If you’ve ever been to Skipton and haven’t found yourself stuffing your face with some of the region’s most famed pork pies, quite frankly, you’re doing it wrong.
An unassuming butchers just a stone’s throw away from the canal that weaves through the town, Stanforths Butchers has managed to reach acclaim far-stretching its local community, attracting queues around the block for their hefty pork pies – which, may I add, make your weekly supermarket purchase look miserable in comparison.
Baked traditionally in a crusty pastry and packed with pork, the pies can be enjoyed in a variety of sizes – with even their smallest pork pie providing an ever-satisfying portion from just £1.50.
Naturally, at our house, we like to get stuck into one of the larger varieties, with the biggest costing less than a tenner.
In addition to the famous traditional pork pie, visitors can also branch out with three other variations, including the apple and pork pie, the pork and black pudding pie and even a fiery chilli pork pie which is aptly decorated with a skull on top (our personal favourite!). You know, just so you don’t get ‘em mixed up.
The butchers also lends its skills to making other classic pies, too, including meaty steak pies, lamb and mint pies, traditional Cornish pasties, and moreish quiches. For those looking for a bit of a show-stopper, the butchers also creates incredible tiered pork pies – which are the perfect alternative for wedding and birthday cakes for those who adore a pork pie. The team can also encrust anything you’d like on top, be it a name, age, or shape.
Starting life before the war, the butchers was founded by Jim Stanforth, who created the mouthwatering recipe for their now-iconic pork pies. Today, that very recipe remains, but this time, with one of Jim’s son’s former employees – Paul – who has taken the helm.
Paul continues to run the establishment as a family-run business, keeping up the pie-making tradition as Jim did all those decades ago.
The result is delicious pies, each made with care using meats sourced locally from the Yorkshire Dales.
Stanforths also stocks a wide selection of Yorkshire-reared meats, as well as classic sweet treats such as caramel slices, flapjacks, apple pies, apple crumble, and rhubarb pie… You know, since they’re pretty well known for pies.
Stanforths Skipton is open daily and can be found at 9-11 Mill Bridge, Skipton, BD23 1NJ. Order online here.
Read more: The Rural West Yorkshire Village Known As ‘The Pie Village’
[Featured image: Stanforth’s Butchers]
