Lanarkshire butcher sells Best Steak in Scotland
A Lanarkshire butcher has praised Scotland’s beef farmers after securing the first ever national title for prime sirloin steaks.
Coopers of Bellshill has lifted the coveted Diamond award for the best steaks in Scotland in the nationwide ‘Naked Steak’ evaluation by Scottish Craft Butchers.
Co-owner Laura Black said it was the many years of working hand-in-hand with the country’s beef farmers and the traditional methods of maturation that saw her product come out tops.
“Scottish beef is among the best in the world thanks to the dedication and hard work of our farmers and processors,” said Black. “It allows our butchers to handle the best and pass that on to our customers.
“My team – and my father’s before me – visit the local farms, markets and abattoirs regularly and have built up long-standing relationships with our suppliers dating back more than 40 years that ensure continuity of quality.
“It’s an absolute thrill to win the award for the best steak in Scotland. We’re all delighted here at the butchers shop but it’s also a feather in the cap of everyone involved in the field-to-fork process.”
The award-winning “Naked Steak” chosen for entry from Coopers of Bellshill was a Limousin/Aberdeen Angus cross sirloin. It was aged for 28 days hanging in a dry chill – the traditional maturation process in Scotland that promotes full flavour and tenderness – before passing to the butchers’ team for final boning and trimming.
Coopers, which employs 13 staff including six qualified butchers and two apprentices, has owned its Main Street premises for more than 40 years.
Laura left her 18-year career in business banking to take over the running of the business from her father in 2017 and is overjoyed that her first foray into competition within the industry has lifted top honours.
“It’s been a long hard learning process for me but this accolade boosts our confidence that we’re getting it right,” she said. “Several of our butchers have been with Coopers for over 25 years and are vastly experienced which is invaluable in this business. They take a real pride in their work and were all involved in selecting the ultimate winning steak.”
Judges at the evaluation described Coopers’ entry as “almost perfect”, praising its presentation, texture and taste.
Gordon King, executive manager with Scottish Craft Butchers, said the new award had been created in order to recognise and reward traditional butchery at its best.
“Our craft butchers are carrying out these skills to a very high standard to deliver the finest quality products to customers each and every day,” he said. “We wanted to recognise these traditional skills and reward the best.
“Our first ever national winner is the result of perfect farm-bred cattle going through a short supply chain, a traditional maturation process, expertly butchered with dedication, skill and care and presented to perfection.”
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