CUT&DRIED
making more of British & Continental charcuterie
New equipment allows Manchester Smokehouse to fully launch smoked salmon pâté By Michael Lane
Manchester Smokehouse has developed a new pâté from its smoked salmon off-cuts and is now ready to launch it to delis beyond the local area, having refined its process with the help of an equipment supplier. Owner Richard Hyman, whose only other product is a Great Taste two-star smoked salmon, told FFD that the pâté had taken three years to get to this point because of several challenges, including perfecting the recipe and very limited space for production. A portable Beldos MiniFill depositor, supplied by Depositor Solutions, proved to be the final piece of the puzzle – allowing Hyman to contain his packing process to a 2ft x 2ft table. “I’ve actually been planning this since 2018 because, with the production, there are off-cuts that don’t look pretty
enough,” he said. “I’ve got somebody who takes a lot of it but I’ve always been looking at another way of utilising everything that comes from what we produce.” The pâté comes in 200g plastic tubs (wholesale £2.30, RRP £3.49-£3.99) and has a chilled shelf life of four weeks. “Somebody described it as having fairy dust in it, but it’s just salmon, cream cheese, a bit of lemon juice, herbs and spices and just a technique,” said Hyman, who mixes each batch in a bowl chopper before portioning it with his Beldos depositor. The new piece of kit also allows Manchester Smokehouse to supply the product in larger volumes for catering or foodservice. Depositor Solutions director Gary Bond told FFD that the Beldos Mini-Fill was ideal for small-scale pâté production because of its
small footprint, portability and no need for compressed air. “This machine comes out of the box and does the job,” he said. “You don’t need anything else apart from a good user.” Hyman, whose core product is his Scottish smoked salmon, said that the lockdown had impacted his sales but a combination of foodservice takeaways and new independent retail listings has seen him through, with trade picking up “quite nicely” recently. He added that he has maintained these retail sales as restrictions have eased and is hoping to add more delis and farm shops to his customer list. Hyman also said he was working on another new line to add to his offer but that it remained “top secret” for now. themanchestersmokehouse. co.uk
Garage-based Loxley’s Larder taking a greener approach to cured meat By Tom Dale Tucked away in a garage in rural Nottinghamshire is a one-man-band charcuterie producer who is hoping his example will turn British charcuterie green – and not because of unwelcome mould. After leaving a long career in aviation, Martin Miller converted the small garage of his country cottage into a three-room, energy-neutral – thanks to solar panels on the roof – curing operation he now calls Loxley’s Larder, after the real name of Robin Hood. The producer said he prides himself on his local approach to charcuterie making, sourcing high-quality local beef and pork for his cures – cutting down food miles in the process. Inspired by the food culture he discovered while living in Belgium, Miller spent several years as a hobbyist, honing his craft and reading any book on curing meat he could get his hands on. Now, one year into trading as Loxley’s Larder,
he has created a nine-strong range – including his latest additions: coppa, picante coppa and Spanish-inspired cecina. Launching the business in February last year has – naturally– not been without its challenges, said Miller. “I was just celebrating a successful first farmer’s market when COVID hit,” he said. His plans to start selling into local pubs and restaurants were scuppered as foodservice was forced to close. But, since then, he has taken the time to refine his recipes and develop some new ones. Complementing Loxley’s six salamis, Miller has launched his newly developed cured wholemuscle range – coppa, picante coppa and cecina – which all retail at £10 per 100g pre-sliced pack. Loxley’s has also recently won a Gold Medal in the British Charcuterie Awards (see more coverage from page 25) for its sopressata. loxleyslarder.co.uk
With the help of Depositor Solutions, Manchester Smokehouse owner Richard Hyman is now ready to offer his smoked salmon pâté to a wider customer base
Beal’s Farm shifts to wax paper packs for all orders Mangalitsa charcuterie specialist Beal’s Farm has decided to ditch the classic plastic-heavy retail packaging in favour of a more environmentally friendly wax paper option. Instead of using the standard foil-backed cardboard and plastic sheets for its packs, the Sussex-based business will now wrap each item in 100% recyclable wax sheets and place them in a vacuum pouch. The changes will primarily affect the producer’s direct-toconsumer orders from its website, and brings these in line with its method of processing foodservice orders. The company will continue to supply retailers with whole muscles and salamis for slicing to order. In an email to customers, Beal’s Farm said: “Our priority is always for you to receive your charcuterie in the best possible condition at the best possible price with the least impact on the environment.” Beal’s Farm’s range includes whole-muscle cuts, like coppa and lomo, as well as air-dried ham, fresh sausages and bacon and a host of salamis – much of it made from its own Mangalitsa pork. bealsfarmcharcuterie.com Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021
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