Tyrone’s quality meats win with food stores in Britain seeking tasty ideas
The best burger in Britain has been crafted from local lamb by one of Northern Ireland’s biggest and most successful meat processors.
ABP Linden in Dungannon collected the award in the Meat Manufacturing Awards for the UK’s Best Burger that the Tyrone processor has produced in collaboration with leading food retailer Marks & Spencer.
There was recognition too for Dunbia, another Dungannon headquartered meat supplier, as the winner in the Best Red Meat category for its Slow Cooked Beef Short Rub with Bourbon and Black Pepper Glaze for Tesco.
The prestigious awards, once again, showcased the quality of Northern Ireland meat from and their ability to come up with innovative products for the customers of major food retailers. The awards are also a major boost for local farms.
The products were made in the annual Meat Management Industry Awards. Each year the awards recognise the best manufacturers and producers, suppliers, retailers, individuals and organisations in the UK meat sector, and are voted for by the readers of Meat Management magazine and meatmanagement.com, plus various product categories judged by experts.
The lamb burger, the ABP Linden says, has “a hint of rosemary, and when cooked the edges become caramelised, giving the product a satisfyingly crispy bite”.
The lamb used in the unique burger comes from M&S select farms across Northern Ireland and is the most recent collaboration between the premium food retailer and ABP Linden in Dungannon, which is part of the giant ABP food group based in the Republic of Ireland.
Linden was also shortlisted for a Dry Aged Beef Burger for M&S. The company is a longstanding M&S supplier.
Dunbia, Northern Ireland’s biggest meat processor, was also shortlisted for Bacon and Blue Cheese Beef Burgers produced for Sainsbury’s. Dunbia, in addition, was listed for Slow Cooked Cherrywood Smoked Bacon Pork Ribs with Honey and Apple BBQ Sauce produced under the Tesco Finest label and Birchwood Grass Fed 36 days Matured Extra Thick Cut Sirloin for Lidl.
Dunbia, part of Ireland’s hugely successful Dawn Meats, has an extensive meat processing operation in Britain.