Lisa's charcuterie skills are so fabulous, as she learned her killer meaty moves from master butchers Ray Smith (River Cottage) and Matt Cockin (Fruitpig Company). OK, not everyone who has ever shaken hands wih David Beckham can bend it like Goldenballs, but Lisa has learned from these Professors of Pork and has the piece of paper to prove it.




When I say "piece of paper" I mean "Degree in Artisan Food Production". This was gained at the School Of Artisan Food in Nottinghamshire, with a major in butchery/charcuterie. This is obviously a very broad subject, as students not only learn how to butcher and process meats, but also "what a fluffer is". Now, unless there's a butcher-specific definition of fluffer, this does seem slightly off-topic? Nevertheless Lisa learned well and set up her own business, "Sherwood Charcuterie". In her own words, "....set up my own business in 2013. My focus was initially on producing great bangers and burgers and cooking at events. I also had a small range of air dried produce. I relocated lock, stock and barrel as I fell in  love with the giant that manages Creake Abbey (all Matt Cockin's fault!!) and we all live happily ever after........My plan is to re-establish a business in wholesaling salami and salumi, once I find a suitable premises locally, whilst keeping a hand in as butcher at Creake Abbey."




Where To Find Them:
The home of this sausage is the food hall at the delightful Creake Abbey Cafe and Food Hall. If you're using your Satnav then type in NR21 9LF. Alternatively find the sausages at Drove Orchards Farm Shop in the gorgeous north Norfolk village of Thornham (PE36 6LS). While you're there head down the lane towards the sea and you may find Junior Sidekick and me crabbing off Thornham sluice gate! Idyllic.




Flavour:
Deep, dark, almost smoky - that was what I wrote in my notes, and before I knew that the bacon included is home-smoked. This is a splendid banger indeed. Just as we like it, each mouthful is a little different which is great to taste and also proof that there is no Mega-Banger X5000 machine pumping these out at a vast rate of knots. The tasty products here are obviously, and superbly, made by hand. You can almost see the thumbprints. Leek or bacon sometimes take centre stage which I particularly admire, and there was the occasional squeak when biting into a larger chunk of the leek. Totally and overwhelmingly delicious.




Texture:
Very coarse and very rough cut. Exactly the way we likes 'em. These sausages are tough to push apart and when you do finally manage it there are large lumps of loveliness tumbling around your plate. Bloody fantastic work. Substantial and  huge lumps of the top-rated Blythburgh pork, big bits of bacon, and what appears to be half a leek here and there - this is Rate My Sausage perfection. Before our recent break from reviewing it became obvious to me that pork and leek was my favourite type of sausage - Oh Emm Jee these bangers have raised the bar, and the enjoyment of eating, to another level. Natural casings are the perfect finishing touch to one of the greatest sausages I've ever had the pleasure of eating.




Vital Statistics:
Average Weight Uncooked = 105 grams (MONSTROUSLY HUGE)
Average Weight Cooked = 92 grams
Meat Content = 75 % pork, and 16% bacon, smoked in Creake Abbey's very own smokehouse. 

Amazingly we were provided with the full list of ingredients, which is a first as butchers are invariably secretive about there bangers. But we're keeping them a secret.


Value For Money:
£6.28 for 6 sausages weighing 631 grams. This works out as £9.95 per kg and 104p per banger.

We rate this as absolutely bloody marvellous value for money.




The Fruitpig Factor:
Lisa Scothern of Creake Abbey and Matt Cockin of the Fruitpig Company are, at the same time, the best of friends and the keenest of rivals. Indeed, Matt is credited (see above) for starting the avalanche of amour that will end in Lisa's forthcoming nuptials, and I have it on 100% good authority that he will be the chief bridesmaid at said wedding. It won't be his first time....



Take It Further:
Right, you have just read this review. And it's feckin' awesome. You want to make your own sausages just like these. Well....maybe you can....

Lisa Scothern is a tutor at the superb Cannon & Cannon's Meat School. Located in Borough Market, London, this place is a meat-lovers nirvana. Check the link, and if it tickles your fancy, treat yourself to an inside track to pork (and more) perfection. You will NOT regret it!



And Finally, Esther:
A Mary Poppins of a sausage - practically perfect in every way.


Wednesday, 17 July 2013

West Norfolk Butchery - Heacham - Pork, Leek & Stilton Sausage



Sausages with cheese in them were a surprising and enjoyable revelation for me when I discovered that such a combination existed, in 2012  What started out as a potential assassination of a supermarket banger ended up being thoroughly positive about Tesco Pork & Red Leicester Sausage.  And then we visited Ely Farmers Market in Cambridgeshire and found Grasmere Farm's Pork & Stilton who took my new-found adoration for cheese-in-bangers to a whole new level. Grasmere Farm’s offering featured on Sausage Of The Year 2012  which speaks volumes for its quality and for how RMS saw the light last year.



