Butchers take out best in the South West for sausages, burgers and small goods

South West butchers put their skills to the test to see who would claim glory and take the crown at this year’s Australian Meat Industry Council Sausage King and Small Goods Competition. Now in its 20th year, the competition held its first regional heat in Bunbury on May 15, with entries judged on their uncooked and cooked appearance, as well as taste-tested for flavour and texture. Best traditional beef sausage was taken out by Bunbury’s Buckingham Meats and their beef barbecue snag, with Donnybrook Butchers’ Aussie pork sausage winning first place in traditional Australian pork, Manjimup Meat Mart’s sweet chilli, chicken and cheese sausage winning best poultry snag, and Dunsborough’s Beef by the Reef’s Moroccan lamb taking out best Australian lamb sausage. Plantagenet Meats’ Italian sausage won the best continental category, while Beef by the Reef and RJ’s Quality Meats claimed best gourmet sausage and best beef burger respectively. A lamb, pumpkin and spinach burger from Harvey’s Kev’s Country Meats placed first for gourmet burgers, Quin’s Gourmet Butchers won best leg ham on the bone and Buckingham Meats claimed another win for their boneless leg ham. Donnybrook also won best ready to eat product for their slow cooked beef pie, while Kev’s Country Meats took out another gong in the bacon category for their butcher’s own bacon. Regional winners will now try their luck at the WA finals, which will be held at Bentley TAFE on October 22 to determine whether they are worthy of the crown for best sausage, burger or small goods in WA. The National finals will take place in South Australia in February.