Buckfast pasties by award-winning NI butcher going down a treat

Buckfast pasties - the latest delicacy from one of Northern Ireland's top butchers - are proving so popular they are almost sold out.
Simon Dowey of John R Dowey and Sons Butchers in Lurgan with the Buckfast PastiesSimon Dowey of John R Dowey and Sons Butchers in Lurgan with the Buckfast Pasties
Simon Dowey of John R Dowey and Sons Butchers in Lurgan with the Buckfast Pasties

Inspired by the well-known tonic wine, the Lurgan-based John R Dowey and Son Butchers have infused Buckfast as a marinade in a slow-cooked lean beef pastie.

And since they went public with their latest delicacy yesterday the award-winning butcher has been inundated with requests.

By far the most popular tonic wine in north Armagh and second only to milk in popularity, Buckfast is commonly known as Lurgan champagne.

And now this new dish from Dowey’s is giving it a run for its money.

Simon Dowey said the first batch was tried and tested by their staff and went down a treat. And since introducing it to the public, it has proved so popular the staff are now working flat out to produce more.

He added: “We make all our own pies and pasties. This one takes a long time to make.”

He explained that the lean steak pieces are marinated in Buckfast and slow cooked over a long period of time. All the puff pastry is handmade and the whole process can take days.

“And we promise it won’t get you drunk,” he laughed.

Simon said: “We have been trying to keep up with the demand. We have been working flat out to keep up.

“In fact we are making more batches as the current batch is nearly sold out,” he said.

People have come from all over Northern Ireland and even England for our pies and pasties,” said the award winning butcher.

“We specialise in making our own products from scratch and it is nice to develop new lines and give people a bit of variety.

“The only thing is we were struggling to name the Buckfast pastie and had considered using the name Lurgan Champagne as it is known locally. If anyone has any ideas for names, we would love to hear from them,” he said.

Apart from Buckfast pasties and the basic Northern Irish pasties such as steak and onion, Dowey’s have ventured into some more interesting pasties such as chicken, cider and leek and boeuf bourguignon.

The Lurgan butchers have also titillated the Lurgan palate with delicacies such as olive sausages and chilli chocolate and beef sausages.

“We feel we are a destination shop, a store people can come to looking for inspiration,” said Simon, whose family have been in the butcher trade in Lurgan since 1936.

They regularly take part in competitions across the UK and have brought home countless awards for their creative ideas and talent.

If you would like to sample the Buckfast pastie or anything else they have an online click and collect service.

If you want more information on Dowey’s click here: www.doweys.com