British Food and Travel

UK Sausage Week is back! Starting on October 29 and running until November 4, it is time once again to celebrate the great British banger.

Sausages were mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey, more than 2,700 years ago, and the first mention in English came in the 15th century. They were once enjoyed by the ancient Romans although in 320AD they were banned because of their use in pagan festivals. Today, more than 175 tonnes of sausages are eaten in the UK every year. Needless to say, we love them!

We decided to go directly to the experts to find out more about our love of sausages.

The SAUSAGE Experts:

Julie Hoad’s father Jim started Korker Sausages in 1959, after five years of having a butcher shop in Rolvenden, Kent. His sausages proved so popular that they became the focus of the business. Although Jim has now retired, he taught his kids well; three of the five siblings now work at Korker. You can find Korker sausages at retail and wholesale outlets throughout the southeast.

 

 

 

 

Stephen Vaughan has been a butcher for 48 years and for the last 25 years has had his own shop in Penyffordd, just across the Welsh border and not far from Chester. In 2009, he was named Welsh Butcher of the Year by Meat Trade Journal. Steve’s traditional pork sausages have won multiple awards, including the National Federation of Meat Traders Supreme Champion. Vaughans Butcher’s pork with gin and ginger sausage won the Innovative Category for Butchers in Wales in the 2017 UK Sausage Week Awards.

 

 

 

 

In 1956, Alf Turner opened his own butcher’s shop in Aldershot, Hampshire. Grandson Paul started work in the shop in 1982 and now runs the business. He still follows Alf’s traditional method for making sausages. Paul runs the shop but has also expanded after an appearance on Dragon’s Den. Look for Alf Turner branded sausages and snacks in your local supermarket. For every pack of Alf Turner sausages sold, a donation goes to Help for Heroes. So far, Paul and his staff have raised £180,000.

 

 

Last but by no means least among our sausage experts is Andrew Rook. The first J C Rook and Sons shop opened in Dover, Kent in 1965 but the family’s history in the meat trade dates back to the 18th century. The family now operates 11 shops throughout East Kent. Andrew started work for the family business when he was just 14, as a Saturday boy in the Whitstable branch. His grandfather Joseph (J C) would take him to the Canterbury markets during summer holidays to teach him about buying stock. After school, it was onto Smithfield College and now Andrew is a company director. J C Rook and Sons’ Mrs Christmas’ Festive Sausage won top prize in the Innovative Category for Butchers in the South East at the 2017 UK Sausage Week Awards. Their Battle of Britain Memorial Sausage, containing Kentish hops and Spitfire Ale, was the 2017 UK Supreme Sausage Champion.

What’s your best-selling sausage?

When it comes to sausages, Brits like tradition. All of our experts said that their bestseller continues to be good old pork and sage. Andrew still has his grandfather’s book that he used to create his first recipe in the 1930s.

Paul said his grandad’s pork sausage still remains a favourite but a newer recipe Hair of the Hog is a close second. It contains ale from the nearby Hogs Back Brewery.

Do you sell any unusual flavours?

Our love of pork and sage doesn’t mean we Brits aren’t averse to trying something a little different. Our butchers all experiment with different flavours, whether for competition, for a special event, or just to try something new. As a wholesaler, Korker tends to stick with more mainstream flavours although Julie Hoad notes that they have a popular chilli sausage.

Steve and the Vaughans team like to create new recipes for different seasons, but have also come up with specials for the Royal Wedding and the World Cup.

Among the unusual flavours from Alf Turner, over the years they have made gin and tonic sausages, a jager banger (flavoured with Jagermeister) and wasabi with watercress.

Andrew recalls some of his unusual flavours:

“I was invited to make some sausages by the Churchill insurance group as part of a competition for their customers. I made 10 winning entries some sausages for each of them as their prize. Then we sold the winning sausage for a while in our own stores. One of these contained Dark Chocolate. I also make a prize-winning Mrs Christmas’s Festive sausage ( my great grandma’s surname was Christmas ) which has many flavors from a festive roast, including stuffing and cranberries. Pork, Black Pudding and Bacon was another Champion Sausage in 2016. The Korea inspired Tteokgalbi is probably my most unusual. It is flavored with Fennel, Apple and Spring Onion and originates from a pork or beef pattie in Korea. It has a slightly sweet sticky rib flavor. I expect great things with this particular sausage too.”

Have you noticed a change in people’s tastes over the years?

Julie Hoad has noticed that regardless of whether people want a traditional sausage or a newer flavour, they tend to be more conscious now of the ingredients that go into the product. Both Steve Vaughan and Andrew Rook have noticed an increased demand for healthier options, such as low salt, lower fat, or gluten-free.

What makes a good sausage?

Once again, the experts agree. When it comes to a top quality sausage, you need top quality ingredients – good, locally sourced pork, the perfect blend of spices, and just the right amount of fat.

Paul is a huge advocate of replicating how sausages used to be made before all of today’s machinery was available. He finds keeping the meat as minimally processed as possible gives the sausages a better texture.

Ensuring consistency is also important. Andrew spends a lot of time getting feedback from Rooks staff, family, and customer.

What’s the best way to cook a sausage?

Cooking a sausage is largely down to personal preference, whether they are fried, cooked in the oven, or done on the BBQ. If frying them, Steve recommends doing so slowly on a low heat with just a little oil.

BBQing is always a good option, but as Paul notes, the British weather doesn’t always cooperate. In that case, he suggests grilling them indoors slowly and over a low heat. If you do find yourself able to cook them outdoors on a nice sunny day, Andrew says it is important to keep a decent gap between the coals and the sausages so they don’t cook too quickly or split.

What’s your favourite way to eat them?

Now the big question. How do the experts enjoy their own sausages?

Bangers and mash are hard to beat for Steve and Paul, especially when accompanied with a nice rich gravy.

Andrew enjoys something a little more continental:

“My favorites include a Merguez Wrap. ( a highly spiced North African Lamb Sausage usually the thickness of a chipolata ) I put in some fresh tomato, lettuce, red onion and some natural yoghurt with lime juice and finely chopped red chilli. Also Mediterranean vegetables, garlic, smoked Paprika and red wine vinegar, cook for 20 minutes at 180, then add quickly browned sausages ( so highish heat to get brown but still not cooked fully inside) and then cook for a further 20 minutes.”

And if you’re lucky enough to work for Korker Sausages, you’re in for a treat. Every Friday Julie cooks up a big batch for the staff, served with lots of fresh bread, butter, and brown or tomato sauce. The perfect butty!

Thanks to Julie, Paul, Steve, Andrew, and everyone at UK Sausage Week for their input.

We love our sausage butties, bangers and mash, and toad in the hole, but if you’re looking for more recipe ideas, you’ll find some great suggestions at each of our experts’ websites.

UPDATE: The UK Sausage Awards for 2018 were announced October 29. Congratulations to our experts for their wins in the following categories:

Best Manufacturer Own Brand Sausage: Traditional – A Turner and Sons – Best of British

Wales: Innovative – Vaughans Family Butchers – Pork Sausage with Blackcurrant and Liquorice

Best Independent Butcher: South East: Innovative – J.C. Rook & Sons Ltd – Korean Tteokgalbi