Lokerse paardenworst

Lokerse horse sausages in tomato sauce

The Lokerse paardenworst (Lokeren horse sausage) is a regional product from the Belgian city of Lokeren.^[1] The dish consists of minced horse sausage in a sauce of tomato purée or peeled tomatoes, onion and celery, herbs (bay leaf, pepper and salt), butter or oil.^[2][3]

The Lokerse horse sausage was recognized in 2007 as a Flemish regional product by the Flemish Center for Agro- and Fisheries Marketing (VLAM).^[4] At present, the aim is to obtain European recognition as a regional product.

History

More than a hundred years ago, horse sausage was a nutritious meal in lean times. Horse meat could be afforded by anyone, as it came from worn-out horses from farms, the Antwerp harbor and coal mines, and was mixed with imported meat from the United States. Around the end of the 19th century Lokeren experienced a lot of unemployment and poverty. The horse sausage was therefore the ideal solution for the poorest population, because the product was both cheap and nutritious. There were also a lot of horse slaughterers active in the Waasland. The tougher meat was processed into horse sausage, which became very dry, so that the idea arose to add a tomato sauce.^[3]

Trivia

An album from the Urbanus comic strip was titled Lokerse paardenworsten [nl] in 2009.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Devos, Filip (2007). Gids voor Vlaanderen: toeristische en culturele gids voor alle steden en dorpen in Vlaanderen. Tielt, Belgium: Lannoo. p. 787. ISBN 9789020959635. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
2. "'Lokerse' sausages". www.vanderjeugt.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
3. "Lokerse paardenworsten". www.streekproduct.be. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
4. Wateetons, Meneer (2018). Worstbijbel Van malen tot knopen en van drogen tot roken. Overamstel Uitgevers. ISBN 9789048842278.

Sources

• Streekproduct.be: Lokerse paardenworsten
• Het Nieuwsblad, 28 September 2007, Erkende Lokerse paardenworst wil Europees
• Waasland Tourism
• Slagerij Van Moeseke