Tom Durcan's spiced beef named best in Ireland

The accolades keep on coming for Cork Master Butcher Tom Durcan.

Based at the English Market his spiced beef was named best in Ireland by the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland (ACBI).

Winning the National Spiced Beef competition comes on the back of his recent gold medal success at the Blas na hÉireann Awards and perfectly timed as they head into the busy Christmas period.

But according to Mr Durcan, people are already thinking of Christmas and like many others, his orders books are beginning to fill up.

“It’s early November and already people have their Christmas orders in for our spiced beef, ham, and turkeys and they are going so earlier and earlier every year.

“People no longer want the last minute dash to get the necessary foods for Christmas Day so they are ensuring they are sorted and can then relax and enjoy themselves,” said Mr Durcan.

Such is the popularity of his spiced beef that he said orders are coming in from all over the world, but mainly European countries.

“As well as delivering all over Ireland we currently have orders from abroad to sort, with people from areas of England, France, and Germany, in particular, been in touch through our website and we are delighted to be sending it abroad.

“A lot of our customers would have ties to Ireland but orders are also coming from people who would have been here on holiday and visited the English Market.” Commenting on his spiced beef being named best in Ireland by the ACBI Mr Durcan added: “To be honoured in this way is really special and it is something that I will always look on with great pride. It is also a testament to all the great staff I have working with me and also to my wife and family.

“They are a great support to me and I accept this honour on behalf of all of them, and I would like to put on record my thanks and gratitude to them and also to those that bestowed me with this award.

“I would also advise people to get their orders in early as butchers will stop taking them at some point in the weeks before Christmas,” concluded Mr Durcan.

Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland was established in 1999 to bring together the four trade associations representing the independent butcher sector in this country.

ACBI promotes, trains, and advises craft butchers throughout Ireland to help make your local butcher the best place to find value and quality in the current economic situation. Your craft butcher respects meat as a quality product and will happily provide cookery tips and storage advice to their customers.

Blas na hÉireann Awards is the biggest competition for quality Irish produce in Ireland. Products from every county were entered into the competition to win Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards in a range of food and drink categories.