Q Guild butchers across the nation are gearing up for the UK final of their 2016 barbecue competition.
Winners of the seven regional heats have been announced, and UK winners in each of six BBQ product categories will be unveiled in the upcoming national finale.
One of them will also be crowned overall supreme barbecue champion by the Q Guild, which represents 110 award-winning butchers from the Scottish Highlands down to the south coast.
In the Scottish regional heat, Robert Alexander Butchers of Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, proved the standout performer when winning through to the national final in three of the six awards categories with its 6oz steakburger, extra lean rib eye steak and coffee crusted BBQ steak.
At the other end of Inverclyde, Mearns T McCaskie Butchers in Wemyss Bay qualified for the speciality burger final with its Tex mex burger, while Alex Jack Butchers in Stranraer won through to the speciality sausage final with its spicy Italian sausage.
Scotland’s BBQ pork sausage champion is JJ Rodgers & Sons Butchers in Glasgow with the shop’s traditional pork sausage.
In the Welsh heat, The Moody Sow Farm Shop in Old St Mellons won through to the national final four of its products, including a mango chutney burger. Meanwhile, Martin Player High Class Butcher in Whitchurch is flying the flag for Wales in the remaining two categories with its beef burger and speciality pork with coffee and black pepper sausage.
The north-west regional heat saw the reigning Q Guild BBQ supreme champion, H Clewlow Butchers, from Nantwich, again win through to the UK final with a brace of bangers – its classic dog pork sausage and speciality chicken lemon and ginger sausage.
Cranstons in Penrith is another two-times national final qualifier with its rib eye steak and speciality topside and cheddar burger, as is Frasers Butchers in Bolton with the shop’s mega burger and its lamb donner.
In the north-east heat, Turnbull’s Butchers in Alnwick was crowned regional sausage champion with its traditional pork sausage, while the naked steak category winner was Blackwell’s Butchers in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees.
Blagdon Farm Shop, north of Newcastle upon Tyne, qualified for the UK Beef Burger final, while George Payne Butchers in Brunton Park, Gosforth, won through to the speciality burger final with its smoked brisket burger.
Also through to the UK final are Nicholson’s Butchers in Whitley Bay, the regional speciality BBQ product category winner, and Lishman’s Butchers in Ilkley which was crowned north-east speciality sausage champion.
In the Midlands, Walter Smith Fine Foods in Melbick won the regional pork sausage championship, and was also top in the speciality sausage category with its steak, onion and black pepper sausage.
The Albrighton branch of Walter Smith Fine Foods also won the Midlands speciality BBQ product category with a Moroccan lamb kebab.
Owen Taylor Butchers, from Alfreton in Derbyshire, was a double winner in the beef burger and speciality burger categories, while Scott Barlow Butchers, from Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottingham, won through to the naked steak category final with a traditional sirloin steak.
In the South heat, Black Barn Butchers, of Milford in Surrey, was crowned double regional champion in the speciality sausage and speciality burger categories with its Welsh dragon sausage and juicy Lucifer burger.
HG Walters, from Barons Court in London, won the pork sausage category with its Buckinghamshire sausage, while Owtons Butchers, from Southampton, seized the naked steak regional title with its cote de boeuf.
Chadwicks Butchers, of Balham, London, saw its gourmet burger fight off the competition in the beef burger category, and James of Shepperton won the speciality BBQ product category with its royal mint and rosemary lamb rump.
In the East region, honours were divided between Bradwell Butchery, near Great Yarmouth, and Archer’s Butchers, of Norwich. Bradwell grasped the regional beef burger, pork sausage, and speciality sausage titles, while Archer’s won the naked steak, speciality burger and speciality BBQ product categories.
Almost 400 products from Q Guild butchers nationwide were entered for this year’s competition.
The national final takes place at Eastwood Hall, near Nottingham, on 15th May when all qualifying products will be cooked prior to judging by Richard Holden, who is widely recognised as a premier BBQ chef.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
