Hampshire’s top sausages

ALMOST 250 food producers battled it out to be Hampshire’s best meat producer and an Andover man has realised a dream to become Supreme Champion.

The Great Hampshire Sausage, Pie and Ready Meal Competition was held at Sparsholt College near Winchester yesterday (February 14) and attracted 244 individual entries from 28 Hampshire butchers and meat farmers.

Martin Martindale, of Greenfield Pork Products, was crowned as champion for his pork and bramley apple sausage and also won four other awards.

Receiving his trophy, Mr Martindale said: “I am chuffed to bits. I started making sausages about five years ago and have entered this competition for the last five years.

“I have been working towards winning Supreme Champion, and came close a couple of times, so to win this year is fantastic.”

The winning sausage contained Greenfield’s own free-range pork, Hill Farm apple juice and Blackmoor Farm Shop bramley apples.

The competition is organised by food group, Hampshire Fare, and backed by the British Pig Executive, Hampshire County Council, Lucas Ingredients and New Forest Marque.

Competition facilitator, John Holden, said it was a “keenly fought contest”.

He added: “Given that entries come from a single county, this is the best attended regional competition that I am involved in.”

A team of professional sausage makers from across the UK judged the entries.

Competition organiser, Tim Brock, of Hampshire Fare, added: “The competition was a resounding success, attracting a good mix of butchers and farmers from across Hampshire to enter some good quality products.

“Hopefully these results will encourage more people to buy their meat directly from Hampshire’s independent butchers, farm shops and at Hampshire farmers’ markets.”

Given the date of this year’s contest, there was a special seasonal category for a Valentine’s Day Sausage – entries included Cupid’s Red Devil’, Love in the Afternoon’, Valentino’, and Heart of Hampshire’.

Find out more at www.hampshirefare.co.uk.

Full results: Hampshire Supreme Sausage Champion: Pork & Bramley Apple Sausage, Greenfield Pork Products, Andover.

Traditional Pork Sausage Champion: Traditional Pork Sausage, Hedge End Butchers.

Speciality Pork Sausage Champion: Pork, Sage & Onion Sausage, Greenfield Pork Products.

Beef and Lamb Speciality Sausage Champion: Beef Sausage, Hedge End Butchers.

Hampshire Sausage Champion: Pork & Bramley Apple Sausage, Greenfield Pork Products.

New Forest Marque Sausage: Traditional Hampshire Sausage, Uptons of Bassett.

Speciality Cold Eating Pie Champion: Pork, Turkey & Cranberry Pie, Manydown Farm Shop, Basingstoke.

Speciality Hot Eating Pie Champion: Lamb & Mint Pie, Manydown Farm Shop, Basingstoke.

BBQ Product Champion: Creamy Garlic & Herb Chicken Breast Fillets, Stephen E Humby Butcher, Portsmouth.

Ready Meal Champion: Faggots, Chalcroft Farm Shop, West End.

Home Cured Bacon Champion: New Forest Oak Smoked Back Bacon, B Drummond Butchers, Romsey.

Valentine Sausage Champion; Heart of Hampshire Sausage, Greenfield Pork Products, Andover.

Best Hampshire Farmers Market Entry: Pork & Bramley Apple Sausage, Greenfield Pork Products, Andover.

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