Pie noon: The ultimate Scotch pie showdown

IT was billed as the pastry world’s ultimate showdown – and, pie oh my, it didn’t disappoint.

Two master bakers – with 80 years’ combined experience – went head-to-head last week to determine who makes the planet’s best Scotch Pie.

And the winner was crust amazing.

Award-winning butcher Paul Boyle and celebrated baker John Gall battled it out in front of a hungry crowd at the Royal Highland Show, packing their crisp pastry shells with only the finest meats and spices.

But after a closely-fought contest there could be only one winner – and Paul eventually emerged triumphant.

The 60-year-old – who runs two acclaimed butcher’s shops in Boghall and Broxburn – said he was delighted to scoop the top gong.

He told The Sunday Post: “The audience got to taste them and decide whose was best.

“There was a judge who came up from England and he had never had a Scotch Pie before.

“He said ours had a lovely, crisp shell full of flavour inside.

“He was very surprised how much flavour was in it.”

Paul’s father, William, started his butchers business in 1975, with Paul taking up the mantle after first training as a chef and working at Edinburgh’s North British Hotel – now the Balmoral.

The butcher said it was “quite a feather in the cap” to beat John in the unofficial Scotch Pie bake off, as John’s company Brownings the Bakers in Kilmarnock is the reigning World Scotch Pie champion.

But John, whose bakery is also famous for its Kilmarnock steak and gravy pie, hinted it isn’t game over just yet.

The 53-year-old said: “I was quite happy to be second – it’s not last, it’s second! Paul’s a good guy.

“I was up against it – a guy from the west coast up against a guy from the east, with an east coast audience.

“We had a good laugh about that. Next time we’ll do it in the west.”

John said it was a combination of meat and spices that made the perfect pie – along with a quality shell to put the filling inside.

“The Scotch Pie is definitely underrated,” he added.

“There are some cheap and nasty ones out there, which doesn’t do the Scotch Pie any good. But anybody buying one from their local butcher or baker is going to taste a good quality pie.”

In the middle ages, Scotch Pies were frowned upon by the church, and were viewed as luxurious, decadent “English-style” food.

Their staying power has been put down the convenience afforded by the space on top of the pie, created by a raised crust.

The space can be filled with gravy, peas or beans – without them rolling or glooping away –making it the perfect convenience food.

Last year it was revealed a row between Scotland’s butchers and bakers was threatening to derail the World Scotch Pie Championships.

The prestigious event has relied on both industries working together to elect a world champ.

But a schism between the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Association and industry body Scottish Bakers led to threats of breakaway contests.