TWO East Lothian butchers are celebrating scooping a clutch of prestigious awards.

Anderson’s Quality Butchers on North Berwick High Street won two gold and three silver awards in the Scottish Craft Butchers Pork and Haggis Products Awards 2019.

East Linton’s Linton Butchers won a hat-trick of silvers.

Among the gold awards Anderson’s received was for ‘the saltire pork pillow’, a creation – described by judges as one of the best of its type in Scotland – inspired by a trip abroad by owner Ryan Anderson.

Ryan said: “We knew that pork and apple work well together and when I was in Germany I noticed they featured black pudding with apple a lot.

“We make award-winning black pudding and pancetta and the team created a pork parcel with a pancetta saltire, and a black pudding and apple sauce filling.”

The second gold for Anderson’s was for a haggis, partridge, date and pancetta parcel and the three silver awards the North Berwick butchers secured were for their Balmoral bake; rose veal and haggis parcel; and pork pocket with black pudding, beetroot and pancetta.

Meanwhile, Linton Butchers’ silver awards were for their zingy chilli pork kebabs, Szechuan pork stir fry and chicken Balmoral.

Elaine McKirdy, who runs the family business with her husband John, said: “Pork is a very popular meat so we thought we would try this out for the SCB evaluations.”

John McKirdy, a third-generation butcher, developed all three award-winning products with butcher Richard Kelly.

He said: “Suffice to say we use sweet chilli glaze and pineapple juice, but we’ve got to keep a few secrets up our sleeve.

“It’s great to win accolades from our industry and our peers for these three products.

“It gives the team a real lift and shows customers that we set a high standard that is recognised nationally when we bring something new and exciting to the counter.”

Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers said: “Awards are not given out lightly.

“Every one of the butchers recognised can be rightly proud of their products and their customers can purchase with high expectations of great taste.

“The Scottish Craft Butchers evaluation drives up standards year after year.”