Renfrewshire butcher curries favour to win national title

Upsizing a customer favourite from handheld pie to family proportions has curried favour with Scottish judges to secure them a national industry award.

Elderslie Butchers, near Johnstone, has won the coveted Diamond status in the Scottish Craft Butchers (SCB) Awards 2023, marking their tasty Chicken Tikka Chasni Pie as the best speciality pie in Scotland.

Delighted manager Mark Smyth said the popular curry pie was made into a family size offering especially for the competition but accepted its success would mean a new product line for Elderslie’s Stoddard Square shop.
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We’ve been making handheld Chicken Tikka Chasni pies for about four years after a customer suggested it as a new filling,” said Mark. “We teamed up with a local Indian restaurant to source authentic sauce and then worked at perfecting the final product.”

Mark explained that high quality diced chicken breast is marinated in the secret sauce for 24 hours before being made into pies.
‘This ensures a more intense flavour and adds succulence to the filling,” he said.
The Elderslie team produces around 1,500 pies each week and while they were aware of the popularity of their curry pie, they were “shocked and thrilled” to learn it was considered the best in Scotland.
“The filling lent itself to a larger pie and we’re over the moon that judges from across Scotland considered it a winner,” he said. “It’s a real honour for us all. I’ll be sure to thank the customer who suggested we make it in the first place – and our Indian curry sauce suppliers.”

Elderslie Butchers are no strangers to top national awards and Mark says the exposure for their successes always brings a surge of new customers.
“I think it will be family-sized Chicken Tikka Chasni pies on the production line for the next wee while,” he laughed. “And we’re very happy to have as many people as possible enjoy our award-winning curry pie.”

Elderslie beat off stiff competition from over 100 entries from butchers throughout Scotland to lift the title.
Gordon King, Executive Manager with Scottish Craft Butchers, said Elderslie had captured the real ethos of the awards – by producing something that embraced the description “speciality” and that people would travel to buy.
“We were blown away by the innovation and creativity shown by our butchers, delivering some truly remarkable Speciality Pies,” said Gordon.
“Butchers use this awards evaluation process as a testing ground for new ideas and there will be customers enjoying new products all across Scotland as a result of their successes.
“Judges were unanimous, however, that the flavour, filling, pastry and texture of Elderlie’s curry pie was in a class of its own and a worthy winner of the national title.”

Elderslie Butchers also lifted a Gold Award for their Lamb, Stornoway Black Pudding and Mint Gravy Pie.

Ends

For further information please contact:
SCB Executive Manager Gordon King on 07917524313
Or
PR Maureen Young on 07778-779-888

2023_Speciality_Meat_Pie_Awards_Results.pdf