INVERURIE butcher, John Davidsons, has scooped two prestigious national awards for its black pudding and burgers at this year’s Smithfield Awards, announced at Butchers’ Hall in London last week.
One of twelve artisan butchers from across the UK to be crowned top of their class, the Inverurie butcher won the Diamond award for Best Black Pudding with its Bennachie Black Pudding and also won the Gourmet Burger category with its Pork, Stilton & Mango Burger, in what is widely recognised as the meat trade’s most high profile and challenging product evaluation.
Organised by the Q Guild of Butchers, the awards which have run for more than 30 years, recognise and reward the UK’s finest craft butchery products including Traditional Pork Sausage, Best Burgers, Gluten-Free Product, Best Bacon, BBQ Product and Black Pudding.
Products are awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold award by a panel of independent industry judges, with all Gold products in each category then pitched against each for the category champion Diamond Award.
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Scoring 67 points out of a possible 70 and described by judges as ‘unexpected and delicious’, John Davidsons’ Pork, Stilton & Mango Burger combines Scottish pork, creamy Stilton and sweet mango chutney, bringing together three wonderful flavours that work beautifully together. Its Black Pudding, also scoring highly with 66 points out of 70, is described as rich in protein, iron, zinc and spices, combining local ingredients to make an excellent black pudding which is both crumbly and full of flavour.
The coveted Diamond Awards were presented to John Davidsons by the highly regarded British Chef Jeremy Lee. The Inverurie butcher also made the final shortlist in five other categories with its MacFatty BBQ Product, Black Mountain Ribeye Steak, Bennachie Fruit Pudding, Steak Pie and Duck & Bourbon Butter Sausage, which all received Gold award status – the highest possible rating from the Guild.
John Davidson from John Davidsons Butchers said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have won these awards. We’re constantly evolving the flavours in our burgers, trying different things, pushing boundaries and finding out what works. The Pork, Stilton & Mango burger has been really popular with customers and it’s fantastic to have it recognised here. Our black pudding is something we’re very proud of – it’s taken us many years to develop. We’re very focused on the ingredients and aware of allergens, ensuring it’s gluten free and available to as many people as possible, and that care and attention to detail is reflected in the popularity of the product.”
Jeremy Lee, British Chef and proprietor of the renowned Soho restaurant Quo Vadis said: “The awards, presented at after a splendid lunch in the beautiful surroundings of Butchers Hall, is a testament to the hard work done by butchers the length and breadth of the British Isles. Tis a noble calling requiring great skill and knowledge. A good butcher is as vital as a good market and a good greengrocer or cheesemonger. They inform the public and encourage good cooking at home, in pubs and restaurants. It is an honour to have been asked to judge alongside Sheila Dillon and Xanthe Clay.”
Gordon Wallace, Q Guild Manager said: “The standard of entries this year was as high as ever so being crowned best in class for their black pudding and burgers, alongside an additional five Gold awards is a phenomenal achievement. We were delighted to present John Davidsons with their awards which not only endorses the quality of their products but helps to raise standards and drive innovation across the craft butchery industry.”
Situated in the heart of rural Aberdeenshire, John Davidsons is a family-run, multi-award-winning butchers, sourcing the finest meat in the world. Their professional team traditionally select and process everything to the highest specifications for their customers and meat connoisseurs before delivering the length and breadth of the UK.
