I judged the two best Scottish Premiership pies - one simple ingredient settled the debate once and for all

The meat pie is as much a staple of the football experience in Scotland as watching the game itself and it is a topic that never ceases to stir up debate.

Clubs up and down the country will big up their local pastries as being amongst the best in the division and many often produce the goods to back up such claims. However, in Scottish football there has been an undisputed champion for some time now.

Celtic and Rangers may have been the top two dogs in the Premiership for almost 40 years now but one team has sat comfortably atop the pie chart... Kilmarnock. That was until a recent survey which, based off an average score from Trip Advisor reviews, found that the Ayrshire club DID NOT in fact have the most popular pie in the top flight.

That title was awarded to Ross County who knocked Killie off top spot and into second place. Hearts and Aberdeen also scored high but the Staggie’s match day pie sat top with a positive review score of 94%.

Now, this author is someone who is no stranger to a pie at the football, or indeed in many other applicable places. So there seemed to be only one thing for it and that was to get a hold of the two title contenders and taste them side by side.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE AS SPORTS EDITOR MARTYN SIMPSON SAMPLES KILMARNOCK AND ROSS COUNTY’S PIES AND RANKS THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER

The ‘famous’ Kilmarnock Pie is of course readily available up and down Scotland, such is the popularity of the snack which is made in Ayrshire by Brownings the Bakers. I got mine from my local Aldi though other stockists are available and listed on Brownings’ website.

Getting a hold of one of County’s pies proved a bit more tricky but a bit of research showed that the pies were made in Inverness at the V8 Cafe. Thankfully with a good friend recently visiting from the Highlands they were able to procure me a sample and it was time for the decision.

Of course, this wasn’t my first time tasting a Killie Pie but it has been long enough that I had forgotten just why it was considered the gold standard of football pies in Scotland. One bite and it became obvious from the crispy yet soft and flaky crust to the succulent meat - a deciding factor would have almost certainly been low quality, gristly meat.

The County pie was a new experience for me and I have to say, in terms of the meat and the pastry it matched the offering from Kilmarnock stride for stride with equally tender meat and a fine flaky crust. The steak was shredded rather than diced which gave the filling a slightly nicer consistency although traditionalists will argue for the more common method.

However, there was one thing that just edged the inevitable winner ahead in what was a closely fought contest. Having dived in for a bite each from both and struggling to come to a final decision it all became so obvious upon the second helping of the classic Killie Pie.

There is just something about the Brownings gravy that separates it from all others. The perfect amount of seasoning with just enough pepper to flavour it beautifully without being overpowering. Rich but not sweet and the perfect consistency so as to not run down your arms or scald your lips when taking that all important first or second bite.

A valiant effort from the offering from the Highlands for sure and it is easy to see exactly why it is so positively reviewed online. However, and as a northerner myself I was secretly routing for County here, I have to give the final decision to the famous Killie Pie which, for me, stays ahead and in its rightful place as the Scottish Premiership’s top pie.