National Butchers’ Week starts on Monday and, to celebrate, Alan Pirie of traditional family butcher’s James Pirie & Son in Newtyle, tells Caroline Lindsay their recipe for success
National Butchers’ Week – one of the most popular events in the butchery calendar – starts on Monday, raising awareness of the benefits of shopping in local butchers’ shops. Many butchers across Courier Country will be participating including James Pirie & Son in the Angus village of Newtyle.
The business was established in 1960 by James, who became the oldest working butcher in Britain at the age of 87! James’s son Alan joined the business in 1965 and has continued running the shop as a traditional family butchers ever since.
Alan explains the secret to their success: “Although we are a traditional butcher, our determination to always look to the future when developing new products has contributed to our success today,” he reflects.
“Like all industries, the meat sector has not been without its challenges and it was in 1996, during a particularly difficult period for the industry, that we produced an innovative Scotch Lamb apple, mint and rosemary sausage,” he continues.
“For most people beef sausages had been the norm and folk were excited by this breath of fresh air in the sausage market.”
As a result, Pirie’s was awarded the 1996 Scottish Meat Award, and the next few years saw the team collect a plethora of awards including the Scotch Lamb product development award, six gold medals, an International Gold Medal and Scottish Enterprise Tayside’s Innovation Prize for the Best Small Business.
“We’re known the length of the country for our quality produce and friendly service,” smiles Alan, before revealing that Pirie’s was also crowned Scottish Sausage and Haggis Champions in 2005.
“To date, we’ve won 188 awards for our products – an amazing achievement for a small local butcher’s shop in rural Angus,” he says proudly.
Selling top quality Scotch Beef PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) and Scotch Lamb PGI, sourced locally from trusted farms that meet the strictest quality standards, Alan and the team are super proud to have won the coveted World Scotch Pie Award twice – in 2018 and this year, 2020 – and the staff are currently working hard to fulfil demand for their pies.
So what’s the secret to a great pie?
“I think it’s down to the fact that they’re carefully handmade in small batches, generously filled with meat and a secret blend of spices and seasonings,” says Alan.
While no two days are the same for Alan and the team, he loves what he does, even though he’s now into his sixth decade of working in the shop.
“I never tire of meeting customers both local and from all over Scotland who have travelled specially to Newtyle because of our reputation,” he says.
In this fast-changing world, what does the future hold for Pirie’s?
“I admit that for me personally the world of social media and online ordering is changing at too fast a pace for me to keep abreast of but I’m determined that the business has a big part to play in customers’ future shopping experiences,” he asserts.
“My hope is that Pirie’s can be driven forward into the 21st Century with the help of everyone who shares my passion for quality produce.”
National Butchers’ Week is an opportunity for butchers to share their knowledge, expertise and produce with customers and Alan can’t wait: “Along with many other butchers in Courier Country, we’ll be offering a warm welcome to everyone, together with some special deals.
“And we’ll be launching a new flavour of sausage!”
Alan has shared a recipe for Scotch rump of beef with peppercorn sauce and rice (above).
To serve four, you’ll need: 600ml chicken or beef stock; 1 heaped tbsp cracked black pepper; salt; dash Worcester sauce; 1/2 tsp Dijon/English mustard; 100ml brandy/whisky; 350ml double cream; 500g Scotch rump beef cut into strips; 80g butter; pinch of thyme; sprig of rosemary; clove of garlic, crushed; 400-600g rice .
Put the stock into a pan and whisk in the pepper, pinch of salt, Worcester sauce, mustard and alcohol.
Over a high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer whisking every few minutes until the liquid is reduced by half. Add cream and reduce again by half. Whisk well and keep warm.
Season the beef and cook it in butter in a frying pan with the thyme, rosemary and garlic.
Boil the rice in a pan of water till fluffy and soft. Serve.
