The Australian Meat Industry Council served up the Riverland and South East National Sausage King competition on Friday.

Guest judges in attendance were Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell, ABC South East radio presenter Rod Sparks and The SE Voice’s very own cadet journalist Brandi Miller.

Butchers in the region submitted 120 entries across 18 sausage and small goods categories gaining recognition for their hard work and promoting their product.

Mount Gambier guest judge Brandi Miller said the contest was testing on the tastebuds.

“I did not realise the amount of effort that goes into judging a sausage competition,” she said.

“Even though you try small samples of each product, it is challenging on the palette and extremely filling.

“There were different criteria to be judged including texture, visual uncooked, visual cooked and flavour.

“I walked in feeling vastly unqualified for the competition but I now feel as though I am somewhat of an expert on sausages and meat.”

Four regional categories of Riverland and South East, West Coast, Mid North and Adelaide Metropolitan were judged, with the winner of each moving onto the state final in September.

The state winners in the sausage, burger and selected small goods categories will compete at a national event in February next year.

Swallow Drive Meat Supply owner Tim Vonstanke was proud as punch to have three sausages place in the competition.

“Three of my sausages placed in the top three and another came fourth, so I scored in four out of six categories,” he said.

“Next year I might have to create sausages to put in the remaining categories so I can take out all six and become the reigning Sausage King.”

AMIC Western and South Australia state manager Chris Kelly said the quality of the competition had risen every year.

“The humble sausage has come a long way.

“Someone used to walk into the butcher and want a beef or pork sausage but now they are looking for something that is a bit more of a delicacy which is why the gourmet category is so large,” he said.

“Butchers are very inventive with what they are creating these days by thinking outside the box with their own recipes.

“I think that is what their customers are looking for, they want to see something new whether it’s a sausage or some other value-added product.”

Mr Kelly said COVID-19 gave people a new appreciation for their local butcher.

“Supermarkets could not keep up with the demand for meat so the local butcher really shone through by working flat out day in and day out,” he said.

“The good thing about your local butcher is not only will you buy a piece of meat they will tell you how to cook it.

“Across the state most of the local butchers are probably 20% up on their customer base since COVID-19.

“The supermarkets have a place but if you want a personalised service and smiling face head to the local butcher.”

Mr Kelly said the reintroduction of the regional competitions to the local community had been a sizzling success.

“I think that it is one of the reasons we got so many entries and the presentation night gives the local butchers a chance to come along and network,” he said.

“We try and support the community in return because they let us use their facilities and local community figures volunteer to come along to judge.

“There is no competition without judges.”