I'm the world champion Scotch pie AND haggis maker – there's a secret recipe that makes them the best
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A DOUBLE world champion butcher has revealed the secrets to the perfect pie and haggis.
Third-generation owner of McCaskie's Butchers in Wemyss Bay, Nigel Ovens, bagged two World Championship titles for his Scotch pie and his haggis.
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McCaskie's Butchers in Wemyss Bay bagged two World Championship titles for their Scotch pies and haggis
Credit: Perthshire Picture Agency
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And owner Nigel Ovens revealed the secret to his success
Credit: © Perthshire Picture Agency.
The pie pro, 48, beat the best in the world for the prestigious accolade, also scooping gold for his steak pies.
He picked up the gong for his haggis at Sunday's Scottish Craft Butchers Trade Fair in Perth
Branding his win "the culmination of a lifetime's work", he added: "I've spent years watching, tasting, tweaking and learning from others and I'm absolutely thrilled to be lifting the World Championship – it's a dream come true."
And amid all the excitement, Nigel revealed the secrets to his success.
Making the perfect haggis pie is not an easy skill to master.
Since taking over the business 29 years ago, the meat merchant has been refining his recipe before striking the "perfect balance between offal and spice".
Speaking to The Scottish Sun, he said: "The haggis and black pudding and dry-cured bacon are like my missions to get perfect. And it doesn't happen overnight.
"I mean, years of trying, years of tweaking. You've got this rich, creamy texture. The oatmeal colour, it's not clawy or gooey. It's just the perfect balance we seem to have struck."
He added: "Let's just say lamb fat probably helps sweeten the haggis and give it broader appeal."
Just hours before his haggis triumph, Nigel's Scotch pie was crowned the best in the world at the 2025 World Championship Scotch Pie Awards on Saturday at the Hilton, Glasgow.
I tried the new 'Glasgow pie', it's like nothing I've ever tasted before
For his award-winning Scotch pie, it's all about the top-notch ingredients.
McCaskie's sources their meat from the best of the best.
Nigel said: "You've got to put the top ingredients in. The lamb in the pie is from the Isle of Bute, Scalpsie Bay. It's organically reared.
"And the beef - 100% Aberdeen Angus that we do exclusively at our shop. 100% Scotch, the best of ingredients. That's the key."
But the finishing touch that ties it all together is a perfect golden ring encircling the top of the pie.
Nigel added: "It's always fired the same. Always the gold ring around the top, perfectly fired and the meat and the seasoning have something special."
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