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It was good news for Kelly’s Butchers in Newport, Co Mayo, recently as they scooped gold in the Craft Butchers ACBI national spiced beef competition 2024 with the Christmas favourite Kelly’s Spiced Beef.
The award-winning beef product is made using a closely-guarded recipe and beef from their own family farm, meaning only a very limited amount is available each year.
Kelly’s Butchers use their own special blend of spices to give Kelly’s Spiced Beef an unsurpassed flavour.
“We are over the moon with this award,” said Seán Kelly of Kelly’s Butchers.
“We’ve been making spiced beef to a traditional family recipe for years and it’s wonderful to get national recognition for it. We only use our own beef to ensure top quality.”
Artisan butcher
Kelly’s of Newport is an artisan butchers that was established over 90 years ago in 1930 by Dominick Kelly. Now proprietor, Sean Kelly is a third-generation butcher.
Kelly's of Newport has become a household name to lovers of black and white puddings and sausages nationwide.
Today, the business encompasses a butcher’s shop with an extensive grocery and gift section, a thriving café next door and a state-of-the-art manufacturing and production area nearby.
They are no strangers to awards, having won multiple gongs for their products over the years, including Great Taste Awards, Blás na hEireann, Craft Butchers of Ireland, Food&Wine Magazine, Good Food Ireland and the Small Firms Association.
What is spiced beef?
Spiced beef has been part of traditional Christmas fare for three centuries, predating the turkey. It fell out of fashion in England and Wales where it had been very common, but remained popular in Ireland, especially in the south and in particular it is attributed to Cork food culture.
The history goes that merchant ships would cure the meat for longevity. The curing of beef in salt and spices meant that by keeping the joints in a cool larder room, it would be edible for weeks.
While associated with Christmas time, it is available year-round and the spiced method is done purely for its great taste.
It is simple to cook and delicious either hot or cold. Simply simmer on the hob or pop in the oven in a water-filled casserole dish. Rest it for half an hour when it’s cooked, take it out of the bag and it’s ready to go. Serve it with potato salad and some pickled vegetables.
It will carve easily, hot for dinner or cold for outstanding sandwiches – use sourdough bread, with a scraping of mustard or horseradish sauce, add layers of thinly sliced beef, with coleslaw, pickles and you’re all set.
Kelly’s Spiced Beef is available to order from the shop in Newport and can be delivered by courier countrywide.
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