British Sausage Week celebrated with the Billingshurst Banger

Billingshurst Butchers is celebrating British Sausage Week by launching the Billingshurst Banger.
JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. With step daughter Marika Turner and "Hambassador" Chris Doney. Photo by Derek MartinJPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. With step daughter Marika Turner and "Hambassador" Chris Doney. Photo by Derek Martin
JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. With step daughter Marika Turner and "Hambassador" Chris Doney. Photo by Derek Martin

James Congdon, 45, who took over the village shop in Jengers Mead two years ago is reviving a 30 year old recipe.

His step-daughter 22 year old Marika, also a butcher, is making the sausages and says they are just ‘amazing’.

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Similar to the classic Lincolnshire sausage in flavour, with white pepper and sage tickling the taste buds, the juicy Billinsghurst Banger is looser in texture and lacks of preservatives.

JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. With step daughter Marika Turner and chilren Eden 10 and Rocky 7. Photo by Derek MartinJPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. With step daughter Marika Turner and chilren Eden 10 and Rocky 7. Photo by Derek Martin
JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. With step daughter Marika Turner and chilren Eden 10 and Rocky 7. Photo by Derek Martin

Bound by free-range eggs, the free-range pork is sourced locally from Clayfield Farm in Barns Green.

Yesterday, James hosted a special tasting event to mark the start of British Sausage Week (November 4 to 10), where the Billingshurst Banger got an enthusiastic thumbs up from James’ children, seven year old Rocky, and Eden, 10, as well as County Times news editor Theo Cronin

James said: “We’re the only surviving butchers in Billinsghurst at the moment and we are keeping it going.

“People appreciate the service and definitely the quality.”

JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. Photo by Derek MartinJPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. Photo by Derek Martin
JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. Photo by Derek Martin
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Billingshurst’s very own ‘Hambassador’ Chris Doney was also present to give the Lovepork.co.uk ambassador’s approval.

Chris said: “This is my first sausage tasting assignment and I am taking it very seriously.

“It is really great to get involved in the local community, promote local butchers and local pork particularly.”

Asked how he will celebrate the week our ‘Hambassador’ said he would be eating a different type of sausage everyday.

JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. Photo by Derek MartinJPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. Photo by Derek Martin
JPCT 041113 James Congdon, Billingshurst Butchers. Made new sausage the Billingshurst Banger. Photo by Derek Martin
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For more on the Billingshurst Banger see this Thursday’s County Times (November 7, 2013).

In the meantime, to celebrate British Sausage Week, here are ten sausage related facts courtesy of lovepork.co.uk:

1. During the year to July 2013, the nation consumed 188,270 tonnes of sausages at home and spent £737.3 million

2. 87% of British households buy sausages - 45% at least every four weeks

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3. Each household spends an average of £32.25 per year on sausages

4. Every day, 3.7 million meals containing sausages are eaten at home

5. A staggering 1.4 billion meals containing sausage are eaten in the home each year

6. More pork sausages are eaten as part of an evening or teatime meal at home (66%); compared to 18% at breakfast, 14% at lunch and 2% as a snack

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7. 31% of the sausage market (by volume) is classified as premium, 58% as standard, 3% as low fat and 8% as economy

8.90% of sausages are made from pork

9. Sausage sales (by volume) are more than double the sales of burgers and grills.

10. Increasingly menus are referencing sausages made using pork from named butchers and farms