Devon (also known by many other names) is a type of
manufactured meat product sold in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
.
Overview
Typical commercial preparations list the major ingredient as "meat including pork". It is usually composed of several types of pork, basic spices, and a binder.
It is considered to be a cheap meat product
and is sold in the
deli section of
supermarket
A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...
s.
It is usually served in a
sandwich
A sandwich is a Dish (food), dish typically consisting variously of meat, cheese, sauces, and vegetables used as a filling between slices of bread, or placed atop a slice of bread; or, more generally, any dish in which bread serves as a ''co ...
, often with
tomato sauce
Tomato sauce (; ; ) can refer to many different sauces made primarily from tomatoes. In some countries the term refers to a sauce to be served as part of a dish, in others it is a condiment.
Tomatoes have a rich flavor, high water content, s ...
, and can also be fried in slices.
Devon would be classed as "luncheon meat" in the UK
or a "cold cut" in the USA.
Terminology
The product is known by a variety of names in different regions of Australia and New Zealand:
* "luncheon" or “Belgium” -
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
* "polony" -
Western Australia
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
* “Belgium" or "devon" in
Victoria,
Tasmania
Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
,
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
and the
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory until 1938, is an internal States and territories of Australia, territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory, an ...
* "Windsor" -
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
* "fritz" -
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
Originally known in some parts of Australia as "German sausage", this name fell out of favour during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
when Australia was at war with
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. 'Veal German' is another facsimile. It is similar in appearance and taste to the
bologna sausage
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its metropolitan province is ...
and the cooked pork sausage known in Australia as Berliner.
Though similar in usage and appearance, South Australians maintain that devon is not in fact related to the South Australian "bung fritz", which is manufactured using a process and recipe entirely unique to South Australia, particularly in the use of the sheep's appendix (known as the bung, where bung fritz gets the name).
It may be referred to as Strass, from the word Strassburg, though this term is usually associated with another style of processed meat roll characterised by a waxy red 'skin' and fat-mottled, chunkier texture.
See also
*
Australian cuisine
Australian cuisine is the food and cooking practices of Australia and its inhabitants. Australia has absorbed culinary contributions and adaptations from various cultures around the world, including British cuisine, British, European cuisine, E ...
References
External links
* Macquarie Dictionary/ABC Online entry fo
"belgium sausage"* Macquarie Dictionary entry fo
"devon"* Macquarie Dictionary entry fo
"polony"
{{Australian cuisine
Australian sausages
New Zealand sausages
Lunch meat