Whether the beef that makes up your sausage comes from cattle that were grass-fed or grain-fed will also affect its texture and flavour. Australia produces some of the finest beef in the world, including highly marbled, melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu and Angus beef, which can make for tender and delicious beef sausages. You’ll probably pay more when you go to a specialty butcher for your sausages instead of a supermarket, but you’re paying for superior flavour and quality.

A 70/30 lean/fat ratio is ideal – this way, there’ll be just enough fat to give the sausage its texture and flavour after it’s been cooked. There’s nothing wrong with using trimmings, per se, but your tastebuds will notice the difference when you buy sausages from butchers who use primal cuts.īutchers will usually aim for the perfect combination of lean meats (like brisket) and fatty meats (like chuck) when making a sausage. In reality, the meat in cheap supermarket sausages is usually made up of ‘trimmings’ – off-cuts of premium cuts. It’s highly unlikely there are any snouts, brains or tongues in your sausage, not just because those offaly bits are likely to sell for a higher price overseas anyway, but because Aussie legislation requires offal to be identified in the ingredient list.

You’ve probably heard all sorts of horror stories about the ‘mystery bags’ of meat that make up sausages, especially the cheap supermarket variety, but let’s demystify those rumours. The humble sausage sizzle is a constant presence at school fundraisers and athletics carnivals, and the highlight of any trip to a polling booth or hardware store.īut how much do you really know about those snags you’re sizzling? What’s in a beef sausage? Sausages are a beloved cornerstone of Australian culture. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s in your beef sausages, as well as the best ways to cook them. If you’ve got a soft spot for snags, you’ve come to the right place.

The long dark how to cook