Top butcher

By Bridget Brady
ASK anyone around Tooradin and they’ll tell you their butcher is one of the best in the land.
And now it’s not just word of mouth that TJ’s Gourmet Meats has to recommend itself, the business also has official kudos after scooping a set of prestigious accolades at the Australian Meat Industry Council awards this month.
TJ’s Gourmet Meats in Tooradin took out first prize for the best traditional ham on the bone in the Gippsland region, and went on to come second in the Victorian division.
Their boneless ham, kabana, and stras all took out second places for the Gippsland categories.
Co-owner and local man Terry Barlow said it was an honour to come second in the state against a host of quality competition.
Mr Barlow, who owns the business with his wife, Judy, said expert ham-maker John Dart was a key to the quality of the ham.
Mr Barlow started work as a butcher when he was 14 years old, and bought the business in 1973. There are now eight butchers at TJ’s Gourmet Meats.
“It’s been a long association in this district. Our customer base goes all the way down South Gippsland,” Mr Barlow said.
And a customer’s relationship with their butcher was a unique thing, Mr Barlow said.
“It’s so personal. We stand by our quality for sure.”
The days of “bargain butchers” were becoming a thing of the past, Mr Barlow said, with customers starting to value quality meat.
During his many years as a butcher, Mr Barlow said he noticed men had now started to shop at butchers, when previously they only walked in “to carry or pay for it”.
Time has also seen Mr Barlow start to serve adult customers he used to hand stras over the counter to as youngsters when they strolled in with their parents.
Staff at TJ’s Gourmet Meats have started to take Christmas orders, and Mr Barlow has promised customers a free taste of their ham before they decide to buy it.