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What Should Be The Next Grinds Challenge?
 
WOW Grinds Homemade Challenge - Best Portuguese Sausage Final Results Print E-mail

The Portuguese Sausage Punch Out took place on September 14, 2008. Three homemade Portuguese Sausages issued a WOW Grinds Challenge and went toe to toe with five popular store bought Portuguese sausages in a WOW Grinds blind taste test. This turned out to be a real battle of the "Winnahs" as no competitor scored below a 5 in total average score. One competitor even got a perfect 10 from judge Picky Picky! The top three sausages were true standouts and fought hard to earn their places at the top.

Click on a Judge to see their profile. Hover over each Judge's score to see their comment explaining that score and a score breakdown. A complete list of judge's comments is located below the results table. We did weighted scoring again with Taste=50%, Texture=30% and Presentation=20%.


Rank Name Judge 1
Judge 2
Judge 3
Judge 4
Judge 5
Judge 6
Average Score Out of 10 Normalized Score
#1 Rego's Purity of Hawaii
8.7Taste 9...Texture 8...Presentation 9. Now that is what I expect from a PS. Tastes like PS I grew up with. Ono and oily with nice koge-ness. Sweet flavor. 10 Taste 10...Texture 10...Presentation 10. Perfect balance! Good color and consistent flavor. I like that you can't taste the pepper in it. 5.2Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 6. Tasted OK. Didn't like it that much. Greasy. Weird after taste. 7.2Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 8. Medium spicy. Sweet. Moist. 6.3Taste 6...Texture 7...Presentation 6. Too sweet. 7.3Taste 7...Texture 8...Presentation 7. Typical PS. 7.45 100%
#2
Maui Homemade by Brother-In-Law
6.0Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Little too spicy for me. But I'm NCH (No Can Handle). Nice flavor and greasiness. 9.5Taste 10...Texture 9...Presentation 9. I like the sweet and spicy flavor. Taste a little like lup cheong. 6.3Taste 8...Texture 5...Presentation 4. Had a trail of orange oil that oozed out of my piece as I poked it with my fork. Good flavor, little spicy kick at the end. 7.0Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 7. Gamey taste. Smoky flavor. Spicy. 5.8Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 5. Tasty and salty. 7.0Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 7. Typical PS. 6.93 93.1%
#3
Hawaiian Sausage Company by Rego
7.2Taste 8...Texture 6...Presentation 7. Nice koge-ness. Kind of a non-texture(?) but good. Ono sweet flavor. 8.2Taste 8...Texture 8...Presentation 9. Sweet at first then gets peppery and spicy. Lots of layers of taste to this one that would be lost if eating with other food. 5.5Taste 6...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Tasted this one before. Slight after taste. 6.6Taste 6...Texture 8...Presentation 6. Sweet, salty. 5.5Taste 5...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Slightly too sweet. 6.3Taste 6...Texture 7...Presentation 6. 6.55 87.9%
#4 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
6.6Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 5. Ono. But like D. Not typical PS. More like smoked meat. I could eat a bunch of this one. 6.5Taste 7...Texture 4...Presentation 9. Good smokey flavor! But too much fat. 5.5Taste 6...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Tough. Pretty good taste. Oily. 6.3Taste 5...Texture 8...Presentation 7.Funny after taste. Gamey. 7.1Taste 8...Texture 7...Presentation 5. A tasty little surprise. I like the flavor bursts of fat. 6.2Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 7. Tough meat and a bit gamey. 6.37
85.5%
#5 Gouvea's Portuguese Brand Sausage
5.2Taste 6...Texture 4...Presentation 5. Not bad. Salty. Nice pepper flavor. 6.0Taste 7...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Too salty and texture was not so great. Didn't hold as I chewed it. Pieces broke up kinda like hamburger steak. 5.8Taste 7...Texture 5...Presentation 4. Good flavor. Little spicy. Little oily. Ono. 7.7Taste 8...Texture 9...Presentation 5. Good flavor. Not too spicy, but enough zip. Nice crispiness. 6.6Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 5. Slight kick to it. I like that. 6.8Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 6. Better tasting spice. Less rubbery. 6.35
85.2%
#6 Kukui Sausage Company
5.1Taste 5...Texture 6...Presentation 4. Nice chewiness, chunkiness, but not much flavah. Quite bland. Not memorable. 9.2Taste 9...Texture 9...Presentation 10. Sweet light flavor. Easy to eat. 5.0Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Flavor is very light. Not too oily. 4.3Taste 3...Texture 6...Presentation 5. Soft and bland. 4.0Taste 4...Texture 4...Presentation 4. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. 6.3Taste 6...Texture 7...Presentation 6. Simple taste. Bit rubbery. 5.65
75.8%
#7 Redondo's Portuguese Brand Sausage
6.5Taste 7...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Ono. Greasy and oily. Little spicy. 4.4Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 2. Taste like McDonald's sausage. Too much oil...unappetizing. 4.7Taste 5...Texture 4...Presentation 5. Very, very moist (oily). Too moist and wet. Didn't care for the taste of this one. 5.5Taste 5...Texture 4...Presentation 9. Moist and juicy, but too soft. 4.4Taste 5...Texture 3...Presentation 5. 8.1Taste 8...Texture 9...Presentation 7. Good texture. Good taste. A bit like link sausageish. 5.60
75.2%
#8 Hilo Homemade by Nelli778's Family Friend
4.6Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 3. Tastes like venison, not sausage. Kind of odd. Good, but not what I think of as PS. 2.3Taste 2...Texture 3...Presentation 2. It's a good sausage, but doesn't taste like PS. More smokey and beefy. 4.3Taste 4...Texture 5...Presentation 4. Very dry (not oily). Little chewy. Thick smokey flavor. Didn't like the flavor but maybe that's because I'm not used to it. 6.0Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Like smoked meat. Interesting. A little tough. 5.0Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Not as juicy on the inside as I would like. Tried a second piece which had a weird flavor thus decreasing score. 7.8Taste 8...Texture 8...Presentation 7. Different but good. Borderline beef jerky. A little tough but good. 5.00
67.1%

