Whatever type of meat you’re planning to cook up this Christmas, get it from one of these top Suffolk butchers.
Lavenham Butchers
Award-winning, family-run business Lavenham Butchers has traceability and animal welfare at the core of its ethos, and with owners Greg, Gareth and Jenny always sourcing everything as locally as they can. With all owners qualified deer stalkers, customers should expect big things when it comes to venison in particular. Their venison, pork and redcurrant sausages are wonderful in the season. If you’re unsure about cooking game meat, Lavenham Butchers, which has a little bit of a farm shop vibe thanks to its array of local juices, jams, chutneys and more, is the butchers to speak to. Visit the butchers now for more information regarding your perfect Christmas turkey and for an array of local Christmas goodies, hand picked by the team.
Becky’s Butchers, Great Bromley
Becky’s Butchers is an on-farm family-run butchery producing its own beef, lamb and pork. Being in the trade for nearly 10 years, Becky is passionate about low food miles and knowing where the meat she sells meat comes from, so being able to produce on farm and source other meats from local and trusting suppliers is essential. All meat sold in the butchery is of the highest welfare standard and free range, making it the tastiest around. Recently winning the Harwich & Parkeston Winter Ale and Sausage Festival with her pork and leek sausage, Becky is keen to bring to the public eye the fact that women can be butchers too, and has been sharing tips on meal ideas through social media. By supporting your local butcher this year means you are supporting other local business too including turkey and beef farmers, local vegetable growers and everything in-between.
Suffolk Food Hall, Ipswich
Suffolk Food Hall’s butchery is built on product and service quality. Its free range poultry comes from Lavenham, Saffron Walden, and Sutton, while its oven ready turkey butterfly joints are sourced from Braintree. The butchery’s beef for the festive period is from its own herd of Red Poll cattle. Suffolk Food Hall have all your trimmings too – be it bacon, sausagemeat, pigs in blankets or stuffing balls. All of its meat is prepared on site by its skilled team, who are also on hand to advise on requirements, make recommendations and offer cooking advice. The ordering process is as simple and easy as possible as well, and can be done over the phone, in store or online anytime up to and including Sunday, December 16.
P A Mobbs & Sons, Halesworth
At White House Farm, Cratfield, the Mobbs family have been rearing turkeys since the business began 80 years ago. Today, P A Mobbs & Sons still uses the same ways to produce traditional free range turkeys; when ‘free range’ became popular again, the company did not have to change its system as it has always reared its turkeys slowly in grassy paddocks on its Suffolk farm. However what makes a Mobbs Turkey unique is the way the birds are fed. P A Mobbs & Sons’ heritage-style wholegrain ration is homemade using the farm’s own wheat, barley and oats, which are mixed together every morning to create the freshest possible food. Once Christmas comes, the team at P A Mobbs & Sons maintain the company’s traditional approach, hand-plucking and carefully preparing every bird ready for the table, allowing it to hang for 10 to 14 days before dressing to ensure the best possible texture and flavour of the meat. Mobbs’ special turkeys are available to purchase directly from the farm or from local butchers and farm shops, all of which are listed on the company’s website.
Hollingsworths Store & Butchers, Chelmondiston
This butcher shop on the Shotley Peninsula, has been trading for around 50 years, and has just celebrated its first anniversary since its refurbishment in November 2017. Upon taking on the business Carly and James Welham completely refurbished the store and butchers and continue to make improvements along the way. The butchers sells a fantastic range of fresh meat which it prides itself on sourcing within East Anglia from companies that are family run and only deal in the best produce. This Christmas’ turkeys, geese and large chickens have all been reared locally by a company named Suffolk Turkeys, which have been supplying Hollingsworths for well over 30 years, with all birds enjoying the outdoor life as nature intended. Hollingsworths’ meat is complemented by the other products it sells including locally sourced fresh fruit and vegetables as well as honey and fresh fruit juices. The shop also stocks a variety of household items, tinned and dried goods, frozen food and desserts. Hollingsworths is currently taking orders for all Christmas meat and vegetables so be sure to reserve everything you need this December now.
G.Debman Family Butchers, Ipswich
Established since 1963, all of G.Debman’s Christmas meat is extra special – it even won an award for the best boneless stuffed turkey! As a traditional butchers all its meat is locally sourced, hung and cut to customer’s requirement in its shop and its prize winning stock is bought from Colchester market, making sure customers get only the best. G Debman’s popular Christmas hampers are back again for 2018 too. These can be prepared for you so visit now to organise yours.
Woodys the Butchers, Holbrook
Woody’s the Butchers provides an old fashioned butchery service using the finest locally sourced meat, served up with fantastic customer service. The butchers has quality meat including Norfolk Bronze turkeys from the award-winning Yew Tree farm in Suffolk, as well as great tasting beef, pork, lamb, chicken, duck, goose, game and bacon. Its sausages, chipolatas and burgers are made on the premises, while on sale are also delicious locally made pies and quiches, hams, stuffing, pickles, sauces, local eggs and honey, as well as locally made authentic curry mixes, chorizo and black pudding; all at competitive prices. Or if you are looking for a great gift, how about one of the butchers’ own hampers, with pickles, pates and Christmas puddings, which can even be made up to your specifications! Orders are being taken for Christmas and New Year meat now, so order by December 8 to avoid disappointment - advice can be given on the best way to cook your festive feast too!
Hubbard Butcher & Fine Foods, Bury St Edmunds
Family butchers Hubbard’s has been selling the finest quality, locally sourced meat in Bury St Edmunds since 2010. Due to its continued success in the town, husband and wife team David and Caroline and brother-in-law Andy have relocated twice, with their new, larger shop situated on the Moreton Hall estate. At Hubbard’s, only local meat from animals that live as naturally as possible is used. Its suppliers across Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire provide the highest quality, certified, welfare-assured meat and produce, including internationally renowned Dingley Dell pork from Woodbridge. David has over 15 years experience working in North America, and has brought the best butchery techniques from the USA to Suffolk. In addition to Hubbard’s wide variety of classic British cuts, customers will also find a selection of popular North American cuts including tomahawk, t-bone and chuck steaks. The shop also has an in-house bakery and deli providing a selection of delicious cheeses and cured meats, however if you can’t make the trip to Bury St Edmunds, you can also order online. Free delivery is available for orders over £40 within 30 miles of the town.
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