Dunsborough’s Robert Tan will battle Australia’s best butchers in a sizzling showdown for the title of 2018 National Sausage King.
Mr Tan, owner of Beef by the Reef at Dunsborough Centrepoint, is one of 27 finalists in the annual competition dubbed the ‘Academy Awards of Sausages’.
The Beef by the Reef entry impressed in the regional and state rounds, and goes in to the grand finals as a favourite.
Mr Tan has previously taken out third place in the pork category and second in the lamb/open class category in the competition.
He said he hoped to go the whole way and be crowned king for his Moroccan lamb creation.
“It already is a winner here – people travel from Perth, Bunbury and Margaret River for it,” he said.
“The competition is just good fun to see which butcher gets bragging rights.
“I’m always changing the recipe and refining it, so fingers crossed this is the winning one.”
Without giving away trade secrets, Mr Tan said his sausages stood out from the pack for their high meat to fat ratio.
His sausage varieties include Spanish, Portuguese, Balinese and Thai, and his homemade marinades are all preservative free.
The 2018 National Sausage King will be crowned in Healesville, Victoria on February 10.
Judges will score both raw and cooked sausages in six categories, grading them for flavour and texture as well as shrinkage, splitting and crinkling.
The event is organised by the Australian Meat Industry Council.
