British BBQ Society Forums

Pecker wrote:

The Social Smokers wrote: I think you are right. There's a reason we adopt cuisines from other countries...

Sunday Roast and Fish and Chips is the only British Food worth eating.

I only half agree.

As I said earlier, we had an excellent culinary tradition, which was paused by the industrial revolution. But we're now back as leaders in world cuisine. British chefs and restaurants are noted as some of the finest in the world, often drawing on old 'lost' classics, but other times just using all the things the find from around the world and being inventive.

You can't just say "British food is bad" or "British food is good" - you have to qualify that. Britain lost its culinary heritage for hundreds of years, but is now reclaining it.

As much of our heritage comes from a time where almost all food was cooked over open fires, I believe that barbecuing should be a big part of that.

And there's a hell of a lot more to our culinary heritage than fish & chips and roast beef.

Steve W

Please list them

The Social Smokers wrote:

Pecker wrote:

The Social Smokers wrote: I think you are right. There's a reason we adopt cuisines from other countries...

Sunday Roast and Fish and Chips is the only British Food worth eating.

I only half agree.

As I said earlier, we had an excellent culinary tradition, which was paused by the industrial revolution. But we're now back as leaders in world cuisine. British chefs and restaurants are noted as some of the finest in the world, often drawing on old 'lost' classics, but other times just using all the things the find from around the world and being inventive.

You can't just say "British food is bad" or "British food is good" - you have to qualify that. Britain lost its culinary heritage for hundreds of years, but is now reclaining it.

As much of our heritage comes from a time where almost all food was cooked over open fires, I believe that barbecuing should be a big part of that.

And there's a hell of a lot more to our culinary heritage than fish & chips and roast beef.

Steve W

Please list them

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_cuisine

The first three images on that page are:

Roast Dinner
Fish and Chips
Scones



Pardon my ignorance but i'm still not sure what this thread is trying to achieve. You are trying to come up with ideas of cooking "British Cuisine" on a BBQ?

The Social Smokers wrote:The first three images on that page are:

Roast Dinner
Fish and Chips
Scones



Pardon my ignorance but i'm still not sure what this thread is trying to achieve. You are trying to come up with ideas of cooking "British Cuisine" on a BBQ?

Listen mate, I don't think British food is laughable.

On the front page of these forums it says:

British cuisine and British chefs are now respected around the world. So let’s do the same for British Barbeque!!!

That's all I'm trying to do at this thread.

Sorry if you find that offensive, or if you think I'm somehow over-stepping the mark.

Peace.

Steve W

I have trouble with the idea of British food being bad. British foods and traditions tend to be suitable for the climate we live in. When your days are cold, wet and gloomy then you want a stodgy feel good food like Lamb Stew and Dumplings, Haggis or bread and dripping. However we now live in our central heated, air conditioned offices all day or have machines that do 90% of the hard work for us. Yet Britain still produces the best beer, sausages and cheese in the world. Hands down. Our ale is second to none (although the stuff they call lager here tends to awful) our sausages as pointed out are key to barbecue as well as toad in the holes and is there anything better than a platter of cheddar, stilton and a somerset brie?

I think it's worth pointing out our pickles. Make your own Picallili. It's a forgotten item that could be by the side of any BBQ. British cuisine isn't stylish. It's often based on getting the most out of cheap cuts of meat and a few veg and we do it so well.

Pecker wrote:

The Social Smokers wrote:The first three images on that page are:

Roast Dinner
Fish and Chips
Scones



Pardon my ignorance but i'm still not sure what this thread is trying to achieve. You are trying to come up with ideas of cooking "British Cuisine" on a BBQ?

Listen mate, I don't think British food is laughable.

I was laughing at the fact that 2 of the things i mentioned were 2 out of 3 images on that Wiki page without me even seeing it.

The Social Smokers wrote: Please list them

I'll quote from Mosimann himself.

Roasting was possible only over wood fires, and wood was particularly plentiful in England. Cooking techniques are inevitably dependent on the limited resources and fuel available to the cook: a slow fire and a single pot for stews; a brisk fire and a spit for roasts...The French were horrified that the British farmed animalsfor eating at the table - the French cooked only beasts that had given their best years to the land...French joints had to be boned, rolled and braised or stewed with other ingredients to make them taste good. This was the fundamental difference in ways of cooking, and explains why the British could so excel at 'plain roats'.

More in a moment.

Steve W

The first thing that had struck me was how superlative British ingredients were. Aberdeen Angus beef is second to none, and Welsh and Scottish lamb are full of flavour.

I'll paraphrase now, as it's takling me too long to type.

He praises other British meats, says the seafood is 'wonderful', and that the game is 'some of the best in the world'.

He says that, after researching thousands of recipes he 'discovered sbtleties and delicacies that (he) would not have thought possible'.

He cites as world class foods the following British dishes:

- Scottish mussel stew-soups
- Clear vegaetable broths
- Smoked fish soups
- Cock-a-leehkie
- River trout coated in outmeal and bacon fat
- Simply grilled red herrings with mustard sauce
- Cornish crabs and mackeral with a sharp goosberry sauce
- Deep friedWhitebait
- Dover sole and eels
-

He goes on, and I think this is important m=now in relation to the barbecue:

It is in the poultry, meat and game recipes that the essential 'plainness' of British cooking is more evident, and most sensible. With such fine quality produce, elaboration would be a mistake.

He goes on to say that roast beef:

...was originally cooked on a spit over or beside an open fire...Roasting today is more akin to baking (in an enclosed oven) so I often grill or pan-grill small wing-ribs for beef, that is actually closer to the original conception.

Anyway, if you still disagree, and you think we have no decent British take it up with two-Michilin starred Anton Mosimann OBE.

I think this has shown that (a) we actually have a very fine culinary tradition, and that (b) much of it is very barbecue-friendly.

Hope that helps answer your question.

Steve W

I'm not sure what you are trying to do. Yes Britain has great product, heritage and traditions in food. Yes a lot can be cooked in/on a BBQ. But as has been mentioned again, and again but seems not to have taken root is that this forum was set-up to promote US STYLE BBQ in the UK, with a view to spreading the word as far as possible. Not everyone wants to compete or will compete HOWEVER almost everyone on here wants to learn or pass on their knowledge of that style. Maybe your words would have more effect on a site dedicated to modern UK style BBQ to get them away from the burnt burgers and raw chicken mentality. People generally find this site because they are fed up with what is current in the UK (emphasis on current) and may have tasted good US BBQ either on holiday or in one of the many restaurants that are springing up, and want to replicate it. OR have bought/built some new kit and want help in using it.
No-one here to my recollection has disparaged British produce or it's traditional or adopted cuisine(s).

keith157 wrote:No-one here to my recollection has disparaged British produce or it's traditional or adopted cuisine(s).

Sorry Keith, have you read the whole thread? I won't quote, but there are several disparaging comments.

I know you've mentioned that this site was set up to promote US-style barbecues, but you've also said there's plenty of room for discussion of other styles.

Have I got that wrong?

Steve W