AN AWARD-winning Bury butchers is creating a stir — in more ways than one.

Having won a national accolade for the quality of its food at the Great Taste 2014 awards, Albert Matthews Butchers is already “steaking” its reputation on more gongs next year.

Three of the company’s products — its rare breed pork loin joint, rib of beef and salt brisket — impressed judges this year to earn them the coveted gold and black Great Taste logo.

But its hunger for success is ongong.

The company, based on Bury Market since 1982, has just become the third butcher in the UK to install a Himalayan salt ageing chamber, which is used to help improve the dry ageing process of its meat.

Chris Matthews, director said: “This is the first time the people and catering establish-ments of Greater Manchester have been able to buy salt-aged steaks and it is definitely creating a stir, with three of the restaurants we supply already using them and our customers raving about them.

“We can’t wait for next year when we can enter them into the 2015 awards.” The awards were judged by more than 400 palates belonging to food critics, chefs, members of the Women’s Institute and farmers.

Chris added: “This is another milestone for us as we now have more than 20 Great Taste awards for our meat products.

“That’s not bad going for a small butcher located on Bury Market, considering that the awards are renowned for being difficult to win and have been christened as the ‘Oscars of the food industry’”.

Some 10,000 products from across the country were entered in this year’s Great Taste awards.