April 2014 - Chris Brown of Browns Butchers, Chorley

Chris Brown of Browns Butchers, Chorley.

Our featured foodie this month is Chris Brown, a fourth generation family master butcher from Chorley, home to the famous prizewinning Lancashire Haggis. Brown's is a traditional family butchers that stocks a wide range of local quality meat.

They make their own sausages (including gluten free), haggis and black pudding and stock those hard to find cuts such as beef skirt, tripe and cow heel. They are everything a butcher's should be and more besides. Just so you all know haggis is a Lancashire delicacy not Scottish (see below) and Browns is a very fine example, when I have served to friends a fight normally breaks out for the last portion.The family butchers has been established since 1932 in the town and has loyally supplied generations of Chorley familes with all their meat needs. Their award winning (most recently BPEX) produce is avaliable online and in the shop in Chorley town centre, they also are on facebook too as Lancashire Haggis.

So on with the questions

• What is your favorite cookery or food book or publication ? 

‘Liber Cure Cocorum’ is a cookery book in verse dating from around the year 1430 in the North West of the County of Lancashire in North-West England. I particularly like this as ‘Haggis’ is mentioned and as far as I’m aware this is the earliest record of haggis, which leaves a question as to where it originated from? The recipe follows if anyone fancies giving it a try!

HAGGIS 1430 RECIPE

Recipe Ingredients:

1 lamb’s paunch (stomach)
1 lamb’s heart
600g lamb kidneys
300g lamb (or beef) suet, shredded small
6 eggs, beaten
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp dried hysopp (buy from herbal or online stockists)
1/2 tsp dried savory (buy from herbal or online stockists)

• What sentence sums up Lancashire Food to you ?

Traditional home cooked foods nurtured to their peak of excellence!

•  If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you like to be ?

This a difficult one to answer! I’m sure I would be working in or around the food industry. I find new ideas fun and love nothing more than coming up with new twists on old ideas. We have been very lucky in the respect that we have come across a few old recipes such as burgers, sausage and black pudding that had been produced by my grandfather many years ago. So with a little input we create many new ideas and flavours infusing old with new.

• Which piece of kit could you not do without ?

Unfortunately I cannot manage without the range of equipment I have as most of it was bought for a particular job or jobs. But I guess the humble pen would be the absolute as my memory sometimes these days lets me down.

• Who would join you at your ultimate dinner party and why?

Robert Burns would be a must. To ask his views on our ‘Haggis’ and other products. I think another interesting guest would be Gorden Ramsey to ask his opinions and he may throw a few tasteful ideas around. Obviously if conversation tires a little at least we have a Scottish connection.

• What advice would you give to your younger self ?

I originally thought that I should have listened to my fathers advice a little more in depth! But as I’ve finished up with the running of the family business then maybe I listened a little to well!!

• Describe your style in three words ?

Work orientated — Adventurous ! - Ambitious ! -  Approachable !

• What was your latest foodie gadget purchase ? 

Sausage filler attachment, that allows production of Lorne sausage!

• What is your greatest achievement to date ?

Taking the helm of the family business as the fourth generation owner. I feel very honoured to now have the reins and I hope I can look after my customers as they have always been looked after, I’m always striving to build on my business and offer top quality at affordable pricing. I’m currently running a loyalty scheme with a monthly free draw, plus I put a cut on every week at a reduced rate to give a little back as we all know times are difficult!

• What is the worst mistake you have made ?

I cant single out any individual mistake. So really I can only say any that have been made are taken on the chin an used as a learning curb.

• Tell us a secret about yourself ? may be something we wouldn’t expect !

I have a very sweet tooth! But cant say Cadburys melted on a fillet steak was my best idea. But I did make a sausage which contained chocolate, the kids loved it ;-)