The challenge/task was given to me by the Chef (and good friend, Kevin) to come up with a Guinness sausage for a bbq this weekend.
Nothing fancy, just a simple thing that would/will wow the punters
Starting with the basic ingredients is the base of any good quality product, too many times have I seen what has been good quality products ruined by sloppy workmanship and inferior ingredients
Using local is part of what we do and for our pork I have found no better than that what we get from Johnstons Local-Quality my go to people since 1982
The next part is to be able to put together a flavour profile within the mind -- to know what the end product will taste like using fresh spices and herbs -- and most of all using the real thing --- Guinness which is imported from Ireland
First things first is to dice up the pork, after which it is coarse ground twice to get an even blend of fat and lean --- nothing worse than a dry sausage
To this is added one can of Irish Guinness, the coarse ground meat and Guinness is mixed well and placed in the cooler for a few hours so that the Guinness will infuse the meat with its loveliness
Spices are mixed with care to enhance the meat flavour and also not to overpower the Guinness taste, well after all this is a Guinness sausage
Spices and Rusk are mixed together and placed alongside of the coarse ground infused pork; to this is added an additional three can of the dark velvety nectar called Guinness -- this is then blended well for the required time and left to rest before stuffing into natural casings
Once stuffed into the natural casings and linked to the 'appropriate' length (well they have to fit the bun right) -- who in there right minds likes biting into a bun with a sausage in only to get a mouthful of bread we let the snorkers rest overnight so that the flavours will meld and bloom
The following day the Chef uses a rasher of our own made in house Smithfield bacon (this bacon is a take on an old English recipe of a heavy cold smoked bacon from Smithfield Meat Market in London) wrap around the Guinness sausage building upon an already great flavour profile thus taking it that one step above what is already over the top
After cooking to perfection the only thing to add to what is already something that is over the top and orgasmic is to add a sinful amount of caramelized onions ...... Heaven
Corse ground ready for stuffing
Stuffed and ready for a rest in the cooler overnight
Close up of the tasty treats
Cooking off a sample just to make sure all is good ..... still
The final plate up .....