Pigs flying out butcher’s door for Christmas Day
TOOWOOMBA butcher John Yeo is not telling porkies when he says people across Australia have ordered his smoked hams.
The award-winning owner of Westridge Meats is set to have one of the best festive seasons in his 17-year career.
The butchers, which won Best Ham by the Australian Pork Industry for the second successive year last month, is on track to sell 2000 smoked hams this Christmas.
Mr Yeo said some patrons across the country had gone to extreme lengths to purchase a ham from him this year.
“We’ve had phone calls from Melbourne and we’ve had people even thinking about flying up to Wellcamp airport to pick it up,” he said.
“We’ve had phone calls from Sydney and a Perth woman with relatives here who have bought them hams for Christmas.”
Mr Yeo’s staff have been working into the night to satisfy the huge demand for his locally-sourced pork.
“Our secret recipe is a blend of woodchips, cures and other ingredients, and we make everything ourselves,” he said.
“We’ve been working here until 9-10 each night, because making a ham takes about a week.
“They’re selling out as fast as we can put them in the vacuum packs.”
Ironically, Mr Yeo said he would have silverside on the family table come Sunday.
“I’m sick of hams for one year,” he joked.