An Italian Casalinga Pork sausage from Ashby’s Butchery in Christchurch has beaten 470 sausages to be named New Zealand’s best.
The public have agreed with the experts and also crowned the Italian Casalinga Pork sausage the People’s Choice Award winner.
After two days of judging, it came down to the top 14 sausages vying for the ultimate prize in the Devro New Zealand Sausage Competition, also sponsored by Kerry Ingredients.
Ashby’s Butchery owner, Corey Winder says he is overwhelmed to achieve both awards.
“I was really happy to be announced as the people’s choice award winner, but to then be announced as the overall supreme winner as well was really something, it’s going to be huge for our business,” says Corey.
Gold, silver and bronze medals were also awarded to the best of the best over the twelve categories, these went to:
Beef Medals (30 entries)
Bronze
Southbridge Tasty Meats, Beef Sausage
Waikanae Butchery, Beef Sausage
Silver
Murchison Meats, Beefy Sausage
Gold
NZ Farm Co, Gourmet Beef Sausage
Ellerslie Meats, Beef Sausage
Pork Medals (30 entries)
Bronze
Blackball Salami, Pork Sausage
Silver
Hellers Ltd, Free Farmed Country Pork
Gold
Te Rapa New World, Pure Pork Sausage
Precooked Medals (19 entries)
Bronze
Ashby’s Butchery, Beef Precooked
Silver
Tegel, Tegel Precooked
Gold
NZ Farm Co, BBQ Pork Precooked
Flavoured Precooked Medals (15 entries)
Gold
Franklin Country Meats, Smoked Paprika & Cheese Precooked
Flavoured Medals (22 entries)
Bronze
Progressive, Beef Flavoured
Gold
Brookfield New World, Pork Flavoured
NZ Farm Co, Chicken Sausage
NZ Farm Co, Bitter & Twisted
International Mild Medals (37 entries)
Bronze
Leonards Superior Smallgoods, Texan Chilli
Netherby Meats, Kransky
Silver
Aussie Butcher New Lynn, Mediterranean Lamb Merguez
Allenton Meat Centre, Chunky Russian
Franklin Country Meats, Greek Lamb
Gold
Ashbys Butchery, Italian Fennel
Harris Meats, Beir Sticks
Frankfurters & Rounds Medals (30 entries)
Bronze
Verkerks, Frankfurter 300g
Verkerks, Rookworst 300g
Silver
Peter Timbs Meats, White Pudding
Blackball Salami, Black Pudding
Gold
Greerton Quality Meats, Black Pudding
Peter Timbs Meats, Kolbasz
International Spicy Medals (41 entries)
Bronze
Grey Lynn Butchers, Hungarian
Scotts The Traditional Butcher, Spicy Pork Chorizo
Cashmere Cuisine, Hungarian
Silver
Peter Timbs Meats, Chorizo
Aussie Butcher New Lynn, Mediterranean Lamb Merguez
Gold
Ashbys Butchery, Italian Casalinga Pork
Hellers, French Merguez
Saveloy/Cocktail/Polony Medals (24 entries)
Bronze
Goulds Fine Foods, Saveloy
Ashby’s Butchery, Saveloy
Silver
Goulds Fine Foods, Cocktail
Cashmere Cuisine, Smoked Saveloy
Gold
Ellesmere Butchery, Smoked Saveloy
Angus Meats, Plain Saveloy
NZ Farm Co, Cocktail Frankfurter
Traditional Medals (81 entries)
Bronze
Netherby Meats, Lincolnshire
Brookfield New World, Lamb, Mint, Herb & Rosemary
Silver
Harris Meats, Old English
Hellers, Basil & Tomato
Gold
Harmony Foods, Pork & Fennel
Brookfield New World, Country Pork
Bratwurst & Boerwors Medals (27 entries)
Bronze
Rangiora New World, Venison Boerwors
Silver
Peter Timbs Meats, Nurenberg
Peter Timbs Meats, Spanish
NZ Farm Co, Beef Boerwors
Gold
Hellers, Pork Nurenberg
Peter Timbs Meats, Hot Hungarian
Gourmet Medals (118 entries)
Bronze
Ellis Rd New World, Pure Pork, Blue Vein Cheese & Garlic
Brookfield New World, Beef, Basil & Sundried Tomato
Leonards Superior Smallgoods, Prime Pork
Silver
The Wanaka Butcher, Beef with Sundried Tomato & Black Olives
South City New World, Venison, Merlot & Cracked Pepper
Gold
Angus Meats, Pork Stilton & Apple
Nelson New World, Venison, Merlot & Cracked Pepper
South City New World, Chicken & Bacon
That would be more than a bit off putting. If you aren’t sure of the texture or taste alone, try combining it with other flavours as in my Beef Wellington experiment.
Nice to see that black pudding was a category. The Blackball Salami Company’s black pudding used to be my favourite but has been replaced by Harrington’s:
http://blog.thrashcardiom.com/2011/06/black-pudding.html
Hi Thrash
I’ve never been a big fan of black pudding – I’m probably missing out. I put it down to having once ordered it from a fish and chip shop (battered) only to find it still frozen inside. Not a great experience, and I know, not an accurate ‘taste test’ – but nevertheless this has remained with me for the last 30 years as my only black pudding experience.