An Inverurie butcher has set a new Guinness World Record for the most sausages to be made in one minute.
The record was smashed at the annual Taste of Grampian food and drink festival on Saturday.
The event, which this weekend celebrated its 17th anniversary, drew in thousands of people from across the region to Thainstone Centre near Inverurie to sample the finest food and drink the Grampian larder has to offer.
Glorious sunshine brought in the crowds with many stallholders selling out before lunchtime.
The day’s success culminated in a battle of the bangers when two leading Scottish butchers took to the stage to try to create a new world record.
The butchers – Steven Cusack from Davidsons Butchers in Inverurie and David Patterson from Yorkes of Dundee – were given one minute to produce as many sausages as possible.
A group of adjudicators oversaw the record attempt checking the links were the correct length – four inches – and not burst.
The two butchers were attempting to break the record of 44 sausages.
After a special sausage-making attempt from livestock auctioneer and star of The Mart television programme – Colin Slessor – the judges were unveiled to a packed audience.
Yorkes of Dundee butcher David Patterson was one short of the previous record with his 43 sausages.
However Steven Cusack, from Inverurie, smashed the record setting a new Guinness World Record of 54 sausages in a minute.
Mr Cusack, 29, who has been working at Davidsons for around 10 years, said his practice had paid off and felt “fantastic” to set a new record.
The record attempt was organised by red meat promotion body Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), who were the title sponsors of this year’s Taste of Grampian event under the Specially Selected Pork brand.
The Specially Selected Pork brand is present on meat from Scottish pig farms under quality assurance schemes supported by the Scottish SPCA.
Carol McLaren, from QMS, said: “The butchers had been training hard in their own premises but we were asking them to perform with equipment they were unfamiliar with in front of hundreds of spectators so it was a very challenging environment.
“While we were keen to have some fun with the record attempt and showcase the Specially Selected Pork brand, the main objective was to remind people of the traditional skills and innovation to be found in our butchers’ shops around the country.”
Meanwhile, visitors to the event were also treated to a host of cookery demonstrations from leading celebrity chefs.
Headlining the event were The Incredible Spicemen – Tony Singh and Cyrus Todiwala. They were joined by food writer and P&J columnist Lady Claire Macdonald, Michelin-star chef Kevin Love and local Masterchef celebrity and chef proprietor of Moonfish Cafe in Aberdeen, Brian McLeish.
Singing the praises of the north-eat larder, Mr Todiwala said the event was a “fabulous” showcase of food and drink.
He said: “All across the British Isles the farmers and the producers are really proud of what they do. The more we can deal with farmers the better for all of us.
“At the heart of everything is the person’s passion about their product and I think that oozes out of Scotland.”
