GULGONG may be a historic town, but Gulgong Butchery's snags and burgers are among the state's best.
Owners, Roy and Janelle Roach have been competing in the regional NSW Sausage King competition each year since they purchased the business, and have come home with awards each year and for the past four years with assistant, Sam Webb.
They have won the best butcher's gourmet burger in the open class on each of the past three competitions since the section started, and also crowned traditional sausage king for the second consecutive year judged on quality and leanness of the meat and ingredients.
The burger contest can be made from any meat base ingredient and this year they won it with a chicken BLT burger while last year it was pork and the year before with chicken sweet chilli.
"When it comes to the traditional Australian beef sausage, ingredients are strictly traditional and can't be varied," Mr Roach said, "But we've beaten all, two years running, which is a great achievement for us as every butcher wants to win that award."
Other placings included second prize in traditional Australian pork sausage; continental (2nd); poultry (3rd); and Best Butchers Beef Burger (3rd).
"You don't want to bring the same thing in every year, so we try something different in the sections other than the thin sausage prize," Mr Roach said.
The Gulgong local began and completed his apprenticeship at the butchery when owned by brothers Peter and Mick Hensley, and after some years in Sydney butcheries at Ashfield, Chatswood and North Rocks, and his marriage to Janelle, they returned and bought the business.
At the recent Mudgee Sausage Festival which was attended by some 6000 people, the team took out the best creative snag with their vegemite and cheese combination.
Mr Roach said while he and the team are creative thinkers, their recipes are tried by customers and from the feedback come their competition entries.
