Lishman’s of Ilkley have taken home a coveted national title at this year’s Smithfield Awards, announced at Butchers’ Hall in London last week.
One of twelve artisan butchers from across the UK to be crowned top of their class, the Ilkley based butchers won the Diamond Award for Artisan Home-Cured Bacon with their Smoked Back Bacon.
Organised by the Q Guild of Butchers, the awards are widely recognised as the meat industry’s most high profile and challenging and each year recognise the UK’s finest craft butchery products across a range of categories from Traditional Pork Sausage to Black Pudding.
Products are awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold by a panel of independent industry judges, with all Gold products in each category then pitched against each for the category champion Diamond Award.
Scoring a remarkable 70 out of 70, Lishman’s bacon is dry-cured and then oak-smoked using only high welfare outdoor bred Yorkshire pigs. The coveted Diamond Award was presented to owners David and Emma Lishman by the highly regarded British Chef Jeremy Lee.
David said: “We’re delighted our Smoked Back Bacon has been recognised as the best in the country amongst some of the UK’s finest butchers. We use traditional methods to prepare our bacon and only use pigs born and raised in Yorkshire.”
Lishman’s also made the final shortlist in the ‘Traditional Pork Sausage’ category with their Thick Champion Sausage and the ‘Innovative Sausage’ category with their Baby Chorizo, with both products receiving Gold award status – the highest possible rating from the Guild.
For more information and to order online visit www.lishmansbutchers.co.uk