There are sausages, and then there are the sausages made by The Kernow Sausage Co. We can’t wait for founder Gavin Roberts to join us at Philleigh Way on the morning of Tuesday December 17th for a half-day Christmas sausage making course, because we all know that pigs in blankets are the best part of Christmas dinner.
We sat down with Gavin recently to find out a little bit more about his bangers and his business:
Gavin, where does your passion for butchery come from?
When I was a little boy my Granny taught me how to make sausages, and that really sparked my interest in food and provenance. I trained as a butcher and loved it, but became disillusioned with the industry because of the lack of care and respect that I saw on the commercial side of the industry. The Kernow Sausage Co was my way of reigniting that passion.
When did you make the leap and start your own business?
I started the business in 2007, originally borrowing space in a local butchers shop on evenings and weekends to develop my recipes and produce the first batches.
What goes into your sausages?
The basis of our sausages is the highest quality local pork (a cut with a good fat content), seasoning, and some rusk. We have a few variations on that recipe, including my Granny’s secret recipe for our traditional Trelawney sausages, but with quality ingredients you can keep it simple.
You’re based at a farm not too far from us on the Roseland, and have your own herd of Barwick pigs. Do you think that a connection to every stage of the process, from farm to fork, is something that many producers are lacking?
Sadly yes, for larger producers, but changes are occurring. Having a relationship with the land and the animals means that as a producer, there’s a lot of respect for the beast and a desire not to waste anything. If there’s a long supply chain and lots of stages or people involved then that can be lost, but the number of small and specialist producers out there in the food industry are changing that. Consumer support is the main thing, and lots of people are shopping at farm shops and supporting independent producers.
What’s your favourite sausage dish?
At this time of year, I do love a plate of bangers and mash or toad-in-the-hole. But then again, a simple sausage sandwich never fails to hit the spot!
Is sausage-making something that anybody can do, and what’s the hardest part?
Of course! I’d say that linking the sausages is the hardest part – it’s fine once it clicks, but that’s probably the thing that most people struggle with in the beginning.
What can attendees expect from your course here at Philleigh Way?
A fun and educational morning that starts with learning how to butcher down a shoulder of pork, then dicing, mincing, and seasoning before learning how to stuff and link sausages. We’ll then wrap them in smoked streaky bacon so that everyone can take away pigs in blankets, theoretically ready for Christmas day – if they can wait that long!
We have a couple of spaces remaining on Gavin’s course, that takes place on the morning of Tuesday December 17th.