Cumberland sausage vs Lincolnshire sausage – do you know the difference?
What’s in a name… well, it can mean the difference between two very special sausages. It’s time to settle an old vendetta – Lincolnshire sausage vs Cumberland sausage.
Two distinct types of British sausages, each with its own unique characteristics. From flavour and ingredients to regional traditions. The question is – would you choose Lincolnshire sausages over Cumberland?
The key Lincolnshire sausage ingredients
Lincolnshire sausages are a fridge staple but a foodie enigma with most butchers – us included – keeping their recipes a closely guarded secret!
What we can tell you is the humble Lincolnshire sausage usually always includes coarsely ground pork, breadcrumbs, sage, seasoning and a selection of other herbs. It is, however, the sage that gives a Lincolnshire sausage its distinct flavour.
The Cumberland sausage on the other hand, well, usually features pork meat, but more of it, and with unique spices of course. Commonly the seasoned sausage lover will recognise black pepper, white pepper, and sometimes a hint of nutmeg.
Location is everything
When we’re looking at food production, geographical significance is a big deal. Often linked to the concept of ‘terroir’ – essentially every environmental factor that impacts how food can be produced, grown and how it tastes – regional identity can set products apart. Some hold the coveted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), meaning that a food item can only be produced in its birthplace if it is to be emblazoned with said product name.
The Lincolnshire Sausage Association has applied to have the Lincolnshire Sausage granted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Status, which would mean that the Lincolnshire Sausage could only be made in the county of Lincolnshire, using Lincolnshire pork and the traditional recipe. But alas, it’s not yet been approved.
Despite DEFRA not awarding the Lincolnshire sausage PGI status, it still tops our list of sensational sausages!
As versatile as it is delicious
While we know you can’t beat a perfectly cooked sausage bap on a Saturday morning – red or brown, we’ll leave that to you – there are countless ways you can use our traditional Lincolnshire sausages every day. But we’ll let our ambassador chef Rosie Dicker give you some of her ideas…
The ultimate comfort on a grey day, Rosie’s Lincolnshire Toad in the Wolds is a total classic. “A dish that always has a place on our menus at home,” she says, “sometimes you just can’t beat toad in the hole.” Don’t forget the onion gravy.
This recipe may call for pork shoulder, but that pineapple salsa, we know, would be beautiful with Lincolnshire sausages too. After all – as we know from Toad in the Hole, Lincolnshire sausages can hold their own on the Sunday dinner table just as well as mid-week. The perfect dish to whip out when you have company, it’s easy to execute and equally impressive.
