Scottish butcher launches Tartan Army pie for Euro 2024: what does it taste like?

Some people are into football purely for the half-time pie.

Eating one of these, perhaps along with a Bovril, is a long tradition, and that’s why Ayrshire-based Brownings the Bakers has launched the first Tartan Army Pie (£2.30).

Whether Scotland wins or not, these are available nationwide throughout the Euro 2024, until July 14 or thereabouts. The brand, established in 1945, is already famous for its traditional Macaroni Pie, Scotch Pie and award-winning Kilmarnock Pie, which is filled with steak and celebrates the fact that Brownings sponsored Kilmarnock Football Club for three seasons.

John Gall, director of Brownings with the Tartan Army pie

Their new Tartan Army Pie, in its canary yellow box emblazoned with the Saltire and lion rampant, is packed with mince and tatties.

Although I’m no football fan, I decided to sample this meaty delight. I was primed for experiencing one individual pie. Instead, they sent me about 17 of them. Thus, I have had a pie for lunch every day for nearly a fortnight, all in the name of research.

I am scunnered. Once I’ve dispatched them all, there will be salad for the remainder of the month.

It seems a while since I sampled my first, after heating it in the air fryer for the suggested 25 minutes.

For some reason, I had expected the tattie element to be mashed and, perhaps, sitting underneath the puff pastry lid. Instead, the potato is cut into minuscule feathery cubes, which, I suppose, stops this root vegetable from turning into mulch when combined with the meaty jus. Oh, those canny pie designers.

The mince ingredient is very finely hewn and the pastry is quite thin, so these feel lighter than your average pie. In fact, I easily managed two in one sitting, which seemed very patriotic of me. You could easily slip one in each pocket, should you want to take them to the fitba.

If you’re eating them at home, I’d suggest serving the Tartan Army Pie, a la Scotch pie, alongside baked beans. They’d be pretty good with a touch of brown or tomato sauce, too.

In the end, I didn’t finish all 17, and some of them are now nestling in the freezer, perhaps for all eternity. I might consider defrosting them if Scotland wins a match, perhaps at the Euro 2028 or 2032.

This brand isn’t the only pie pusher this football season.

Aldi Scotland also has a new deal with footie pie specialists Pie Sports, who make Kebab Pies (£2.79 for two). These are “filled with quality kebab meat, covered in a secret family recipe sauce, and encased in a flaky shortcrust puff pastry”.

There will be 25,000 of these spicy bakes landing in Aldi’s 105 Scottish stores.

Do I want to sample them? No thanks, I think I’m all pie-d out. Pass me the salad.

Brownings’ Tartan Army Pies are available from Aldi Scotland, selected SPAR stores and branches of Morrisons, as well as Brownings own shops and online at www.browningsbakers.com