National Homebrew Club Ireland

General Discussions => The Food Board => Topic started by: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 11:17:25 AM

Title: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 11:17:25 AM
Interesting article on the "Irish" fry-up, a subject close to the hearts of us dedicated drinkers.

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/where-your-full-irish-really-comes-from-1.1587349?page=1

I'm more shocked that Clonakilty black pudding is partially made with beef blood than the fact that said blood is imported!! Any Rebel Brewers care to comment?  ;) :)

QuoteIt's not just sausages and rashers that can fail the 100 per cent Irish test. Famous Clonakilty black pudding is currently being made with imported beef blood from the Netherlands, according to Clonakilty Blackpudding Company production manager John Gallagher. He says the Dutch blood makes up 5 per cent of a Clonakilty black pudding, with the remainder of the ingredients sourced in Ireland.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Taf on November 08, 2013, 12:25:19 PM
Personally, I think Clonakilty is a bit overrated anyway, and usually go for butchers sausages/pudding/rashers myself. Saying that, I don't eat many frys nowadays, not that you would know from looking at me!

I would have thought that it was pigs blood, but would also be slightly peeved that it's imported from Holland.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: DEMPSEY on November 08, 2013, 12:32:25 PM
When they started making clonakilty first they did it right with using pearl barley and such but they have changed the recipe over the years and it is not the same any more :(.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bzfeale80 on November 08, 2013, 12:36:07 PM
I agree with taf that clonakilty black pudding is overrated. Jack McCarthy of Kanturk makes the best black pudding I have tried and is a multi award winning craft butcher. His products are on sale in loads of places up and down the country now from restaurants to supermarkets premium food sections. As far as I know all his ingredients are locally sourced too.

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Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 02:02:43 PM
I am rather partial to Clonakilty, I have to say. I love the spice flavours in it. Not sure whether the imported blood would discourage me from buying it tbh.

I must keep an eye out for the Kanturk stuff.

Most Irish rashers are an absolute disgrace. When I get the urge for a bacon sambo, I go for the dry-cured streaky sold by M&S. Bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. None of that milky crud in the pan.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Shanna on November 08, 2013, 02:09:03 PM
If your ever in Sneem county Kerry, try the local Sneem Blackpudding - see https://www.google.com/search?q=Sneem+blackpudding&client=ubuntu&hs=KIo&channel=fs&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=CPB8UozLFdDe7Abxk4DgCA&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=632#facrc=_&imgrc=zpt9UNSAD5Fp2M%3A%3BaO0fLTQocbkzUM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsneemblackpudding.com%252Fimages%252Fblackpudding.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsneemblackpudding.com%252F%3B481%3B697

You won't be disappointed.

Shanna
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 02:11:59 PM
Holy shit! It comes in slabs!

Heart attack waiting to happen.  :)
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Shanna on November 08, 2013, 02:36:59 PM
Quote from: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 02:11:59 PM
Holy shit! It comes in slabs!

Heart attack waiting to happen.  :)

Unbelievable after a feed of pints ;-)

Shanna
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: mr hoppy on November 08, 2013, 06:56:59 PM
Annascaul black pudding is genuinely the stuff of legends, and that's not an exaggeration!

http://www.annascaulblackpudding.com

It's way better than any other pudding I've ever had and their white pudding

You can get it in Dingle but the best place to get the whole range is the Gala supermarket in Annascaul itself. If you're coming up from the coast road you need to turn the right (instead of left for Dingle) and it's in the village.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bzfeale80 on November 08, 2013, 08:30:13 PM
Quote from: mr happy on November 08, 2013, 06:56:59 PM
Annascaul black pudding is genuinely the stuff of legends, and that's not an exaggeration!

http://www.annascaulblackpudding.com

It's way better than any other pudding I've ever had and their white pudding

You can get it in Dingle but the best place to get the whole range is the Gala supermarket in Annascaul itself. If you're coming up from the coast road you need to turn the right (instead of left for Dingle) and it's in the village.

