New research institute reveals the secret to the ultimate sausage roll
Media Release
Australia’s favourite snack is finally getting the scientific attention it deserves.
The sausage roll is a national treasure, whether eaten at the footy, fresh out of the oven or cold from the fridge the next day. Arguments rage about sauces, fillings and pastry preferences, but one fact is beyond debate: Australians take their sausage rolls very seriously.
And now, so does science.
Today marks the launch the National Institute for Sausage Roll Excellence – an “official” (AKA not at all official) research body with one mission: to uncover the formula for the ultimate sausage roll. With footy finals heating up, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Vice Chancellor of the National Institute for Sausage Roll Excellence, Duncan Parry, says the pursuit of the ultimate sausage roll has now been given the attention it deserves, with the full weight of an academic institute dedicated to perfecting everything from the filling to the flaky casing. Early research is showing clear results.
“It’s early days for the institute, but already our research team is discovering that no matter how you roll, sausage rolls are always better with pork,” says Mr Parry, who, when not engaged in scientific culinary pursuits, is the CEO of Otway Pork and founder of the National Institute of Sausage Roll Excellence.
Otway Pork found fame earlier this year when it took out the Champions prize for its Traditional Ham at the world’s most prestigious charcuterie awards in Germany.
The company, known for its obsession with quality, has now turned its attention to pork mince and the sausage roll, for the greater good of society.
“Pork delivers the ideal balance of juiciness and flavour,” Mr Parry says. “It stays tender in the oven, carries herbs and spices effortlessly, and has just the right amount of succulence to keep the filling moist while allowing the pastry to bake golden and crisp.
“Whether paired with something classic or a little left-field, pork is a sausage roll winner every time. The proof is in the pastry.”
To test these findings, the research fellows at the National Institute of Sausage Roll Excellence initially examined pastry crispness, seasoning levels and the all-important filling-to-pastry ratio. From this, they pinpointed that Otway Pork is an important part of the formula that takes the humble sausage roll to epic heights.
Mr Parry says the quest for perfection has just begun, and NISRE is now opening its research to the public, calling on Australians to submit their “official findings” to help push the science of sausage rolls to the next level.
“We’ll be calling on experts of every kind – doctors of deliciousness, local butchers and home-cook masters – to put recipes to the test and advance the cutting-edge science of sausage rolls.
To conduct your own trials, Otway Pork can be found in butchers, delis, specialty food stores and supermarkets across Australia.
Find your nearest Otway Pork stockists at https://otwaypork.com.au/stockists
The National Institute of Sausage Roll Excellence even has its own website, so it must be real. To learn more, visit https://sausageroll.co
