Derbyshire quality butchers make the cut at top national awards

Published On Sunday 3 Feb 2019 by Sticky Beak
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Two Derbyshire butchers are celebrating their Awards today at one of the UK’s most prestigious competitions for craft butchery products – The Smithfield Awards. The event, held annually by the Q Guild of Butchers recognises and rewards the best products from their members who are among the very best artisan butchers in the country.

Owen Taylor & Sons in Leabrooks were awarded, for their Pastrami, the title Best English Beef product and a Diamond Award in the Best Ready to Eat category. Using home cured 28 day matured beef the product is, cooked and seasoned in house. The judges commented that is was an “Excellent product with a great flavour”.

In addition, Owen Taylor also received gold certificates for its Maple Glazed Bacon Steak, Gluten Free Herby Sausage, Tomato Sausage, Greek Passion Lamb Rump, Cumberland Sausage and Smokey Pork Burger. The award winning products are on sale at the butchers shop on Main Road in Leabrooks.

Richard Taylor of Owen Taylor & Sons said:

“We’re thoroughly pleased by the result. It’s always a privilege and an honour to be recognised. We were confident that we had made a good product, it sells well so our customers certainly think so, and this is just the icing on the cake.”

CN Wright Butchers in Codnor outside Ripley received a Diamond Award for its Traditional Pork Pie; made with a hot water crust pastry, the recipe has been unchanged for decades and uses locally sourced pork plus a secret ingredient in the jelly. The judges were particularly impressed with the pastry and thought it was a great example of a classic.

CN Wright were also awarded gold certificates for its Pork & Sage Sausage, Traditional Pork Sausage, Pork & Tomato Sausage and Dry Cured Back Bacon. These products and more are available to buy in store on Alfreton Road, Codnor.

Arthur Wright of CN Wright said:

“This is the third time we’ve won at Smithfield and we’re over the moon - but then we have been practicing since 1888!”

The Q Guild butchers who come from across Britain were recognised in 18 categories, which ranged from Best Traditional Pork Sausage, Best Bacon and Cured Product, Pies & Bakery to Innovation, Best Game product and Best Beef and Lamb products from England, Scotland and Wales.

The awards were judged blind by an independent panel of international food and meat industry experts at City of Glasgow College’s state of the art facilities in October 2018. The two butchers were presented with their awards by celebrity chef and broadcaster Matt Tebbutt at a sumptuous luncheon ceremony in London on 30th January.

Claire Holland, Manager of the Q Guild of Butchers said:

““This year’s Smithfield Awards winners are truly an example of exceptional quality. These butchers are preserving and promoting the very best in butchery heritage, skills, customer service and above all, delicious meat.”