Kitchen HARTS of Stur Xmas issue xmas issue | Page 24

Harts Kitchen Learn by Harts: Make Succulent Sausages Award-winning Dorset butchers Alex and Lou Webb reveal the sizzling secrets of making delicious sausages at home… T he secret of a great sausage is that it’s only ever as good as what you put into it. In the case of some supermarket packs, the answer is not enough good quality meat and far too many additives. That’s why a good butcher or local producer, who isn’t looking to reduce margins on an industrial scale, often make the best sausages – sausages like the award-winning bangers from Alex and Lou Webb. Webb’s Butchers have four Great Taste Awards and make sausages that have twice been Champion of Champion finalists, to name but a few accolades. But don’t be put off by memories of hapless families trying – and failing – to make sausages on TV’s Generation Game as they’re surprisingly easy to make yourself. With some basic equipment -– a mincer and a stuffer – you can have homemade bangers to be proud of, as long as you follow Alex and Lou’s recipe for a traditional pork sausage. It’s the basis for all the delicious sausages they make and a great starting point for trying your own flavours. THE EXPERTS Alex and Lou Webb are based in the village of West Moors in Dorset. www.webbsbutchers. co.uk Traditional Pork Sausages Ingredients 1kg shoulder of pork 10g salt 3g pepper 100g bread crumbs 12-15 sausage skins 100g water Equipment Mincer/sausage stuffer Scales 2x mixing bowls Method 1. If required, soak the sausage skins overnight. Note: If buying the skins from your butcher, please ask as they may be ready to use. 2. Mince the shoulder of pork, twice. 3. Place the minced pork in a bowl. 4. Add the salt and pepper. Mix with your hands. Salt is probably the most important ingredient – it’s not only for flavour, but is responsible for texture and preserving. 5. Add the bread crumbs mix. Rusk or bread crumbs help with moisture and succulence so that the sausage doesn’t become too dry. 6. Gradually add the water until the water has soaked into the bread crumbs. 7. Mix all the ingredients together. Mixing time is really simple – the longer you mix the tighter the texture will be. 8. Fill into skins using the filling stuffer you have or, if you don’t have a sausage stuffer, you can shape into burgers. 9. Once you have made this basic recipe, you can add other ingredients to suit your taste. S E E + S H O P See all our sausage making equipment at www.hartsofstur.com 24 www.hartsofstur.com