Queen’s Butcher Crowned Pie King

Ballater butcher HM Sheridan has been crowned the best pie maker in the country, winning both the annual Traditional Steak Pie and Speciality Pie competitions..

Never before in the eight-year history of the event for Scottish Craft Butchers has the same pie maker ever won both titles.

Business partners John Sinclair and Barry Florence have Royal Warrants for supplying Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales and were delighted to receive this further recognition for their products.

Cranberry was the special ingredient that ensured that their Venison & Cranberry Pie savoured sweet success in this year’s Scottish Butchers Speciality Pie Competition. The pie not only captured the imagination of the judges but their palates, too.

In the Traditional Steak Pie evaluation, the Deeside pie was one of five regional winners mystery-shopped then subjected to final scrutiny at Scotland’s Cook School at Kilmarnock.

The judges there didn’t know that they had selected Sheridan’s pie to pull off this unique double triumph.

John Sinclair and Barry Florence of HM Sheridan were presented with their trophies and prize by Jack Broussine of the Scotch Butchers Club and David Mooney of William Sword in their shop at Bridge Street, Ballater.

Sinclair explained that the combination for the pie was a request from a customer: "We have been making this pie for quite a while now - it is very popular and they sell well.

"The venison comes from Glenmuick estate which is just along the road from us and we make the puff pastry ourselves.

"The success has really been earned by our pie makers, Kimberley Menzies and David McSkimming. They take great care in what is produced and pies have become a very important part of our business.

"This double success is unbelievable - everyone in the shop and every customer is absolutely thrilled."

A total of 169 pies from throughout the country were tested for appearance, flavour, filling and appeal. The panel of judges at Perth College included experts, cooks and interested consumers and the event was organised by the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders in conjunction with the Scotch Butchers Club and William Sword Ltd.

Laurent Vernet, head of marketing at Quality Meat Scotland, the organisation which runs the Scotch Butchers Club, sponsor of the Steak Pie evaluation, congratulated the butchers on the quality of their entries.

"Scotch Beef, with its acclaimed European PGI status, is renowned throughout the world for its flavour," he said.

"This year we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the quality assurance schemes which underpin the Scotch Beef label, as well as Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork, and guarantee the quality and welfare behind its production.

"It is wonderful that our butchers can combine both innovative and traditional skills to produce products such as these mouth-watering, top-quality steak pies which make the most of our wonderful Scotch Beef."

Of the Speciality Pie evaluation, sponsor David Mooney, direct sales manager at William Sword, stressed how significant it is for the businesses which come to the top in these evaluations.

He said: "These awards are extremely important in the Scottish meat industry calendar, celebrating excellence across the board.

"To receive an award is a fantastic achievement as these winners represent the upper crust of the Scottish meat industry - tremendous given the high standard of produce across Scotland as a whole."

Find out more about the award-winning butcher, HM Sheridan.

More meat industry news from Scotland.