So fast forward to our awayday to Norfolk coastal village Heacham, and we visited West Norfolk Butchery, a tiny shop affiliated to the West Norfolk pub next door.  As soon as I clapped eyes on the Pork, Leek & Stilton sausages I just HAD to have them. The same emotion that King’s Lynn’s womenfolk feel when they see me walk into the bar in Chicago’s on a Saturday night. Helpless desire (oh yes, they try to disguise their desire with obviously-fake pure indifference, or occasionally blatant disgust, but we all know that deep down, I am the top dog in Battersea Dogs’ Home. Not intending that metaphor to reflect the women, natch).



That was a slight tangent.  Back to Heacham, and the cheesey sausages.  Having spotted the bangers and waited for maybe six or seven minutes for the Stan behind the counter to finalise his golfing arrangements for the next day, I introduced myself and explained a little about Rate My Sausage. I never expect or want the red carpet rolled out but on this occasion the reaction was practically ridicule. When I asked if I could review the sausages Stan replied “If that’s what ya wanna do soldier!” The whole encounter left me feeling or knowing that the butcher seemed to be cocky, self-interested and not particularly customer oriented.


As Peter Griffin once said to Chris, in one of the Star Wars tributes, “That’s good kid, don’t get penis-y”.



But! This is Rate My Sausage and not Rate My Butcher, so ignore all that and let’s see how the sausages got on....



Meat Content:

I didn’t note the percentage, sorry. And the butcher was way too “in yer face, geezer” to even consider quizzing him about the amount or provenance of the pork.  These sausages are not overly piggy, but I guess there’s enough pork going on to contribute to this quite nicely balanced banger.  



Flavour:

The first slice was all pork and leek – our current fave variety – but where is the stilton?  Second slice was porky and deliciously cheesey, no leek!  And so it continued, with each successive forkful handing you a different combination of flavours.  I quite like this, it hints that the sausages are hand-made and mixed, and not done by machine. Don’t know if that’s true or not, maybe West Norfolk Butchery may tell me?  Overall this is a good mix of ingredients giving a nice banger, the pork generally takes a back seat and allows the zingy cheesiness to romance your taste buds along with sweet leek.  This all adds up to a flavoursome, enjoyable product, well done.



Texture:
Certainly not the worst, but ever so, ever so regular.  There are hardly any nuggets of porky variety, be it fat, gristle, whatever, which regular readers know we love.  So – the texture is the weak point in this otherwise half-decent sausage.


Shrinkage: 
Average weight uncooked - 61g
Average weight cooked - 51g

Shrinkage - 16%


Quite good.



Value For Money:
£3.20 for 8 sausages, weighing 484g - this works out as a price of £6.61 per kg, or 40p per snorker.

The concept is really good, the flavour is varyed and interesting, the texture’s average to disappointing. So overall we’ll have to describe West Norfolk Butcher’s Pork, Leek & Stilton Sausages are “not too bad” value for money.


The Bisto Factor:

Great cheesey aroma towards the end of cooking process, unusual and great!



Opening Hours:
Monday: 0900 - 1500
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 0900 - 1500
Friday: 0900 - 1500
Saturday: 0900 - 1600
Sunday: 1000 – 1600

Opening hours are obviously aimed at the tourist trade from the surrounding caravan parks. Fair enough.


And Finally, Esther:

I liked the sausages but deplored the buying experience.



Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Howard's - Heacham - Heritage Sausage



Our sausage safari around Heacham continues, and this week we’re visiting Howard’s butchers, which you will find on the High Street. Just across from the Post Office (maybe, memory not so good at my advanced old age).  The area is predominantly residential streets so you should be able to find somewhere to park quite easily while you pop inside for some great meats.  It’s not just meat though, check the pic further down, Howard’s sell a really good range of very local sauces, fruit, juices, pickles, etc.



Now, the name Howard’s may be familiar to you if you’ve been Rating The Sausage for a long time.  We have rated sausages from a Howard’s before – not this one but the shop in Gayton, a few miles out of King’s Lynn. We absolutely loved their Howards Pork Sausages, and the review contains the phrase “six year old Junior Sidekick”.  He’s ten now, we’ve been doing this for a while then! Two Howard’s butchers? Is there a connection you eagerly ask? Yes there is!  The Howard name comes from Old Farmer Howard, who ploughed Norfolk’s green and pleasant landscape for many years. Sadly Old Farmer Howard passed away two years ago.  But if nothing else, his legacy of Most Excellent butcher shops is something he would be extremely proud of.  There’s rivalry between Heacham and Gayton outfits – Heacham tell me that everyone at Gayton is hirsutely challenged (i.e. bald as a coot). This is a direct quote from Richard Howard, boss of the Heacham shop! Are you going to put up with that, Gayton?



