Rollbusch Quality Meats is the toast of Waikerie with its bratwurst sausage judged the nation’s best at the weekend’s Sausage King awards.
The Riverland butcher was the first in the state to get its name on the continental section trophy and were the only SA winner across the six categories at a gala dinner in Fremantle, WA.
The finalists in the Australian Meat Industry Council run awards were judged on their visual appeal in a raw and cooked state as well as flavour, texture, juiciness and overall like.
Owner Nigel Rollbusch who has been a butcher for more than 20 years says it is a real thrill.
“It is still sinking in but to be the only one in the state to get a first prize feels like a real feather in our cap,” he said.
Two and a half years ago, while working as a stock agent with Elders, Mr Rollbusch and his wife Toni jumped at the chance to buy the Waikerie butcher.
The German-style pork and beef sausage is popular among their customers and is also on the menu at the View Point Cafe, Waikerie, and Loxton and Waikerie hotels.
The beef is sourced locally from three feedlots owned by the Fogdens, Fisher Brothers and Shannon Brothers ,while the pork is from Mark and Bronte McLean’s River Haven Pork.
Rollbusch Quality Meats also represented SA in the poultry section with its turkey, spinach, bacon, cheese and cumquat sausage.
‘We’ve got two apprentices and another young lad who trained with Barossa Fine Foods that we let them go with their ideas making sausages and then give samples to our customers to try,” Mr Rollbusch said.
“We’ve got a couple of new ones up our sleeve for this year.”
