Best Newmarket Sausages – Musk’s & Powters’
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Reviews | 16 comments
Driving home alone tonight I was mentally bemoaning the fact that we don’t have a local delicacy and then I remembered that we have the Newmarket Sausage.
When I was in my late teens my mum, sister and I used to come and stay in Newmarket for the racing. We would walk to watch the horses exercising on the early morning gallops and then rush back to the hotel for a large cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon and Newmarket Sausages. I had never tasted sausages as good but put a lot of the enjoyment down to the early morning exercise and fresh air.
Now I know that Newmarket Sausages are probably the best sausages in the universe. The two main excellent sausage makers in Newmarket are Powters’ and Musk’s. Both companies claim to make the original Newmarket Sausage. Musk’s has two royal warrants and Powters’ have several sought after awards and prizes. So the two companies balance each other out more or less on the rubber stamping front. Both companies were established in the same decade although there is a haziness over the actual year that each started trading. But, like my teenage years, the 1880’s are a very long time ago.
Musk’s and Powters’ sausages have been available in supermarkets for a few years now. Powters’ used to be slightly more commercial (supplying a larger range of shops) but since Musk’s merged with D. White Butchers and The Braughing Sausage Company things have changed. I have noticed Musk’s on the shelves of most of the local supermarkets. However, Powters’ have the better website, in my opinion. And as you can buy Newmarket Sausages online, a decent website must make a vast difference to sales.
Both companies produce a great sausage. The taste is diferent. Musk’s use bread in their sausages whilst Powters’ uses the more traditional rusk. The Musk’s chipolatas are particularly tasty. They use sheep gut for the skins. The natural casings from both sausages should not be pricked before cooking as they will not burst like cheaper varieties.
I have found that locals plump for the one that suits their taste. This is team loyalty that any major football club would envy.
At a supper party,
“I’m afraid it’s just Newmarket Sausages, tonight,” sends a frisson around the table.
“Musk’s, of course.”
Danny and I relax. It’s our team.
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Just wanted to pitch in here. Having lauded Musk’s for years as the perfect Newmarket sausage we tried Powters’ a few months ago for a ‘breakfast’ sausage. They were perfect for a full English breakfast, less spicy but still very tasty. So now I’d say that Powters’ are perfect for breakfast and Musk’s are ideal for supper or a more complex dish.
Hi Ed
Many thanks for your email.
Yes, I’ve tried the Aspall ones – they are fantastic and I wouldn’t expect anything less! Do you really find the customers worry about the skins?
Powters are great too (http://sausagefans.co.uk/powters-new-sausage-range/) and I think people near enough to shop in Newmarket, of buying mail order, are very lucky to have such choice.
Top sausages!
Charlie and SK
I dont know about powters, but I work for Musks and i known for certain that we only use the best natural skins for all our customers as we dont like to different depending on who we sell to!
I glad to see that we make so many customers on this forum happy.
Thank you
Ed
p.s. have you tried our new Aspalls flavour?
Hi Charlie
What makes you think they use a different skin? Did you mean Powters or both Musks and Powters? I’m pretty sure that Musks use the same casing.
Kind regards
SK
I absolutely agree about Newmarket Sausages being the best in the universe. I just today got some from Powters in Newmarket, I also got a gorgeous pork joint which we’re having for our (early) Christmas dinner tomorrow.
To those buying Newmarket Sausages from supermarkets, I just want to say that getting them directly from the butcher, gives you an even better sausage (which I never thought possible). They use a different skin, presumably because the supermarket versions need to have a longer shelf life.
We have been dedicated fans of the traditional Newmarket Sausage for years, but this week tried the lean version as I’m fighting the weight, and it was like eating a juicy, full fat, tasty version – so I went back for more today. Yummy!
Not everyone is lucky enough to live just 4 miles from such heavenly treasures, but if you’re visiting Cambridge, it’s well worth a detour to Newmarket just to get Newmarket Sausages from the maker.
As to whether Powters or Musk – well, to me that’s like having to choose between two equally delicious cakes, I’d have either, any day!
Hi Stephen
Thanks for unravelling this mystery!