… yes that right porkies, snags, bangers, snarlers, or
whatever you call them where you live. Sausages have
been around for as long as we have been butchering meat in reality. The word “sausage”
comes from the Latin “salsus” meaning “salted”. They were usually made of the salted meaty leftovers and “bits I’d rather not talk about” to
which herbs and spices were added to “enhance” their flavour. What happened next to the humble sausage depended
on where you lived and the prevailing climatic conditions to a large extent –
hence hot dry or windy places have lots of air dried versions of sausages.
The fresh sausage has long been a global favourite. It’s manufacture began over 2000 years ago and today it is still a growing industry in the UK, where the humble table sausage, and part of the British Breakfast of Champions - the full english - has been joined by some pretty fancy company over time.
The fresh sausage has long been a global favourite. It’s manufacture began over 2000 years ago and today it is still a growing industry in the UK, where the humble table sausage, and part of the British Breakfast of Champions - the full english - has been joined by some pretty fancy company over time.
I decided I would choose three different brands of “plainish”
sausages and see how they stacked up against one another in a Ted taste off. I
choose “4 ultimate Pork sausages” made by the famous chef Heston Blumenthal, a “Rankin selection” of outdoor bred pork sausages made to a traditional Irish recipe,
and Wicks Manor “Olde English sausages”.
I watched a short youtube clip by a professional chef who demonstrated
how to cook the perfect sausage. Naturally being a chef he cooked
one sausage at a time and rolled it around the pan constantly!!! So paying close attention to this method it
was some 3 hours later (sigh) when I had finally cooked the last sausage!! ... now taadaahh ... the results ...
Wicks Manor Olde English (bottom) came in 3rd – funny skin, texture was kinda springy, could have been juicier, and just a wee bit too salty for my liking …
6.5/10
Rankin selection (top) was 2nd – a lovely light tan, firm but giving texture, juicy and succulent … 7.5/10
Heston’s ultimate sausages (middle) was the winner, lovely caramelised look,
brilliant chunky texture, good quality ingredients shining through, as they
should considering the price difference … 8.5/10
7 comments:
Well there we have it straight from the mouth of Ted.
Looking at the packaging I would have chosen the Wicks Manor sausages I think the Olde English bit influenced me a bit but
I doubt if we'll see any down here in Australia .... a bit far to post a Porkie !!
There is a British style pub/restaurant here that serves a decent bangers and mash but, it's been quite a while since I've had it. We have a lot of chicken sausages here. It's just not the same.
That is what my husband (from London) complained about here in Norway....:(
And now you've got me hungry.
If you pass an Iceland pop in and try their venison sausages. At the moment they are my favourite.
I tend to like a decent Cumberland myself.
Ted and Mo, I love your comparison tests. Though I know I won't remember which sausage to buy next time I am in London.
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