The Rise of the Oxford Sausage

Butcher's like those of Oxford's Covered Market and sausage producers are thankfully creating gourmet, top-of-the-range sausages from quality meat that's been reared in the UK as a result of rising customer demand for the British Banger and, in particular, the Oxford Sausage.

We now consume more than 250,000 tons of sausages a year. With each household in the UK buying at least eight kilos a year, they are considered the most popular meal to be eaten in the home. They are so popular that locally-produced sausages now regularly appear on restaurant menus as a special dish. Restaurants like The Big Bang have appeared over parts of London where Pie and Mash Shops were previously found.

If your mouth isn't watering yet, it should be, as there are now more than 400 different varieties of sausages being made by independent butchers across the UK, many of whom are in Oxfordshire.

There is even a sausage recipe that bears the Oxford name; one of only a few foods that carries the Oxford tag. It is a strange mix from a recipe for “Oxford Skates” by John Nott, dating from at least the eighteenth century. It is made from lean veal, pork (and sometimes beef) and quite highly seasoned with mixed herbs and nutmeg, although more recently Veal has been left out of those produced by the majority of butchers.

Traditionally, Oxford sausages were shaped and fried without a casing, though when it does make an appearance these days, they usually arrive in a skin, most commonly fashioned from sheep stomach lining.

Most butchers admit that a good sausage begins with good quality pork. Many insist that the true sausage flavour comes from using Gloucester Old Spot - the oldest pedigree breed of spotted pigs, and certainly the most succulent.

Local sausage producers and butchers like David Johns of Oxford 's Covered Market are happy that more of their customers are turning away from the mass-produced sausages and ordering theirs in confidence, mainly because the supply chain can be traced back to their farm, or a local producer.

So, they cost a little more – but what you get is real meat and real taste. You are also paying for the humane way pork is reared in this country and supporting the local farmer in the process.

Oxford Sausage Recipe (Serves 8)

These are succulent and meaty, well-flavoured with herbs and lemon. They are shaped by hand before cooking and often don't have skins.

1 lb ground pork, lean
1 lb ground lamb, ground veal or ground turkey, lean
12 oz shredded suet
8 oz fresh breadcrumbs
1 or 2 lemons, zest only
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tblsp fresh mixed herb, chopped
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 egg, beaten
plain flour (for coating)

1. Put the meats into a large bowl and add the suet, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, nutmeg and herbs.
2. Mix well, add the egg and mix again with a fork until everything is thoroughly combined.
3. With floured hands, form the mixture into sausage (links) shapes.
4. Coat each sausage with flour, shaking off any excess.
5. Cook the sausages under a hot broiler, turning frequently, until evenly browned and cooked through.

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