The meat of the matter: How to tell when it's REAL boerewors

Thabo Mashao chats to consumer journalist Wendy Knowler on The Afternoon Drive.

Have you been braaiing on Heritage Day - and if so, how did you know that your wors was proper boerie?

There's a huge difference between products labelled wors or braaiwors and the real deal, warns consumer ninja Wendy Knowler.

Boerewors is vastly superior to the other similarly labelled products, she says.

Knowler points out that that the regulations for raw meat products including boerewors, were updated two years ago by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.

To be designated boerewors, sausage must be manufactured from the meat of domesticated animals - these include beef, sheep, pork and goat or a blend of two or more of these meats.

The really important specification, Knowler says, is that it must have a total meat content of AT LEAST 90% and no more than 30% fat.

"It can't contain mechanically recovered meat, that's the sludgy paste-like product produced from forcing ground meat under high pressure through a sieve to separate bones from edible meat tissue."

"There can be no colourants... and no edible or inedible offal is allowed in boerewors except for the casing, so it's quite a pure product that South Africans have been enjoying for generations."

Wendy Knowler, Consumer Journalist

Braaiwors, on the other hand, only needs to have 60% meat and can have a fat content of 40%.

This product is inferior because it's often bulked up with vegetable proteins such as soya to extend it, Knowler says.

So, if you're looking for quality, remember that real boerie must have the word 'boerewors' on the pack. 

You can also take the time to read the fine print, which must list the ingredients.

Scroll up to hear more detail from Knowler, and click here to read her article detailing product comparisons