As an Italian, I think pineapple on pizza is an insult to one of my culture’s most beloved staples.
So when I heard about IGA’s pineapple-infused sausages, I immediately had my guard up and initially decided to steer clear from them.
The thought of pineapple in a sausage with cheese wasn’t something I was rushing to try. But now, I’d recommend it to others who are reluctant and questioning the flavour combination.
The New Idea team was lucky enough to try them first, and when I heard my colleagues raving about them, I decided to dip my toe in and try a piece.
I was instantly taken with how moist and juicy they were, and their flavour was balanced… but didn’t scream pineapple.
Chicken, cheese and pineapple are quite the combination. So, naturally, I had to ask Jackson Miano from Bellmere Butcher, who helped develop the controversial flavour, what he was thinking.
Some might consider him a mastermind for coming up with the creation, which includes chunks of Queensland pineapples. Others, he acknowledges, might wonder what on earth he has done.
The flavour is so subtle that pineapple fans might wonder if it’s actually in there, but he assured me that the subtlety is deliberate.
“We try not to put too much of the pineapple juice in so it doesn’t make it too acidic for the shelf life of the sausage itself,” he explained of the sausages, which will be available to mark Queensland Day on June 6.
“So it’s more to get the chunks of pineapple through the sausage as you’re going.”
Surprisingly, he is also not a pineapple on pizza fan, so when it comes to the pineapple on pizza debate, he’s well-versed in it. He thinks it could convert a few people, but he will continue to steer clear of pineapple on pizza.
“Obviously with the chicken sausage, we can’t add too much moisture into it because they’ve got a lot of moisture in it as it is. That’s why we add the whole pineapple rather than the juices in there as well” he explained.
There is also grated cheddar cheese incorporated in the mix, which Jackson says is evenly distributed throughout the sausages.
If you’re still not convinced, he assured people that they still go well with onions and tomato sauce. In Queensland alone, IGA’s research has found that 62 per cent top their snags with tomato sauce, followed by barbecue sauce as the second choice (56 per cent).
When it comes to barbecuing, 73 per cent are most likely to cook sausages. So as someone who has been converted with pineapple sausages, I suggest you try these too.
And the good thing is that Queenslanders can give them a try at the IGA Alexandra Hills store on June 6 for just $3.00, with all proceeds supporting the Hilliard State School.
