Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Butchers’ meaty awards success
IAN BUNTING
Two Monklands butchers made mince meat of the competition as they secured impressive success at the prestigious Q Guild of Butcher 2020 Smithfield Star Awards.
Muirhead business S Collins & Son brought home a staggering seven accolades, while Fergusons of Airdrie scopped a fabulous five prizes.
S Collins & Son’s awards included a brace of top- ranked three-star honours, one of which was also shortlisted as a traditional pork sausage category finalist for a “best of the best” diamond award.
The Lindsaybeg Road shop was then recognised for its prime sirloin steak – hand selected by owner Mr Collins’ dad from the same farm for more than 40 years – and chicken tacos, which both secured three-star status, with its traditional Scottish black pudding, black garlic chicken kebab and fresh meat display being awarded two-star status and jalapeno and the mozzarella burger one star.
Among several new award categories was the young butcher of the year – open to all aged under 24 and introduced to both recognise and reward the industry’s rising stars.
Part of the brief was that nominees must have developed a product sold in the shop and S Collins & Son’s Jordan Shaw was shortlisted for a diamond prize for his pork and jalapeno sausages.
Mr Collins said the up-and-coming 19-year-old was learning the craft of butchery, including boning, quality control, manufacturing and display, and is currently successfully working his way through SVQ level two with Scotch meat training.
He added: “Jordan is a great asset and find for our company.
“He has already learned a considerable amount and is always keen to learn and try new ideas.
“He works long hours and works hard every day.
“Jordan has the business at the forefront of everything he does and I view him to be a potential manager of the business.”
The competion’s judges commented: “Jordan sounds like a great asset to S Collins & Son.
“Not only learning on the job, he is also investing his time in an SVQ level two.
“Focusing on the business is also a great start, especially when you hear that your boss sees you as a potential manager.
“Jordan’s pork and jalapeno sausages definitely hit the heat spot and performed well under judging.
“For only a year in the business, Jordan seems to have learnt a lot and we look forward to hearing more about or from him in the future.”
Fergusons of Airdrie Butchers was “over the moon” with its multiple honours.
The Buchanan Street shop scooped a five-strong windfall, among them a hat-trick of top-ranked three-star accolades; one of which, its delicious lamb grill stick, was also shortlisted as a BBQ product category finalist for a “best of the best” diamond award.
Fergusons sources all its prime lambs locally, with the shop’s Scott Johnston adding: “The grill sticks are made using the finest cuts of meat and spiced using our own recipe.
“They taste delicious grilled on a BBQ.”
Judges agreed, describing them as having an “attractive presentation, with zero shrinkage, lovely meaty smell, tender to eat and good lamb flavour; a great easy to cook and eat product”.
Fergusons also clinched two further three-star honours for its hand held steak pie and 8oz sirloin steak as well as one-star prizes for its gluten-free beef slice and pork link sausages.
Mr Johnston said: “Naturally, we’re over the moon to be shortlisted for a category-leading diamond award in the face of such strong competition from our fellow butchers nationwide.
“While we didn’t strike diamond this year, we came very close and the positive comments made by judges will hopefully help us to progress to even bigger and better things next year.”
Butchers Q Guild general manager Claire Holland commented: “These awards are a great way of showcasing our members and their achievements.
“They work really hard to develop outstanding products and keep up with consumer trends; therefore, to have it topped off with an industry judged accolade is the icing on the cake.
“Although S Collins & Son and Fergusons of Airdrie did not achieve a diamond award this year, they should be very proud of their impressive hauls.”
For the first time this year, the revamped Smithfield Star Awards had a new star rating system through which three-to-one star certificates were awarded to products achieving a set standard.
The event’s sponsors were Lucas Ingredients, Dalziel, Innovative Food Ingredients, British Charcuterie Live, Weddel Swift, Verstegen, Taste of Game, Scobie & Junior and Institute of Meat.