Butcher wins top award
It was a Diamond Day at Boghall Butchers in Bathgate as they celebrated winning the Best Beef Burger in Scotland championship.
The popular family business secured the coveted Diamond Award in the Scottish Craft Butchers Awards 2020 - marking their tasty steak burger out as the best in the business.
Awards veteran Paul Boyle of Boghall Butchers said winning the Scottish national title was “an award worth waiting for”.
Paul said: “We were runners-up for the title eight years ago and we set our mind to going one better one day.
“We’ve tweaked the recipe for this steak burger slightly over the years and now it looks like we’ve got it just right.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to achieve this top standing and it’s a real feather in the cap of everyone involved at Boghall Butchers.”
The Margaret Avenue butchers has been run by the Boyle family since 1975 with Paul, his wife Christine and daughters all involved in the popular business.
Paul is keen to retain a few secrets about his winning 4oz burger but revealed that only the best locally-sourced minced shoulder steak was used - along with a unique homemade seasoning mix that provides an extra taste experience.
He said: “It’s already a big seller and we’ll be working overtime to ensure there’s plenty for everyone who wants to buy the country’s best beef burger.
“This is a tremendous honour for the whole team and a great lift for our customers to know that our products are so highly thought of. It’s a real thrill to know that a wee family butchers in the heart of a housing estate in Boghall has taken on the best in Scotland - and triumphed.”
Paul is quick to acknowledge the part played by one of his team, butcher Stewart McSorley, who drove the finessing of the traditional recipe to create a winner.
Paul added: “Everyone has put their heart and soul into winning this award and we’re over the moon to finally take top honours. It means the world to us all.”
Boghall Butchers has also been playing a key role in serving the community throughout the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Paul said: “We immediately adapted the shop and our procedures to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. We also dedicate the first three hours of each day to make up deliveries for those self-isolating, the elderly and vulnerable and those who would rather not come out to the shop - before we open our doors at 9am. Our refrigerated van is working its socks off on deliveries and we’re happy to keep that community service going as long as our customers need it.”
Gordon King, executive manager of Scottish Craft Butchers, said the standard in this year’s industry evaluations had been “exceptional”.
He said: “Every time we stage these awards the bar just gets higher. The innovation, dedication, quality and consistency shown by Scotland’s butchers is outstanding and the products presented for evaluation were among the best we’ve ever seen. We had nearly 400 entries this year, resulting in three Diamond (for Scotland’s best beef burger; best speciality beef burger and best speciality sausage), 120 Gold and 196 Silver awards being presented - all demonstrating the very high standard of product developed and sold by our local butchers.”
Mr King praised the outstanding contribution of Scotland’s butchers throughout the Covid-19 crisis, stressing that many had gone the extra mile to ensure that housebound, elderly and vulnerable customers enjoyed home deliveries and that measures were taken to ensure shop customers enjoyed a safe and compliant shopping environment throughout.
He added: “Scotland’s local butchers proved yet again that they are the heart of the community and they have excelled not only as a local service but also on the national stage with some truly outstanding products.”
The Scottish Craft Butchers Awards 2020 were sponsored by national butchers suppliers Dalziel Ltd, Bellshill.
Danny Upson, Dalziel’s retail butchery sales director, congratulated all the award winners.
He said: “We are very proud to support and sponsor this year’s product evaluation event.”