I must try and get some of that. While in Annascaul you could also check out Tom Crean and south pole inn in the village

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Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Dara on November 08, 2013, 10:32:13 PM
Got to say I like the Clonakilty black pudding. Doesn't bother me they put in cows blood. But not impressed that they can't find blood cheap enought at home - jaysus you would think that it would be cheaper to source local but I suppose the same can be said with a lot of foodstuff. Don't dig that Sneem or Aunuscal stuff. Not enough bite for me. My wife is from Kerry so every so often tries a foreign import on me. Naaah. Cork all the way boy with a dash of some random dutch blood, horse or whatever else goes in.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: LordEoin on November 09, 2013, 02:00:12 AM
Quote from: Bzfeale80 on November 08, 2013, 12:36:07 PM
I agree with taf that clonakilty black pudding is overrated. Jack McCarthy of Kanturk makes the best black pudding I have tried and is a multi award winning craft butcher. His products are on sale in loads of places up and down the country now from restaurants to supermarkets premium food sections. As far as I know all his ingredients are locally sourced too.
+1
McCarthy's sell awesome black pudding.
The ones that come in slabs are baked black pudding.
The ones that come like a sausage are boiled or steamed.

i gotta say though, I'm quite fond of the Lidl black pudding too
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bubbles on November 09, 2013, 10:26:11 AM
Quote from: Dara on November 08, 2013, 10:32:13 PMMy wife is from Kerry so every so often tries a foreign import on me. Naaah. Cork all the way boy with a dash of some random dutch blood, horse or whatever else goes in.

:) :)
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: CeardLeann on November 11, 2013, 08:39:10 PM
There is an unbelievable pig farmer who butchers his own. He's at the glasnevin indoor food market Makes some serious turf smoked bacon. http://rucksackfoodie.com/2012/12/03/peter-the-whole-hogg-farm/
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Padraic on November 12, 2013, 01:31:53 PM
I'll have to give McCarthys Kanturk black pudding a huge +1, by far the best I've had. (But I'm very open to finding better!)

Quote from: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 02:02:43 PM
Most Irish rashers are an absolute disgrace. When I get the urge for a bacon sambo, I go for the dry-cured streaky sold by M&S. Bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. None of that milky crud in the pan.

I'll have to reintroduce you to Mr McCarthy, his Rashers are always in my fridge (sometime sunstituted by the dry cured ones from M&S).

I also hate the amount of that milky water that comes out of some rashers! There should be a law against kind of thing!
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bzfeale80 on November 12, 2013, 01:57:20 PM
Quote from: Padraic on November 12, 2013, 01:31:53 PM
I'll have to give McCarthys Kanturk black pudding a huge +1, by far the best I've had. (But I'm very open to finding better!)

Quote from: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 02:02:43 PM
Most Irish rashers are an absolute disgrace. When I get the urge for a bacon sambo, I go for the dry-cured streaky sold by M&S. Bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. None of that milky crud in the pan.

I'll have to reintroduce you to Mr McCarthy, his Rashers are always in my fridge (sometime sunstituted by the dry cured ones from M&S).

I also hate the amount of that milky water that comes out of some rashers! There should be a law against kind of thing!

Its a matter if personal preferance when it comes to rashers. For example while I was in Canada the rashers most commonly available were the streaky kind and 50% or more of them was fat. Don't get me started kn the instant 'ready crisp' rashers that you could put in microwave and more resembled salty cardboard - the most tastless crap ever!

I much prefer back bacon type rasher at least with that cut you get a decent amount of meat usually. Some processed mass produced rashers may be injected with water which may cause the milky white liquid in the pan. At the end of the day you get what you pay for in terms of quality.

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Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bubbles on November 12, 2013, 02:21:07 PM
Quote from: Padraic on November 12, 2013, 01:31:53 PM
I'll have to give McCarthys Kanturk black pudding a huge +1, by far the best I've had. (But I'm very open to finding better!)

