New Zealand's next top sausage

It's a real banger. Photo / iStock

The exotically named "alpine pork" sausage has fought off strong competition from a range of gourmet bangers to be named New Zealand's top sausage.

The honour was handed down to the creation from supermarket Countdown at the final of the Devro New Zealand sausage competition at Billfish Cafe in Auckland yesterday - on the eve of National Sausage Day today.

There were more than 400 entries to the competition and as the summer BBQ "sausage season" approaches, Kiwis wanting to branch out from the traditional pre-cooked options have a few interesting flavours to choose from.

Some of the sausages awarded "gold medals" at the competition include a pork, cracked pepper, coriander and basil banger from New World Bishopdale in Christchurch, duck a'la'orange from Westmere Butchery in Auckland and chicken, cranberry and camembert from the Gore New World.

Hellers and the Greytown Butchery also offered up a black pudding sausage.

The entries were assessed by a panel of culinary-trained chefs, butchers and food writers who judged the sausages on visual appeal, aroma, flavour, texture, shrinkage and composition.

Peter Kendrick, from Countdown, said he was elated with the win and was looking forward to developing new flavours over the summer.

"We are very proud. This is the greatest achievement, we are ecstatic. I think winning has come down to keeping up the high quality that Countdown customers expect. We are certainly very ready to get engaged with what winning this competition has to offer."

Head judge Kerry Tyack said the quality of the sausages improved every year.

"This is a great way to start sausage season. It's great to see manufacturers putting more creative flair behind their product and there are certainly sausages in categories that improve year after year."

This is the sausage competition's 22nd year.