Camelon butchers' golden hat-trick at industry awards

Patricks of Camelon secured coveted gold awards for its haggis truffles, haggis en croute and Chinatown meatballs in the Scottish Craft Butchers Haggis and Pork Products Awards 2019.

Patricks also lifted a silver award for its Haggis Log.

Owner James Patrick said: ‘The versatility of haggis lends itself to so many different dishes.

“The focus is on oven-ready, easy-to-cook products which make life easier for the customer.”

James, a third generation butcher who has worked in the shop since he was 14 years old, uses its award-winning haggis for the dishes and plans to feature them during 2019 - the officially designated Year Of The Haggis.

“Haggis is a big seller and it is important to offer new and exciting products which present Scotland’s national dish in different ways and keep it on the menu throughout the whole year,” he said.

James’ Chinatown Meatballs proved a winner in the Pork evaluation and he said they were already a firm favourite with the Camelon customers.

“They sell so well that we thought we would enter them for judging by the industry and our peers,” he explained. “It’s wonderful to see them do so well and have what we do recognised and endorsed at that national level.”

Patricks of Camelon was one of around 60 butchers from all over Scotland who submitted a wide variety of handcrafted products which were judged blind in one of the industry’s most keenly contested awards.

Douglas Scott, Chief Executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, said judges had been “blown away” by the innovation and tastiness of the entries.