A sizzling week of sausage success for Q Guild butchers
This year`s official Sausage Week was a sizzling success for members of the Q Guild of Butchers with 10 award winners across two major industry competitions: Champion of Champions organised by Meat Trades Journal (6 November) and the official UK Sausage Week Awards (30 October). The clutch of accolades achieved by Q Guild Butchers affirms the membership organisation`s status as representing the very best butchers in the country.
Leading the charge with the top prize was the winner of the Champion of Champions, Allan Bennett Ltd for its Sunshine Sausage, a Mediterranean inspired sausage made with tomato, oregano and garlic. The Champion of Champions pitted the winners of 2017`s various sausage industry awards from throughout the year (including the Q Guild`s Smithfield and Barbecue awards) against each other to find the very best sausage in the UK.
Taking place at County Hall in London, the top sausages in the land were assessed by a panel of expert judges in both raw and cooked forms. The judges` decision was unanimous, saying they were `attracted…to the flavour because of the subtle mixture of herbs spices…. the sausage was extremely well presented both cooked and uncooked.`
This marks the fourth time that Allan Bennett has won the Champion of Champions award, the most ever won by an individual butcher. Although his fourth time picking up the trophy, Allan said he was `ecstatic to have won again.`
Q Guild Butchers also made their mark during the UK`s Sausage Week Awards which was organised separately by Meat Management magazine with members clinching no fewer than nine regional awards across the board. Over 400 different bangers were judged over two days at The Regional Food Academy at Harper Adams University.
The winners, by region, were announced on 30 October at Plaisterer`s Hall in London by celebrity judge, sausage lover and antiques expert, Eric Knowles and there was a Q Guild winner in nearly all the regions:
Best Independent Butcher: Wales:
Traditional thick pork sausage - Martin Player High Class Butcher
Best Independent Butcher: South East:
Traditional Pork Sausage – Owtons Butchers
Best Independent Butcher: East Midlands:
Taylors Country Special - Owen Taylor & Son
Grasmere Farm Caramelised Red Onion Sausages – Grasmere Farm
Best Independent Butcher: North:
Traditional Pork Sausage - Dales Traditional Butchers Ltd
Black and White Sausage - George Payne Butchers Ltd
Best Independent Butcher: North East:
Prime Yorkshire Pork Sausage – Elite Meat Ltd
Best Independent Butcher: North West:
Sprout & Stilton Pork Sausage - J W Mettrick & Son Ltd
Hickory and Chipotle Sausage – H Clewlow Butchers
The six Q Guild finalists in the Champion of Champions were:
Bennetts Butchers for their Lincolnshire Pork Sausage
Buckwells of Southsea for their Winter Glow Sausage
Chase Farm Shop for their Best Pork Sausage
Dales Traditional Butchers for their Pork & Caramel Sausage
Mettrick`s Butchers for their Traditional Pork Sausage
Simpsons Butchers for their Pork & Apricot Sausage
ENDS
Notes for editors
The Q Guild is a seal of excellence marking Britain`s best butchers. The Q Guild represents an elite group of the finest quality independent meat retailers in Britain and is synonymous with skills, craftsmanship and above all, quality.
The Q Guild`s 121 members are based across the UK: from Inverness to Cornwall, serving £5 million worth of outstanding meat and related products to over a quarter of a million discerning UK consumers every week.
Q Guild butchers are award winning, leading experts in their field.
Carrying the Q Guild brand sends out a strong message that they are one of Britain`s best butchers, committed to unsurpassed quality, craftsmanship and customer service.
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For further information please contact Jessica Sneddon at Charlotte & Joseph PR on 0131 283 8275 or email Jessica@charlotteandjoseph.com
The Q Guild has its headquarters at 8-10 Needless Road, Perth, PH2 0JW. Contact Claire Holland Manager@qguild.co.uk or visit www.qguild.co.uk