Family fun-feuding aside, you’ll receive a wonderful warm welcome here. And, best of all, there’s a stunning, hot girlie behind the counter. Yes, we’re getting all chauvinistic here, but you Have to check out this complete hottie. Brenda is an ex Heacham Carnival Queen. She is delicious!  But enough of the background information that you, the readers, love so much, here’s what we thought of their bangers:


Meat Content:

70%.  This little piggy put his heart and soul into these sausages, not to mention the more traditional and higher quality cuts of pork which we know go to making a good banger, such as arse, belly and shoulders. His sacrifice is greatly to our benefit.  These taste MEATY (capitals intended), which in itself is a good thing, and it’s a neat trick when Howard’s claim a healthy but not record-breaking 70% pork content.



Flavour:
Simply put, “sweet and meaty”.  Really rather splendid.  I’ve no idea why they’re called “Heritage” though, I don’t “think” it’s an ages old recipe.  Maybe it’s simply clever marketing?  I tried to work out where the sweetness was coming from....sweet basil?  Nutmeg?  The flavour is tenderly light on the palate and it’s a brilliant contrast with the rough and ready, agricultural texture. Nice!


Texture:

Huge shock.  Grainy, almost gravel-y, this is by far the best texture of 2013 so far.  The sausage filling is on the dry side, which simply serves to emphasise the component pieces of meat. You can’t push your fork easily through these babies, compare and contrast with the bloody awful Iceland sausages that we tried so hard to eliminate. Top marks Howard’s, bloody lovely.



Shrinkage: 
Average weight uncooked - 71g
Average weight cooked - 55g

Shrinkage - 23%

Unimpressive stats for an otherwise superb banger.


Value For Money:

£2.61 for 6 sausages, weighing 424g - this works out as a price of £6.16 per kg, or 44p per snorker.  That’s kind of bang in the middle of this year’s range of prices, but you have a Champions League sausage for that money.  I can only rate Howard’s (of Heacham)’s Heritage sausage as bloody fantastic value for money/ Bravo!



The Bisto Factor:
There wasn’t much going on in the olfactory department when I fried these beauties.  But there was plenty going on in the “you ain’t gonna eat ME, sucka!” department.  These are Feisty sausages., in that they have apparently evolved a self-defence capability - they spit Extremely Molten, Liquid Fat. Straight at you.  Wherever you stand the jet of lava-like fat comes straight for you, it’s uncanny, and obviously deliberate. These sausages spit more often, and further, than the front row at a Stiff Little Fingers gig.


Through A Child’s Eyes:

No chance matey, these were all long gone before Junior Sidekick could even get a sniff!



Stan-Watch:
Success! There was a Stan in action, and, brilliantly, the Stan was hailed to come and talk sausages! Stan makes the bangers at this excellent little butcher’s shop, and you’ll be able to spot him as he’s the only (male) member of staff with a full head of hair. We like to call it “Stan Fluff”.


And Finally, Esther:

Superb sausages.  Please go and buy some as soon as you can....




Monday, 1 July 2013

Baker's - Norwich Market - Norfolk Pork Sausage

I found Bakers the butchers on Norwich Market in February, when visiting the Norfolk Diet farmers’ market outside the Forum.  Their stall is very close to that of the most excellent Pickering's butchers, whose sausages we loved.  Pickering's Norwich Sausage  Could this smashing city centre market provide us with two smashing butchers, selling super smashing sausages?


Well...



You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and sadly Bakers fluffed their lines.  I had to loiter with intent for several minutes before I was noticed, and then, when I did eventually show up on their Customer Radar, the demeanour was gruff and surly.  Seriously Not Good guys!  There was no please or thank you during the transaction, another huge disappointment.  Frankly I felt as if my presence and potential custom was something of an inconvenience. Very depressing.  The sausages would need to be absolutely exceptional if Bakers had any hope of emerging with their reputation intact.


How did they fare? Read on dear sausage lover....



Meat Content:
70%.  The lumps and bumps of meat inside indicate a decent amount of pork content, and it “seems” to be decent quality pork at that.  Not bad but nothing to write home about. 


Flavour:
Warm on the tongue, there is a Lot of salt included here, in my opinion too much of the warm stuff.  Very little going on, flavours-wise, and these sausages taste cheap.


