Frank Murphy Butchers

200 year old traditional family butcher

Frank Murphy is the second generation Murphy in recent times to have run this little shop in the heart of Main Street, Midleton. The shop was established for seven generations of butchers before him and has provided meat for many a local family over all those years.

On the wall behind the counter, take a look at the photograph of the shop when Frank’s father was at the helm in 1947. The old black and white image shows the front of the shop taken from the outside with carcasses of whole lamb, beef and pigs hanging over the pavement in front of the shop window and an outdoor table displaying the various prized cuts like pig’s head, corned beef and offal. That was back in the day when customers were discerning about their meat buying and housewives wanted to browse the street, checking out all butchers to see who had the best stock. 

These days you’re not allowed to hang your wares outside – food safety laws have put paid to that way of doing business. Still Frank maintains the stance of a traditional butcher. You won’t find much in the way of pre-cut joints or plastic tray selections here. In fact you’re more likely to see a whole loin of free range pork, local lamb or a rib of beef on display and you just ask for as many chops or as big a piece of meat as you want cut. Whole sides of beef hang in the fridges at the rear, dry ageing on the bone in the traditional manner for a minimum of twenty one days. Lamb and pork sides are also here, so if you don’t see what you want, just ask. Frank concentrates on local meats and has been dealing with the same farms and farmers for years. He places huge importance on livestock management which makes for good quality meat. His beef comes from a selection of farms always named on the blackboard in the shop. Breeds include Hereford cross, Aberdeen Angus, Black Whiteheads and Hereford Angus cross, which produce the best tasting beef.

Ageing on the bone means meat tenderises to melting succulence. If you are a pork fan this is the place to find the choicest cuts from free range animals and a variety of breeds like the Duroc Tamworth cross, which he had in the shop when we called in to see him. That evening chops cut from the whole loin were devoured to the point of sucking the fingers – their flesh beautifully coated with a generous layer of firm fat under a red tinged rind, which crisped to perfection as the chops cooked. Yes they were good and tender and with the all the taste of yesteryear. It’s no wonder Frank is butcher to the chefs! Both Darina Allen and Rachel Allen shop here and also choose his meat for professional use. Also you will find a selection of home salted beef or corned beef as it’s known, Mitchelstown black and white Puddings and sausages, home salted crubeens, (pig’s trotters) corned brisket, tongue, and oxtail.  

But perhaps the best thing about Murphy’s butchers is the fact that Frank slaughters all his own meat for the shop. Everything is traceable by him right through from the farm, to the slaughterhouse, to the shop counter. The abattoir is located just a short stroll from the shop, behind the Main Street. It’s very small and time honoured in presentation with a small holding yard just outside. Animals are brought in to be slaughtered one at a time then dealt with one by one by expert slaughterhouse staff. Facilities are basic and traditional, just like it was back in his father’s day. No conveyor belt processing in sight. It makes for stress free and humane conditions for the animals and as a result, tender, flavoursome meat for the customer. It also means Frank can hand pick his stock and have some interesting breeds passing through from smaller producers who only rear a handful of livestock themselves. He recently slaughtered Highland cattle for a local farmer. The abattoir deals with just 8 –10 cattle per week and a maximum of 60 lambs, which shows just how artisan this place really is. Next door to the facility is a couple of acres of land bought by Frank’s father, and where Frank now rears a handful of lamb and cattle for his own pleasure and which get sold in the shop when they are ready. 

We love Frank Murphy’s old fashioned approach and great meat. As regular meat eaters we think it’s our duty to know how our animals are produced and more importantly, that they are slaughtered humanely for consumption. That way we can honour the life given in order to provide us with the best quality meat on our tables. It’s about respecting our animals reared for food – and Frank Murphy does that so well.

Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

79 Main Street
Midleton
Co Cork
+353 (0)21 4631557
Email: stay@anstor.com

 

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