If you’re coeliac, gluten intolerant, or just trying to cut gluten out of your diet, you’ve probably learned the hard way that sausages are one of the worst offenders. Most commercial sausages — and plenty of butcher-made ones — use wheat-based breadcrumbs or rusk as a filler and binder. It bulks the sausage out, keeps costs down, and means you’re eating more bread than meat in every bite.
We do things differently at George’s.
Our Sausages Are Gluten Free
The majority of our sausage range is made without gluten-containing ingredients. No wheat breadcrumbs, no rusk, no flour-based fillers. We use rice crumbs and other gluten-free binders where needed, which means you get a sausage that’s all about the meat and the flavour — not the filler.
This includes our award-winning range. The Canadian Pork and Maple that won Queensland’s Best Gourmet Sausage? Gluten free. The Traditional Pork that took out first place at regionals? Gluten free. The Lamb, Chilli and Ginger? Also gluten free. We didn’t set out to make gluten-free sausages as a marketing exercise — we set out to make better sausages, and cutting the wheat filler was part of that.
With over 60 flavours on rotation, the vast majority are gluten free. If you’re ever unsure about a specific flavour, just ask at the counter and we’ll confirm it for you on the spot.
It’s Not Just the Snags
When you think about it, most quality butcher products are naturally gluten free. Fresh meat doesn’t contain gluten — it’s only when you start adding coatings, marinades, sauces, and fillers that gluten sneaks in. Because we focus on premium whole cuts and keep things simple, a large portion of what’s in our cabinet is naturally free from gluten:
- All fresh beef cuts — steaks, roasts, mince, diced, stir-fry strips
- All fresh lamb cuts — cutlets, legs, shoulders, shanks, mince
- All fresh chicken — breast, thigh, drumsticks, wings, whole birds
- All fresh pork cuts — chops, ribs, roasts, belly, mince
- Most of our sausage range — made with gluten-free binders
Where you need to be more careful is with marinated products, some deli items, and anything with a crumb coating or sauce. Our team knows the ingredients in everything we make, so if you need to check before you buy, we’ll give you a straight answer.
A Note on Cross-Contamination
We want to be upfront about this. We’re a busy butcher shop, not a dedicated gluten-free facility. While our sausages are made without gluten-containing ingredients, they’re produced in the same kitchen where other products are handled. If you have severe coeliac disease and need a guarantee of zero cross-contamination, please talk to us directly so we can work out what’s safe for you.
For the majority of people avoiding gluten — whether it’s coeliac, intolerance, or a dietary choice — our products are a great option. You’re getting sausages made from premium meat with gluten-free binders, not the usual wheat-filled alternatives from the supermarket.
Why It Matters
We’ve had parents come in almost in tears because their coeliac kid can finally eat a proper snag at a BBQ like everyone else. We’ve had customers tell us they’d given up on sausages entirely until they found us. That stuff matters to us. Everyone deserves a good sausage, and a wheat intolerance shouldn’t mean you miss out.
If you’ve been avoiding sausages because of gluten, come in and try ours. We reckon you’ll be surprised by how good a sausage can be when it’s made from actual meat instead of breadcrumbs.
Find us at Cleveland Central on Middle Street, open 7 days. Or order online and get it delivered across the Redlands.