Butchers battle it out to win top breakfast product in Scotland

Butchers across the country have battled it out with their breakfast products to be named the best of the bunch at the Scottish Craft Butchers Awards.

Hundreds of entries for the top black pudding, beef link sausage and square sausage in Scotland were received by the judges.

On Monday, the winning butchers were revealed.

Arbroath butcher D H Robertson took the top spot for the best beef link sausages in Scotland.

Owner Steven Bennett said: “I’m overwhelmed, it’s been a long time in the trade and this is the first big achievement that we’ve won.

“It’s not down to just me, it’s down to the staff as well because they make the sausages day in, day out.”

When asked what the secret was to his award-winning sausages, Steven remained coy.

“All butchers know to keep their secrets to themselves,” he laughed

“We’ve been working on a new seasoning and it’s taken a couple of years to get it right and winning this award, we know we’ve actually got it right.”

Meanwhile Culloden butcher Ali Paul from A&I Quality Butchers, who has been in the trade for 45 years, lifted the top honour for square sliced sausage.

The butcher makes around 50 bars of square sausage each week, with each one cut into 20 slices.

Ali Paul said: “We’re the best in Scotland, we’re proud of that in the shop today.

“All the chaps in the shop, all the boys and the girls there are over the moon that we’ve taken another big award up to this part of Scotland.”

In Renfrewshire, the top black pudding award has returned to McCaskie’s in Wemyss Bay after 18 years.

Butcher Nigel Ovens won the title back in 2004 and went on to be runner up in 2012.

“We worked really hard to perfect the recipe and give us a fighting chance to bring the championship title back to McCaskie’s,” said Nigel.

“I feel amazing – we’re so pleased and thrilled to have regained the crown. It’s a fantastic lift for us all at the start of another year.”