Judge's Comments


#1 Rego's Purity of Hawaii

Judge 1 - Taste 9...Texture 8...Presentation 9. Now that is what I expect from a PS. Tastes like PS I grew up with. Ono and oily with nice koge-ness. Sweet flavor.

Judge 2 - Taste 10...Texture 10...Presentation 10. Perfect balance! Good color and consistent flavor. I like that you can't taste the pepper in it.

Judge 3 - Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 6. Tasted OK. Didn't like it that much. Greasy. Weird after taste.

Judge 4 - Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 8. Medium spicy. Sweet. Moist.

Judge 5 - Taste 6...Texture 7...Presentation 6. Too sweet.

Judge 6 - Taste 7...Texture 8...Presentation 7. Typical PS.


#2 Maui Homemade by Brother-In-Law

Judge 1 - Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Little too spicy for me.  But I'm NCH (no can handle). Nice flavor and greasiness.

Judge 2 - Taste 10...Texture 9...Presentation 9. I like the sweet and spicy flavor. Taste a little like lup cheong.

Judge 3 - Taste 8...Texture 5...Presentation 4. Had a trail of orange oil that oozed out of my piece as I poked it with my fork. Good flavor, little spicy kick at the end.

Judge 4 - Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 7. Gamey taste. Smoky flavor. Spicy.

Judge 5 - Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 5. Tasty and salty.

Judge 6 - Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 7. Typical PS.


#3 Hawaiian Sausage Company by Rego

Judge 1 - Taste 8...Texture 6...Presentation 7. Nice koge-ness. Kind of a non-texture(?) but good. Ono sweet flavor.

Judge 2 - Taste 8...Texture 8...Presentation 9. Sweet at first then gets peppery and spicy. Lots of layers of taste to this one that would be lost if eating with other food.

Judge 3 - Taste 6...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Tasted this one before. Slight after taste.

Judge 4 - Taste 6...Texture 8...Presentation 6. Sweet, salty.

Judge 5 - Taste 5...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Slightly too sweet.

Judge 6 - Taste 6...Texture 7...Presentation 6.


#4 Waipahu Homemade by Smokey

Judge 1 - Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 5. Ono. But like D. Not typical PS. More like smoked meat. I could eat a bunch of this one.

Judge 2 - Taste 7...Texture 4...Presentation 9. Good smokey flavor! But too much fat.

Judge 3 - Taste 6...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Tough. Pretty good taste. Oily.

Judge 4 - Taste 5...Texture 8...Presentation 7. Funny after taste. Gamey.

Judge 5 - Taste 8...Texture 7...Presentation 5. A tasty little surprise. I like the flavor bursts of fat.

Judge 6 - Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 7. Tough meat and a bit gamey.


#5 Gouvea's Portuguese Brand Sausage

Judge 1 - Taste 6...Texture 4...Presentation 5. Not bad. Salty. Nice pepper flavor.

