Butchers Gear Up for Bank Holiday BBQ Weekend

Butchers around the country are gearing up for a busy bank holiday BBQ weekend, despite weather forecasts ranging from sunshine to snow!

To encourage consumers to enjoy grilling top quality meat whatever the weather, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has launched a “Greatest Grillers” campaign.

The campaign includes a leaflet, available at Scotch Butcher Club member shops, packed with recipes and advice including the best cuts for grilling and BBQ themed activities for children to enjoy.

As part of the campaign, QMS has undertaken a snapshot survey of Scotch Butchers Club members located around the country, which has revealed steaks, burgers and sausages still top the BBQ billing.

Butchers are, however, also reporting a trend towards kebabs and marinades over the past few years, adding to the culinary colour of the traditional outdoor grilling occasion.

Feedback from around a dozen butchers located as far afield as Falkirk, Edinburgh, Dundee and Ayrshire, revealed, unsurprisingly, that weather remains one of the main concerns of customers planning a BBQ along with over or under cooking meat and getting the BBQ temperature just right.

Frank Powrie, who has worked at Yorkes of Dundee for over 40 years, said the weekend trade was already looking very promising.

“If the weather stays like this we should do a roaring trade. People are keen to shake off the winter blues and get the BBQ going this weekend,” said Mr Powrie, who is one of around 15 staff at the Strathmartine Road shop.

Butchers are reporting being asked for a range of BBQ-related advice, including what are the best cuts to barbeque and which marinade flavours work best with different meats.

“While quality was identified as of great importance to customers, it is clear that many people are also working to a tight budget for al fresco dining,” said Jack Broussine, Marketing Executive with Quality Meat Scotland.

“They are seeking butchers’ expertise to avoid waste by asking advice on, for example, the quantities of meat needed to cater for different group sizes and also on the best way to prepare and cook less expensive cuts and how to avoid wastage through over-cooking.”

Mr Broussine said a free “Perfect Steaks and Roasts” app developed by QMS to help people achieve the perfect cooking time for their meat is also proving hugely popular with butchers’ customers. In total, the app has tallied over 42,000 downloads.

Douglas Scott, Chief Executive of the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders, said modern-day butchers offer an exceptional combination of knowledge, traditional skills and innovation as well as a quality product.

“This puts them in an excellent position to advise people on how to make the most of the meat used at a BBQ.

“Butchers are also keen to showcase the diversity of the products they have available to the new wave of shoppers who, with the increased interest in the provenance and quality assurance of meat, are choosing to purchase meat from their local butcher,” said Mr Scott.

You can download the recipe booklet at: http://www.scotchbutchersclub.org/recipe-ideas/

For food hygiene information and guidance please visit www.food.gov.uk

Caption: Yorkes of Dundee butchers Frank Powrie (left) and Steven Vundum, look out for good weather for this bank holiday weekend!