The Smoked Chicken Ripper from Brew Union in Palmerston North has made the finals of the 2024 Great NZ Toastie Takeover.
The Smoked Chicken Ripper from Brew Union in Palmerston North has made the finals of the 2024 Great NZ Toastie Takeover.
A toasted sandwich from Palmerston North is still in the running to be crowned New Zealand’s best.
Blind judging for the 2024 Great NZ Toastie Takeover started in June and The Smoked Chicken Ripper from Brew Union has made it through to the final 14, from a starting field of170.
Head chef Jason Bates said Brew Union said it was their second time entering and Brew Union had made it to the finals before with a pickled pork and smoked gouda with cheese sauce.
Bates said The Smoked Chicken Ripper was put forward on account of strong customer feedback. A sample of The Smoked Chicken Ripper for promotional purposes found it smelt good, looked good, and tasted even better.
Brew Union head chef Jason Bates with a freshly-baked Smoked Chicken Ripper.
It presented with a sourdough Babco bread edging that had charred crunch yet held billowy fresh underneath. Waiting inside was melting cheese with delayed hints of smoke from the chicken and crumbled panchetta that were doused by a wave of gherkin bite.
Finishing relief came from a ready dunk in the in-house caramelised cheddar and onion aioli. It was found to pair well with a pale ale that was brewed on site.
Bates said while he was extremely proud of The Smoked Chicken Ripper and had eaten a few himself, he confessed to keeping it simple away from the office. His go-to toasted sandwich at the weekend was a “plain Jane” cheese and onion.
The competition was open to all New Zealand eateries, the only criteria being sandwiches be toasted between two slices of bread and easily eaten by hand. Each toastie had to include cheese (or a vegan substitute) and McClure’s Pickles.
All remaining ingredients were left to creativity.
Brew Union head chef Jason Bates and soux chef Dave Cameron.
Head judge Kerry Tyack said this year’s entries had presented the team of 30-plus judges with a tough task.
“The judging team has noted a much higher standard of bread being used in this year’s toasties, the inclusion of green ingredients such as mesclun salad and recognition, especially from the older hands, that getting the toasting right, particularly for fillings with high moisture content, is critical to mess-free eating,” he said.
“Where we see a need for some extra care is in consistency and for taking the number of ingredients used a step too far. While the wild and wacky approach can yield some terrific toasties, it can also result in key ingredients being lost in a maelstrom of disparate tastes and textures.”
With the final round of judging starting this week, each toastie will again be judged on presentation, effectiveness of preparation technique, edibility, taste, innovation and originality.
Toasted sandwiches from Auckland, Rotorua, Hamilton, Taupō, Palmerston North, Greytown, Petone, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Queenstown and Arrowtown have made the final cut, coming from city bistros, neighbourhood cafes, a deli, a butcher, a coffee roaster, a bar, several breweries and a food truck.
The supreme winner will walk away with a year’s worth of McClure’s Pickles, a custom Rikki Berger trophy and the prestigious title of best-toasted sandwich in the country.
The Great NZ Toastie Takeover winner will be announced on August 21.
