When the announcement came last spring that LP’s Quality Meats would be closing its sliding doors for good in 2020, you could practically hear the collective sigh of disappointed meat lovers across the city. Thankfully, however, it wasn’t the be-all and end-all; the plan was to repurpose the popular Chippendale smokehouse to focus on wholesale smallgoods production and open for retail on weekends. That’s been temporarily put on hold, but chef-owner Luke Powell has released a batch of sausages to tide us over.
There are two snags to choose from – a pig’s head number with garlic and white pepper, and a chorizo made especially for another one of the city’s choice carnivorous haunts, Porteño. Free-range meat, premium spices, fresh garlic and natural casing all account for much of the quality factor, but it’s the monstrous Tennessee-built smoker that really sets these apart.
“All our smallgoods are finished in our Southern Pride smoker, which burns whole logs of apple wood and ironbark instead of small chips and sawdust, giving them a completely different smoked profile than most large-format smoking facilities,” says Powell.
As for serving suggestions, Powell says they’re great in “just about anything”, but prefers them straight off the barbecue with a side of mustard. Whatever you do, just be sure to heat them gently in water to warm them through before sizzling (“They plump up and produce a better ‘snap’ after you throw them on the grill or in a pan”).
Both varieties are being sold in packs of four, currently via Continental Deli’s website for $19, but they’ll be obtainable from online natural wine retailer, DRNKS, in the near future, and you’ll soon be able to find them at the Tramsheds Saturday markets and boutique outlets like Kingsmore Meats and Mr Bailie and Co, as well.
And if you, like us, are wondering whether there are plans to make the much loved kangaroo mortadella, chicken-liver pâté and spiced blood sausages available to the masses, Powell has encouraging news.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the products we will be releasing, so stay tuned.”