NZ sausage competition 2009 – results

The NZ Sausage Competition for 2009 was judged last weekend in Wellington with the winners announced today. Sausages are making a bit of a comeback these days with the full meat artisan sausage becoming very popular with consumers. The grand winner though was a mango and chili chicken sausage from  Peter Timbs Meats in Christchurch. That’s the second award for this butchery having won the 2009 Best Bacon award earlier this year. They must be doing something right.

The following tasting notes have been provided by Kerry Tyack, Chief Judge of The Great New Zealand Sausage Competition.

The Supreme Winner
Category: Gourmet
Sausage name – Mango & Chilli Chicken
Made by: Peter Timbs Meats, Christchurch

A superb combination of chicken, mango and chilli, resulting in a sweet and spicy sausage with huge palate appeal. While other gold medal winners were equally well made, this sausage had the X factor, a quality that made it shine just that little bit brighter amongst the other stars. It had great visual appeal both uncooked and cooked, was deliciously aromatic and was generously full of authentic meat taste, given a dash of extra character via the addition of chilli and mango. The judges felt it was an exciting entry with plenty of mealtime applications and for this reason it will have broad appeal.

A deserved winner in 2009.

Category Gold Medal Winners

Category – Beef
Sausage name – Beef
Made by – Westmere Butchery, Auckland

Wonderfully fresh aroma, great colour and consistency of size and shape. Generously filled casing, carefully seasoned and texturally very attractive. The beef remained the hero of this entry until the last morsel and the judges felt it was therefore an outstanding example of the classic beef sausage.

Category – Pork
Sausage name – Pork
Made by – Waikanae Butchery, Wellington

Absolute consistency in every respect propelled this entry into the winner’s circle. Great appearance, aroma and texture and authentic pork taste heightened by judicious seasoning and a gentle, memorable aftertaste. This is an excellent sausage with great appeal to those who enjoy a simply, traditional pork sausage.

Category – Saveloy/Polony/Cocktail
Sausage name – Polony
Made by – Heller Tasty Ltd, ?????

Moreish and moist, this entry rose above many other contenders, with its authentic meaty flavour, its considered seasoning and above all, its appealing texture, which was not over-emulsified nor pasty. The judges felt unanimously this was perhaps the best saveloy entered in the last few years and was a clear victor in its class.

Category – Pre-cooked/BBQ
Sausage name – Pre-cooked Beef
Made by – Harris Meats Ltd, ?????

A favourite with many judges, this beef sausage was determined to be the standout in a very busy category. It had good aroma, good balance between taste and texture and will have broad appeal for a variety of dining occasions.

Category – Pre-Cooked Flavoured
Sausage name – Cheese Griller
Made by – Janssen’s Continental Ltd, Auckland

The successor in a hard fought category, this entry won out for the generosity of its flavour. Some felt its added cheese came close to overpowering the meat while others preferred entries with a less salty taste. In the end, however, there was no mistaking this was full to overflowing with flavour, had good texture and will have a ready market especially amongst younger consumers. It confirms Kiwi’s on-going love affair with the meat and cheese combination.

Category – Flavoured
Sausage name – Chicken Flavoured
Made by – Janssen’s Continental Ltd, Auckland

There was no doubting the authentic chicken flavour of this entry, which was subtly seasoned to provide a well-rounded appealing sausage with many applications including breakfast, antipasto platter and barbecue. It was well made and presented with a high level of consistency.

Category – Traditional
Sausage name – Pork
Made by – Ellerslie Meats, Auckland

A quintessential pork sausage well made, with balanced seasoning allowing the authentic pork flavour to remain the hero of the mix. There was plenty of generosity in this sausage in terms of its size and meat quality, the mouthfeel was firm but moist, it cooked up perfectly and the taste lingered well after the last bite.

Category – Frankfurters and Rounds
Sausage name – Frankfurter
Made by – Janssen’s Continental Ltd

The judges felt this was an exceptional sausage that gave a touch of real class to the category. It was mild in taste with balanced seasoning, remained moist when cooked and had a long-lasting chicken flavour. The firm but not dense texture was noted by the judges who also recognised its broad appeal.

Category – International Bratwurst and Boerwors
Sausage name – Bratwurst
Made by – Harris Meats Ltd

There were many contenders for the title in this category but the judges felt this entry came closest to meeting all the criteria that define the style. It was meaty, had good texture and cooked up very well. The sweet and spicy seasoning was well adjusted and the overall result showed that Kiwi sausage makers are more than capable of producing genuine bratwurst and boerwors.

Category – International Mild
Sausage name – Toulouse
Made by – Westmere Butchery

The judges found this a sausage that fully lived up to expectations. Raw it looked appealing in shape and size with a good internal texture and with a promise of a great eating experience. Cooked it had an excellent balance of flavours with a good mouth feel. It reflected its European inspiration with its subtle but distinctive flavour. A sausage that was able to stand out as perfect for a special event barbecue. A contender for the overall winner title.

Category – International Spicy
Sausage name – Merguez
Made by – Franklin Country Meats

A marvellous merguez with strong lamb aroma and taste, and a spicy kick that provided it with a fascinating edge. It was very well made with generous meat content, a nicely balanced texture and a judiciously applied degree of seasoning. For those who like sausages with international flair this entry will have great appeal. Another with strong claims to the title of overall winner.