Cumberland sausage
Encyclopedia
Cumberland sausage is a form of sausage
that originated in the ancient county of Cumberland
, England
, now part of Cumbria
. They are traditionally very long (up to 50 cm), and sold rolled in a flat, circular coil but within western Cumbria they are more often served in long curved lengths. Sometimes they are made shorter, like ordinary British sausages, and sometimes they are coated in breadcrumbs.
The meat is pork, and seasonings are prepared from a variety of spices and herb
s, though the flavour palate is commonly dominated by pepper
, both black and white, in contrast to the more herb-dominated flavours of sausage varieties such as those from Lincolnshire
. There are traditionally no colourings or preservatives added. The distinctive feature is that the meat is chopped, not minced, giving the sausage a chunky texture.
In March 2011, the "Traditional Cumberland sausage" was granted Protected Geographical Indication
(PGI) status.
, and this is where the product takes its name from. The Cumberland pig was a heavy pig with an upturned snout and ears that flopped forwards. Its meat had a distinctive quality and flavour that was unique. Heavy boned, slow to mature, and extremely hardy, the creature became a symbol of the region, but was allowed to die out in the early 1960s at Bothel
. As an alternative, Large Black
, Gloucestershire Old Spots and Welsh breeds can be used. The Cumberland pig breed has now been revived, although not officially recognised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
.
classification under European Commission
rules. This would provide the same protection as is afforded to Parma ham and Feta cheese. The association suggested that the criteria for the sausages should include a high meat content of more than 80%, the sausage to be coiled, not linked, a wider diameter than conventional sausages, and a rough-cut texture. It says the sausage should be prepared in Cumbria. While individual butchers have their own recipes, they are generally more highly seasoned than traditional sausages, possibly due to the historical import of spices at Whitehaven
.
There was, however, opposition to the campaign in its present form, which essentially calls for the modification of the proposition to reduce the region of the proposed protection from the Post 1974 'administrative' County of Cumbria - which incorporates Cumberland, Westmorland
, and Lancashire 'north of the Sands'
but without abolishing the original counties - to the Traditional County of Cumberland, on native grounds, with provisions including the native right for natives to continue to manufacture the sausage elsewhere.
In March 2011, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status was granted to the name "Traditional Cumberland sausage". To display the PGI mark, the sausage must be produced, processed and prepared in Cumbria and have a meat content of at least 80%. It must include seasoning and be sold in a long coil.
Cumberland Sausage Company
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
that originated in the ancient county of Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, now part of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. They are traditionally very long (up to 50 cm), and sold rolled in a flat, circular coil but within western Cumbria they are more often served in long curved lengths. Sometimes they are made shorter, like ordinary British sausages, and sometimes they are coated in breadcrumbs.
The meat is pork, and seasonings are prepared from a variety of spices and herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
s, though the flavour palate is commonly dominated by pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
, both black and white, in contrast to the more herb-dominated flavours of sausage varieties such as those from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire sausage
Lincolnshire sausages are a distinctive variety of pork sausage developed in and associated with the English county of Lincolnshire.A widely available variety at most UK butchers and supermarkets, the sausage is commonly dominated by the herb sage, rather than the more peppery flavour balance found...
. There are traditionally no colourings or preservatives added. The distinctive feature is that the meat is chopped, not minced, giving the sausage a chunky texture.
In March 2011, the "Traditional Cumberland sausage" was granted Protected Geographical Indication
Protected Geographical Status
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
(PGI) status.
Naming origin
Up until the 1950s, most farms and many households kept a pig as part of their regular husbandry and means of self-sufficiency. Over time a local variety of pig was bred that was suited to the cooler and wetter climate in Cumbria. It was known as the Cumberland PigCumberland Pig
The Cumberland Pig was a breed of domestic pig originating in the North of England; it was used to produce local delicacies the Cumberland sausage and Cumberland ham...
, and this is where the product takes its name from. The Cumberland pig was a heavy pig with an upturned snout and ears that flopped forwards. Its meat had a distinctive quality and flavour that was unique. Heavy boned, slow to mature, and extremely hardy, the creature became a symbol of the region, but was allowed to die out in the early 1960s at Bothel
Bothel, Cumbria
Bothel is a small village in Cumbria, North-western England. It is situated just off the main A595 road, eighteen miles from Carlisle and seven miles from Cockermouth. The village is in the civil parish of Bothel and Threapland just outside the boundary of the Lake District National Park...
. As an alternative, Large Black
Large Black pig
The Large Black or Devon pig is a breed of domestic pig native to Great Britain. It is a large breed, and is the only British pig which is wholly black. Large Black pigs are present in a number of countries including the UK, Australia, Canada and the United States of America. In the United States...
, Gloucestershire Old Spots and Welsh breeds can be used. The Cumberland pig breed has now been revived, although not officially recognised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Rare Breeds Survival Trust
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity, whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the United Kingdom’s native farm animal genetic resources...
.
History
The Cumberland sausage has been a local speciality in Cumbria for around 500 years. It is not known how the Cumberland sausage came to acquire its special shape and taste. Historically, the sausage was more highly seasoned than it is today. This is largely attributed to the influx of spices into Whitehaven during the 18th century. During this time Cumbria was introduced to ginger, black pepper and nutmeg, as well as other foodstuffs such as molasses, sugar and rum. Many of these ingredients have been incorporated into some of Cumbria's local specialities, such as the spicy Cumberland Sausage.Ingredients
Most sausages are divided into links but the Cumberland sausage is one continuous rope-like coil. The sausage is typically filled with coarsely chopped pork and black pepper, and sometimes other ingredients such as herbs and other spices. The meat content is usually 85% - 98%. However, the popularity of the Cumberland sausage has become so widespread in recent years that many large food producers started to mass-produce it and sacrificed its original quality with a meat content as low as 45%, containing emulsified rather than coarse-cut meat and being sold in thin links rather than thick continuous lengths.Protected Geographical Status
There was a campaign by some Cumbrian butchers and meat manufacturers to have Cumberland sausage placed under a Protected Geographical StatusProtected Geographical Status
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
classification under European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
rules. This would provide the same protection as is afforded to Parma ham and Feta cheese. The association suggested that the criteria for the sausages should include a high meat content of more than 80%, the sausage to be coiled, not linked, a wider diameter than conventional sausages, and a rough-cut texture. It says the sausage should be prepared in Cumbria. While individual butchers have their own recipes, they are generally more highly seasoned than traditional sausages, possibly due to the historical import of spices at Whitehaven
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
.
There was, however, opposition to the campaign in its present form, which essentially calls for the modification of the proposition to reduce the region of the proposed protection from the Post 1974 'administrative' County of Cumbria - which incorporates Cumberland, Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
, and Lancashire 'north of the Sands'
Furness
Furness is a peninsula in south Cumbria, England. At its widest extent, it is considered to cover the whole of North Lonsdale, that part of the Lonsdale hundred that is an exclave of the historic county of Lancashire, lying to the north of Morecambe Bay....
but without abolishing the original counties - to the Traditional County of Cumberland, on native grounds, with provisions including the native right for natives to continue to manufacture the sausage elsewhere.
In March 2011, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status was granted to the name "Traditional Cumberland sausage". To display the PGI mark, the sausage must be produced, processed and prepared in Cumbria and have a meat content of at least 80%. It must include seasoning and be sold in a long coil.
External links
Cumberland Sausage Company