Croatian Australians turn garages into sausage workshops

Croatian Australian families are currently transforming their garages into small butcheries, making homemade sausages, bacon and pork crackling in the same way their ancestors in Croatia have done for centuries, the local Hrvatski Vjesnik paper has reported.

As it is currently winter in Australia, the low temperatures and favourable humidity provide ideal conditions for this tradition. For many, it’s not merely a way of preserving food, it’s an act of preserving national identity, CE Report quotes HINA.

“My grandchildren don’t speak Croatian, but they know the difference between a good and a bad sausage,” said a Melbourne resident. “This is our connection to the homeland, from the stomach to the heart.”

The scent of paprika and garlic marks the arrival of winter and signals the beginning of gatherings among Croats and their descendants, of whom there are around 250,000 in Australia. Among the spices used is paprika imported from Croatia.

“The whole family gets involved,” said one local Croatian, whose garage now doubles as a drying room for meat.

“From the youngest to the oldest, everyone has a role.”

In this way, younger generations are taught about their heritage and roots.

For Croatian Australians, continuing this tradition is not only about the flavour of the sausages, but about what it represents, a bridge between past and present, homeland and new home, family and community.

At the Bosna Croatian Club in Sydney, an event titled “The Golden Sausage” has been announced for 9 August, where the best sausage made according to a family recipe will be selected.