Granpa’s recipe takes Moira butcher to topof the food tree

Corned beef would not seem a likely choice, but McCartneys re-invented the corned beef recipe penned by George McCartney’s grandfather a century ago and it certainly impressed the judges. This is the first time that a Northern Ireland company has won this award.

George McCartney’s first attempt at making the corned beef was a resounding success with the customers so his daughters, Judith and Sarah, took the delicacy to the National Butchers Fair at Newbury and the judges gave it 100 marks out of 100 – they just simply could not fault it on any count.

This encouraged the family to enter the UK Great Taste Awards and at a glittering ceremony in the Royal Garden Hotel in London’s Kensington on Monday evening, attended by leading chefs, food writers, top retailers and the very best food producers throughout the UK, the corned beef from McCartneys of Moira was declared the UK Great Taste of the Year winner.

However the success is not without its trials. The traditional presses used for making corned beef are no longer available and McCartneys were trying to match demand with two old presses which have been in the shop for generations. Eventually George has found someone to custom manufacture presses for him and judging by the reaction from the audience at the Great Taste Awards he might be well have to order a few more.

George, who runs the business with his brother, Gordon and daughters, Judith and Sarah said: “This is a product that is hand made and is very time consuming both to make and to cure and press. All the fat has to be meticulously removed and the beef is dry cured, weighed into the presses and cooked long and slow with natural gelatine.”

Judith added: “When we develop new products you find that there is often an age group that finds each one most appealing but I was astounded at the reaction - young and old alike craved our corned beef.”

This would be a high note for George McCartney to retire on, but no way. He said: “This is my 47th year in the business and I have no notion of retiring. There are lots more recipes, cuts and cures in Grandpa’s old book so watch his space.”

A glance at the 1901 census shows that in that year George’s grandfather was 7 years of age, his great grandfather was 48 and his great great grandfather was 77 years old and still working as a butcher in his shop – obviously George is going to follow that tradition.

In those days the cattle were killed out the back of the shop and customers came with a tin can to purchase the meat since there was no wrapping facility. The McCartney business has witnessed six generations who have been over 140 years in the butchery business.

Future plans include expansion of their business by building a new shop next door where they will have kitchens, cold rooms, a coffee shop and a dedicated delicatessen.