New Zealand's top sausage set to be announced

New Zealand's Top Sausage is set to be announced next week – just in time for barbecue season!

Last week over 400 entrants into Devro's 22nd annual Next Top Sausage competition were whittled down to a group of finalists.

A panel of experts judged the sausages on visual appeal, aroma, flavour, texture, shrinkage and composition. 

Head technical judge, Matt Grimes, says he was "impressed" find the quality of the sausages improving every year.

President of the New Zealand Food Writers Guild and semi final judge, Kathy Paterson, says it was great to see how "each sausage manufacturer leaves their own stamp on their product".

“There are some excellent flavour combinations which the butchers have put a lot of thought into,” Kathy says. 

The 22 gold medallists from 11 categories will go on to the Grand Final in Auckland on October 21st, in the hope of taking out the 2015 Supreme Award. 

THE GOLD MEDALLISTS

Continental Fresh Category

• Ellerslie Meats - Italian Fennel
• Elite Meats – Italian Pork

Continental Ready-to-Eat Category

• The Aussie Butcher New Lynn – Bierstick
• ​Peter Timbs Meats - Kransky

Flavoured Category

• Countdown – Countdown Pork Flavoured
• Hellers – Beef Flavoured

Gourmet Category

• TR Pride – Beef and Blue Cheese
• Bishopdale New World – Pork, Cracked Pepper, Coriander and Basil

Pre-cooked/BBQ Category

• Greytown Butchery – Beef Flavoured Pre Cooked
• Harris Meats - Beef Pre Cooked

Poultry Category

• New World Gore – Chicken, Cranberry and Camembert
• Westmere Butchery – Duck A’La’Orange

Rounds Category

• Hellers – Black Pudding
• Greytown Butchery – Black Pudding

Saveloy/Polony/Cocktail Category

• The Kiwi Butcher Shop – Saveloy
• Cattermoles Butchery – Smoked Saveloy

Traditional Beef Category

• Countdown – Countdown Angus Beef
• Angus Meats – Angus Reserve Beef Sausage

Traditional Flavoured Category

•  Meat King – Lamb and Mint
• New World Woolston – Pork, Fennel and Mint

Traditional Pork Category

• Countdown – Countdown Alpine Pork
• Peter Timbs Meats – 100% Free Farmed Pork