A Nantwich butcher has won through to the final of the Butchers Q Guild national BBQ competition in not one, but two product categories.
H Clewlow, on Pepper Street, will represent the Guild’s North West region with its Bistro steak, and Thai pork medallion, chosen as best speciality BBQ product.
Both have been newly created especially for the 2015 barbecue season.
The rump steak comes from continental-cross prime cattle bred by long-time local farmer supplier Ian Booth, of Haslington, while the pork dish is a tenderloin wrapped in home-cured bacon in a Thai marinade with lime and lemon.
The high-welfare pork is from British White Landrace pigs – locally and naturally reared in the specialist production unit at Reaseheath College, Nantwich.
The Pepper Street butchers, run by Charles Clewlow, also picked up gold awards in all other product categories for its traditional pork sausage, beefburger, cheddar and chive speciality burger, and ‘Juicy Lucy’ speciality burger with a Monterey Jack cheese centre and jalapeño peppers.
Winners of all seven regional heats will be hoping for more success at the final, when national winners in each of six BBQ product categories will emerge.
And one will have the ultimate honour of being crowned overall supreme champion by the Q Guild, which represents 110 award-winning butchers from the Scottish Highlands down to the south coast.
“We are getting fired up to take on our counterparts from across the UK in the national final,” said Mr Clewlow.
Almost 300 products from Q Guild butchers nationwide were entered for this year’s competition.
The national final takes place at The Windmill Village Hotel, Coventry, on Sunday, May 31.
Q Guild national chairman Mark Turnbull said: “Entries have increased this year, such is the prestige of winning a Q Guild BBQ championship.
“The weather is warming up nicely as the 2015 BBQ season gets into full swing and one thing’s for sure – Q Guild butchers come well equipped to cater for al fresco aficionados nationwide.”
(pic courtesy of Q Guild)
They certainly make nice pies – my waistline can vouch for that. I’ll have to try some of their sausages next time I’m in town.
My late brother was a butcher for 45 years, ending his career as a senior manager. When he visited Nantwich, he always had to visit Clewlows. He bought lots, but mostly, he just loved to look at what he considered to be a master butchers. He would have been pleased for them.