16 CRAFTBUTCHER l JUNE 2019


INTERNATIONAL YOUNG BUTCHERS’ COMPETITION


gristle from the round blade muscle but cut four discs which he beat to stuff with minced trim and chopped vegetables for his four identical ‘Alfreton Mini Roasts’ decorated with courgette leaves and tomato ‘rose’.


Dutch First for Roasts


The rest of the beef Lennon ‘butterflied’, filled with the remaining minced beef trim and chopped vegetables to produce a ‘Leabrooks Beef Cushion’ which he banded and decorated with courgette leaves.


Josja Haagsma of Holland got first place, Paolo Desbois from France was second and losing out by just a single point James came third. Again, beating other Austrian, French, Dutch, German and Swiss competitors.


The ‘Main Course’ and final category of the competition in mid-afternoon on the final day meant working with a thick ‘body’ skirt of beef. Competitors were allowed their own ingredients but like the Barbecue restricted to six varieties. And like other categories economic use of materials is a priority with waste heavily penalised.


James Gracey Third for Roasts


1500 grams and four identical ‘mini roasts’, this was the category that pulled out the best in James.


Removing the centre gristle from a round blade muscle, James cut twelve thin slices, one disc, and four thinner slices of beef along with twelve long and thirty-two round slices of Courgette. He then prepped carrot, onion, peppers and tomato for filling and garnish, ever mindful of waste and utilisation of product.


Using a mixing bowl for a mould, James covered the minced beef trim and chopped vegetables with


beef slices interleaved with sliced courgette. Topped with the beef disc and decorated with a carrot ‘rose’, parsley leaves and dyed emulsion with tomatoes around the base for his ‘Dromore Roast’.


For the ‘Quails Mini Roasts’ the remaining mince and vegetables were divided into four equal portions. Once pressed, the outer surfaces were covered with courgette discs bound with thin beef slices, topped with shaved carrot ribbons and white rice paper roses and displayed with courgette leaves and tomato roses.


Similarly, Lennon trimmed the Lennon Callister Main Course


Lennon kept it simple with a ‘Derbyshire Beef Roulade’. Larder trimming, butterflying and gently beating the skirt, he added minced beef trim with asparagus, cooked rice, mixed dried fruits and shallot marinade. Which he rolled and tied brushing the outer surface with Ginger Chilli and Lime displayed on a bed of rice and mixed dried fruits.


Like Lennon James larder trimmed, split and beat the skirt. Trimming to size he minced the beef trim mixing with finely diced peppers, grated leek and carrot adding herb stuffing.


Folding the mixture and pressing into a ball, James encased the mixture with the flattened beef skirt and covered with caul fat. With fine twine, he tied into a cushion and decorated with carrot chrysanthemums, parsnip daisies and courgette leaves. Which he displayed on a bed of sliced parsnips, carrots and leek.


Losing out by two points James was unlucky not to finish in the top five but did beat both the Austrian and German competitors. Paolo


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