Judge 2 - Taste 7...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Too salty and texture was not so great. Didn't hold as I chewed it. Pieces broke up kinda like hamburger steak.

Judge 3 - Taste 7...Texture 5...Presentation 4. Good flavor. Little spicy. Little oily. Ono.

Judge 4 - Taste 8...Texture 9...Presentation 5. Good flavor. Not too spicy, but enough zip. Nice crispiness.

Judge 5 - Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 5. Slight kick to it. I like that.

Judge 6 - Taste 7...Texture 7...Presentation 6. Better tasting spice. Less rubbery.


#6 Kukui Sausage Company

Judge 1 - Taste 5...Texture 6...Presentation 4. Nice chewiness, chunkiness, but not much flavah. Quite bland. Not memorable.

Judge 2 - Taste 9...Texture 9...Presentation 10. Sweet light flavor. Easy to eat.

Judge 3 - Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Flavor is very light. Not too oily.

Judge 4 - Taste 3...Texture 6...Presentation 5. Soft and bland.

Judge 5 - Taste 4...Texture 4...Presentation 4. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Judge 6 - Taste 6...Texture 7...Presentation 6. Simple taste. Bit rubbery.


#7 Redondo's Portuguese Brand Sausage

Judge 1 - Taste 7...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Ono. Greasy and oily. Little spicy.

Judge 2 - Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 2. Taste like McDonald's sausage. Too much oil...unappetizing.

Judge 3 - Taste 5...Texture 4...Presentation 5. Very, very moist (oily). Too moist and wet. Didn't care for the taste of this one.

Judge 4 - Taste 5...Texture 4...Presentation 9. Moist and juicy, but too soft.

Judge 5 - Taste 5...Texture 3...Presentation 5.

Judge 6 - Taste 8...Texture 9...Presentation 7. Good texture. Good taste. A bit like link sausageish.


#8 Hilo Homemade by Nelli778's Family Friend

Judge 1 - Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 3. Tastes like venison, not sausage. Kind of odd. Good, but not what I think of as PS.

Judge 2 - Taste 2...Texture 3...Presentation 2. It's a good sausage, but doesn't taste like PS. More smokey and beefy.

Judge 3 - Taste 4...Texture 5...Presentation 4. Very dry (not oily). Little chewy. Thick smokey flavor. Didn't like the flavor but maybe that's because I'm not used to it.

Judge 4 - Taste 6...Texture 6...Presentation 6. Like smoked meat. Interesting. A little tough.

Judge 5 - Taste 5...Texture 5...Presentation 5. Not as juicy on the inside as I would like. Tried a second piece which had a weird flavor thus decreasing score.

Judge 6 - Taste 8...Texture 8...Presentation 7. Different but good. Borderline beef jerky. A little tough but good.

Comments
Add New
It's all for a good cause.
Nate (69.26.32.xxx) 2008-09-23 01:30:56

Thanks for doing this! Interesting that it jived with Pomai's shootout.

I bought some Rego's Purity brand at Costco when we were back in Hawaii, but I left 'em in my mom's freezer. :-( Man, gotta wait till Thanksgiving to get my Portuguese sausage. Bummers.
jiving with Pomai
ilikegrind (206.127.252.xxx) 2008-09-23 07:36:10

Thanks for mentioning that Nate. Pomai's results helped give credibility to our results because the results were consistent across 2 taste tests. Mahalos Pomai! I guess Purity and Hawaiian Sausage Co. get some mean bragging rights.
ricks
McD\'s (72.253.1.xxx) 2009-03-24 17:13:54

So does anyone know what kind of Portuguese sausage McDonald\'s uses? I can\'t find one that thick (not that its the greatest, but it is not as greasy as my favorite Redondo\'s 4 pack from Costco).
ilikegrind 2009-03-24 17:02:22

good question rick. i googled it and nothing came up. maybe it's a well kept secret at McD. i'll post it as an article and see what comes up.
Purity
Rob Rivero (98.150.206.xxx) 2009-12-06 04:51:12

I eat whatever P-sausage that is on sale for less than a dollar and that's it. But I went out and bought Purity because I read your taste test the other day. Dang. I forgot how good Purity was. Thanks.

Rob
ilikegrind 2009-12-14 02:53:17

Thanks for your comment Rob. I did the same thing as you after the p-sausage taste test and Purity is winnahs! Too bad Purity hardly go on sale...not like the other ones always on sale.
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