Quote from: Bubbles on November 08, 2013, 02:02:43 PM
Most Irish rashers are an absolute disgrace. When I get the urge for a bacon sambo, I go for the dry-cured streaky sold by M&S. Bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. None of that milky crud in the pan.

I'll have to reintroduce you to Mr McCarthy, his Rashers are always in my fridge (sometime sunstituted by the dry cured ones from M&S).

I also hate the amount of that milky water that comes out of some rashers! There should be a law against kind of thing!

Know of any stockists in Dublin, Padraic?
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bubbles on November 12, 2013, 02:23:22 PM
Quote from: Bzfeale80 on November 12, 2013, 01:57:20 PMI much prefer back bacon type rasher at least with that cut you get a decent amount of meat usually.

As part of a "full Irish" I prefer the back bacon too, but for a bacon sanger, it has to be streaky - crispy and lots of it.

But as you say, all down to personal preference.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Padraic on November 12, 2013, 04:51:44 PM
Quote from: Bubbles on November 12, 2013, 02:21:07 PM
Know of any stockists in Dublin, Padraic?

Fallon $ Byrne are the only ones I know of!
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Bubbles on November 12, 2013, 04:57:32 PM
Oh christ... I'd best start saving so.....
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Flathead on December 22, 2013, 11:17:50 PM
The "Glasnevin" market recommended by CeardLeann is a great little market. It's actually situated in a large warehouse in the Dublin Industrial Estate opposite Glasnevin Cemetery (it's behind Lidl). The stall holders sell a wide range of their own products which include standard meats as well as the specialised meats sold by Peter of the Whole Hog. The baker (another Peter) bakes in Smithfield and there is a constant queue at his stall. His breads are fantastic. There is also a fish stall, vegetable stall, various home made pastries and meat pies, wines, cereals, chocs, cheeses, honeys, apple juices, plants and olives, etc. There is a mobile pizza wood burning oven in a van outside the door which makes fresh pizza to die for.  Adjoining the market, there is a cafe which sells cooked food supplied by the stall holders.   This is a really popular spot to visit any Saturday morning for people in the Phibsboro/Glasnevin/Finglas area. It's open from 9.30 to about 2.30, Saturdays only throughout the year. While I'm a regular satisfied customer, I have no commercial interest in the market.
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: delzep on December 23, 2013, 06:48:45 AM
Is the curry stall still there? Their curries are superb. Pity I don't live in Glasnevin anymore  :(
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Jonnycheech on December 23, 2013, 10:33:12 AM
Quote from: delzep on December 23, 2013, 06:48:45 AM
Is the curry stall still there? Their curries are superb. Pity I don't live in Glasnevin anymore  :(

The last time I was there, about 2 months ago, there was no curry stall. +1 on the breads, the sourdoughs are delicious. The only problem is that they're a bit pricey and you end up eating the whole thing in the space of a day!
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Will_D on December 23, 2013, 12:25:49 PM
I think the market is also open on a Wednesday?

On a brewing note it is almost next door to Rotate/Bremen (major supplier of fittings/valves/air cyclinders and all sorts of kit) and across the road from Norgren! (who they are agents for)

www.brammer.biz
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Eoin on January 02, 2014, 10:21:06 AM
With regard to rashers being injected with water, that's not strictly true. The injection process is actually the brining of the pork and it's a brine mix, not pure water which is used.

In some cases it's used to increase the weight, but it's not the primary objective as a normal brining process will do the same thing, it'll just take longer as the brine has to permeate the meat and is not immediate which the injection process is almost....
http://chefsblade.monster.com/training/articles/956-cures-and-brines?page=2
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: christhebrewer on January 02, 2014, 07:02:54 PM
Does the brining process not extract water and so reduce the weight?
Title: Re: Rashers & Sausages
Post by: Eoin on January 02, 2014, 07:19:19 PM
A dry one, not a wet one. That's to say a wet brining adds liquid, a dry cure will firm up and dry stuff out.