Lanarkshire Producer and Pupils Partner up for Foodie Challenge

Pupils at Lanark Grammar School have taken part in an exciting challenge to design and make a burger using top quality meat supplied by local producer Michael Shannon from Damn Delicious farm and butchery near Thankerton, Lanark.

At the start of term in August 2014, all S2 pupils were given the brief of designing and making a “Commonwealth burger” using minced Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb or Specially Selected Pork. Pupils worked in pairs, researched ingredients from two Commonwealth countries to add to their burgers, produced their burgers, evaluated them and decided on their final burger recipes before competing in the finals.

Throughout the competition, Mr Shannon, who is a member of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Butchers Club and runs a QMS assured farm, has been on hand to talk to the pupils about the hard work and high welfare standards which go in to producing Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork which are renowned for quality both at home and overseas.

Beating off stiff competition, the winners of the competition were Katie Kerr and Finlay Patrick, with their Indian-inspired Delhi burger.

Hazel Parker, Home Economics Teacher at Lanark Grammar School, said that by running the competition, pupils have learned about the health benefits of lean red meat and how to use Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork to make a simple burger with a range of different ingredients.

“This competition has been invaluable to the pupils because as well as learning about the fantastic stockmanship and dedication that goes in to rearing animals, they have learned how to work safely with meat and how to cook it.

“We are already looking at running a similar competition next year with a different year group.”

Caption: Local farmer and butcher Michael Shannon (second from left)  is pictured with staff and students of Lanark Grammar School and Jenni Henderson, QMS Health and Education Executive (second from right)