Sausage competition is a real hit as judges name shortlist

Feb 25 2010 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

A CHESTER butcher was this week crowned the winner of the 2010 Sausage of the Year Competition king.

Chris Austin of Austin’s Butchers, Northgate Street, won the title with his traditional pork and herb delights.

The competition was run in conjunction with Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle Festival.

Judges met in Joseph Benjamin Restaurant on Northgate Street, and judged each entrant on appearance, taste, texture, originality and buy-ability – most importantly the best banger had to be a sausage that customers would want to buy and eat.

Bruce Edge, of Handbridge, was awarded second with his Cheshire pork and red onion and Chris was also placed third with his venison, mushroom ands moked bacon sausage.

Chris said: “I am extremely pleased that we have won this year.”

The competition was tough with six butchers and restaurants producing 12 entries in total.

There was every style of sausage imaginable, including skinny sausages and butch bangers, spicy and sweet sausages and some more unusual sausages containing ginger as well as chilli.

Three-time winner David Joinson, of Chester Market, helped the judges with advice on what he believes to be an ‘unbeatable banger’.

He said: “A good sausage must use good quality meat, and have a low fat content as otherwise it will shrink when cooked and leave fat in the pan, also the flavours of the sausage must not over-power the meat.

“Most importantly, the sausage skin must be washed as otherwise it can be too salty.”

The six judges included Kate Hughes (DeliKate), David Joinson, Ann Faulkner (The Cheese Shop), Nick Birchill (The Cheese Shop consultant and cheese expert), Michael Muter (local sausage expert) and Joe Wright (Joseph Benjamin).