Fermanagh Black Bacon provides old fashioned pork pies

O'Doherty's Fine Meats in Northern Ireland has launched a new pork pie based on its successful and unique dry cured Fermanagh Black Bacon. The artisan meat business, based at Enniskillen in Northern Ireland's picturesque lakelands, has used its old-fashioned, traditionally cured Fermanagh Black Bacon to create an 8oz pork pie product in response to demand from customers.

The new Black Bacon Pork Pies are hand crafted and geared for delis and farm shops and will shortly be on sale in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The company has been test marketing the pies in its own butchery business.

According to Pat O'Doherty, managing director of the family owned and run meat business, feedback from customers has been "very positive and immensely encouraging".

"The pork pies are the outcome of approaches from many customers for a quality and natural product combining taste and provenance. They appreciate that our pork is sourced from our own free-range pigs raised on our island on nearby Lough Erne, among the cleanest environments in the British Isles.

"Our pork offers heritage and provenance based on our family's vast experience gained over 50 years in the meat business.

"The pork for our popular Black Bacon is also used in the pies and is cured using ancient methods and only natural ingredients, dry cured and allowed to season naturally until it reaches maturity.

"Only the best pork goes into the pies, which is in keeping with our dedication to quality in all our products," he adds.

Two types of pie are currently available - one with jelly for eating cold, the other without jelly for those who prefer to cook their pork pies in the oven or microwave.

"While the pies were really intended as a snack or for a picnic lunch, a bit of a niche product, we've noticed that they have been attracting shoppers seeking a convenient main meal option.

"This may be a result of current economic difficulties which are leading many consumers increasingly to look for meals which are cheaper but still offer quality and wholesome ingredients such as pork pies. The pastry is also produced using a traditional recipe."

The pies are the second innovative meat product launched by O'Doherty's Fine Meats in the past few months, following the introduction of Fermanagh Black Corned Beef using an ancient curing technique.

O'Doherty's Fine Meats has been in business since 1957 and has gained a string of awards in the UK and Ireland for a wide range of its meat products.