Texture:
These snorkers looked very finely chopped when sliced, as you can see, and smelled exactly like a motorway service station banger (tasting notes show two “sad-face smilies” at this point).  BUT! Amazingly, and a first positive note in this entire review, they were much lumpier than they looked.  Disappointment melted away and became “OK, not too bad”....actually the texture was very good, lots of chunky bits and bobs, and a lovely welcome surprise.


Shrinkage: 
Average weight uncooked - 65g
Average weight cooked - 52g

Shrinkage - 19%

Average numbers for this average product. Neither good nor bad, unremarkable sums it up.



Value For Money:
£2.54 for six sausages, weighing 390g - this works out as a price of £6.50 per kg, or 42p per snorker. For me this price is on the lofty side for what you get.  Based on this pricing I’m rating Baker’s Norfolk Pork sausages as below average value for money.


The Bisto Factor:
Notes read “smell fab when frying”.  These are short and stubby, smell great, and appealing - just like me!


The Imaginatively Titled Next Day Cold Sausage Test:
Tasty! Surprisingly the skins became rather chewy and weren’t a patch on the hot version.  The filling was juicy and crumbly.  Some like it hot but taste-wise these bangers revel in the cold. Worth buying some just to fry, chill, and enjoy.


Stan Spotting:
There was a Stan in the background, but sadly he was either engrossed in the butchering he was undertaking or completely disinterested in customers.  The former, I hope.



And Finally, Esther:
Great texture, shame about the taste.

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Iceland - Everywhere - Sausage



Our quest to review every sausage on the planet (yes, it’s im possible) sometimes leads us to large-scale retailers who can sometimes offer questionable sausages.  This week Dad’s been to Iceland, where we picked up a bag of FORTY sausages for TWO pounds.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Can a sausage that costs five pence really be any good?  You’d think not.



Iceland is a massive chain of frozen goods shops selling low-cost products on a huge scale.  Also much beloved by celebrities.  Well, "a" "celebrity".  Kerry Katona.  Oh dear.



My tasting notes, such as they are, read:

Meat Content:
Is there any?

Flavour:
Minimal.  Like eating wallpaper paste.

Texture:

Mush.  Skin hardens unpleasantly but encapsulates the squishy crap inside.



Now, while I feel that these descriptions do actually do this foul product justice, I need to elaborate.  These are The Most Disgusting “Sausages” That It Has Been My Misfortune To Taste.  Ever.  More foul than Miss Rhode Island Red UK 2013.  Less good taste than Peter Griffin after fourteen Pawtuckets.  As nausea-inducing as watching Lorraine Kelly pole dancing while riding on Great Yarmouth Rollercoaster, simultaneously drinking Malibu and Tia Maria and thinking about sex with Madonna.  Absolutely disgusting, in every way.


There is probably a worse sausage on sale somewhere (and if you know of one please tell us) but it would have to be absolutely, utterly cosmically shite.  The taste, such as exists, is all salt with no other flavour discernible.  The texture is not texture as such, merely plop. And the meat content is ridiculously, taking-the-piss low.  The worst sausage.  Abysmal multiplied by pathetic to the power of cack.



Shrinkage: 
Average weight uncooked - 33g
Average weight cooked - 28g

Shrinkage - 14%


Weighed the least, each, ever!  By some margin.  But then the main ingredient, namely “feck all”, weighs next to nothing.  The shrink figure of 14% regretfully scores high in our famously idiosyncratic points system, but the reason these bangers haven’t shrunk much is that there’s almost nothing natural in them to shrink.



Value For Money:
40 sausages cost £2.00.  Obviously I didn’t cook them all, so here are the stats, intrapolated (is that the correct antonym of extrapolate?)....

£0.40 for eight sausages, weighing 265g - this works out as a price of £1.51 per kg, or 5p per snorker.


Evan at 5p each this is catastrophically bad value for money. Avoid at all costs.



Through A Child’s Eyes:
Junior Sidekick didn’t taste this particular glimpse of hell but he can offer some insight.  He was at a friend’s house for tea recently and bangers and mash was served.  On the way home I asked how it was and he wasn’t very positive....and then he lowered his voice a la Les Dawson/Roy Barraclough old ladies sketch and whispered “They were ICELAND sausages”, in that tone which said “They were bloody awful Dad.”


The Imaginatively Titled Next Day Cold Sausage Test:

The pics show the Iceland embarrassments on the left alongside some real sausages.  Please draw your own conclusions.



Opening Hours:
If Sri Lanka used to be Ceylon, and Myanmar used to be Burma, what did Iceland used to be? Bejam.

Iceland is open at the usual big retailer times, can’t be arsed to promote them and their disgraceful excuses for sausages.


And Finally, Esther:

If you want to experience the Very Bottom Of The Sausage Barrel then buy some.  If you are not a masochist then don’t bother.  Disgusting.